Read Online The Deadwalk by Stephanie Bedwell-Grime - Free Book Online

to him, deciding instead to medicate himself to sleep with the contents
of his wineskin. He swallowed gingerly. It roiled about in his stomach but
stayed down. He took a longer pull on the wineskin, then passed it to Larz who
grimaced and vigorously shook his head.
    A thick crust of bread sat better on his stomach. The heat, the wine and
bread together conspired to make him sleepy. Beside him, Larz was already
snoring softly.
    Leaving his company to stand guard, Rau pulled his helmet down over his face,
stretched out against the broad trunk, and surrendered to the sleep that had
been threatening to drag him under all morning.
    #
    He raced through halls of magenta crystal, breath searing his lungs. His
heart hammered like a drum within his chest. Something pursued him in the
labyrinthian tunnels. And though he couldn't name the terror that chased him, he
knew that to cease running would mean certain death.
    He dove into another corridor, only to discover it ended abruptly in a wall
of jagged quartz. He skidded to a jarring stop, then fled back over his
footsteps toward the main hall.
    Just a few more feet, he told himself as he rounded the corner. A few more
steps.
    Blinded by the corner ahead, the flash of steel caught him off guard. He
flailed about, desperately trying to halt his progress. His boots slid against
floors of smooth quartz. The momentum carried him steadily forward into the path
of that deadly blade.
    Rau screamed. Horrible gurgling sounds echoed loudly in his head, then
deteriorated quickly into silence.
    At last he saw her, a streak of silver hair and steel eyes.
“Riordan-Khun-Caryn,” came the whisper in his mind. Shraal features hovered
above him, beautiful and deadly. The crystal floor rushed up to meet him.
    His body toppled over him, cutting off both sight and sound.
    #
    Rau jerked awake, nails digging into the soft grass.
    “I'm sorry, Your Highness, I didn't mean to startle you.” Larz shifted
uneasily. “One of our men, the last to leave Kanarek, has just caught up with
us. He insists on speaking with you.”
    What could it possibly be this time! Rau wondered. These minor grievances,
these niggly complaints only stole his attention from the grave task at
hand.
    Around them the army was packing up, stowing the supplies once again. Kholer
would not wait for him to deal with the aggravations of administration.
    “I have not the time.” He waited for Larz to volunteer to handle the matter,
but the Captain stood his ground. Rau bit back his annoyance. “Surely you can
deal with him?”
    Larz cast a nervous glance over his shoulder. “I think it best you speak with
him yourself.”
    He followed the Captain's gaze, noting with growing irritation the wild-eyed
soldier who anxiously awaited his attention. The nap he hoped would cure the
pounding in his head had given him nothing more than bad dreams. Time would have
been better spent on the march. The thought only added to his bad humor.
    “Be ready to ride out at my command,” he barked at Larz, who merely nodded,
taking Rau's show of temper in maddeningly good grace.
    He strode across the grass, cloak flying out behind him, and grinned as the
sight of him made the youth take an involuntary step backward.
    “Your Highness.” The soldier snapped to attention. Youthful eyes stared back
at him from beneath the plumed helm. Younger even than his brother, the one his
father pledged his throne to. Rau fought back another wave of fury.
    He waved away the title with an irritated flick of his hand. I don't have
time for this. “Your report.”
    The soldier swallowed. His mouth moved. No sound came out.
    “Make haste, Soldier. An entire army awaits you.”
    “Begging your pardon, Highness.”
    Rau let go a caustic breath. Would the entire day amount to nothing more than
a string of petty annoyances? He wanted to shake the report out of him. But the
youth looked as if he'd come apart if Rau so much as raised his