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

voice, so he
settled for leveling his most impatient stare at the hapless soldier.
    “We were leaving Kanarek--”
    “We?”
    “Yes, Your Highness. Major Gernz and me. It was our duty to make one last
check of the ruins after the rest of the army had departed for Hael.”
    “I would speak also with Major Gernz.”
    “Begging your pardon, Sir, Major Gernz is dead.”
    Rau rubbed at his temples. If the pounding would cease for one moment,
perhaps he could think.
    The soldier's words tumbled into his silence. Rau glared at him to
continue.
    “We'd nearly finished our tour, when we spied two riders in foreign armor
upon the hill.”
    “Foreign?”
    “Yes, Sir.” His throat worked, no sound came out. The youth swallowed again.
“Kanarekii armor. But old, like none I've ever seen. We rode up to question
them, but the woman turned on the Major and--”
    A streak of silver hair flashed across his mind's eye, followed by a pair of
piercing, gray eyes. No, he thought desperately, it couldn't be. His father had
cursed him with his superstitions. Rau reined in his imagination.
    “This woman,” he demanded, knowing already what the young soldier would say.
“Describe her to me.”
    “I would not have known it was a woman, Sir, but for her hair. She didn't
look Kanarekii, she was far too fair.”
    “And the man with her?”
    “I didn't get a good look at him, Sir.” And when Rau glowered at him, he
added, “But I got the impression he was...older.”
    Fear burst inside Rau. His father's warnings, Gamaliel's superstitions howled
in his mind. Pieces of the rumored prophecy fell into place. The mythical
princess and the supposedly long-dead warrior. Rau swallowed the terror rising
inside him. This festering obstacle must be dealt with right away, before word
of it reached his father. Before rumors destroyed the morale of his army. No
Kanarekii princess would stand between him and his well-deserved glory.
    “In what direction did they ride, this woman and her companion?”
    “Away from the city, Sir. Toward the desert.”
    Toward the desert, Rau thought. Toward the mountains and the fabled tomb of
Zal-Azaar. There could be no other explanation.
    #
    He found Larz at the head of the army. A long line of black-clad Haelian
soldiers stretched in an orderly row through the trees. Behind them, leagues of
cadavers waited with patience only the dead could have. Soldiers at the tail end
of the column eyed the dead with growing nervousness. Rau caught more than one
quick sign made against evil as he passed. He didn't need to turn to see the
dark looks they gave his back. None were brave enough to show their
superstitions to his face, he thought with satisfaction.
    “Your Highness.” Larz drew himself up, prepared to give the order to ride
out.
    “Captain.”
    Larz snapped to attention, but his eyes quickly scanned Rau's face. The
Prince watched as he absorbed the bad news there and prepared to receive his
orders.
    “I will not be riding to Kholer.”
    Whatever Larz was expecting, Rau's words took him visibly by surprise.
“Sir?”
    “Another matter requires my personal attention. I leave the conquest of
Kholer in your capable hands.”
    “But Your Highness--”
    Rau squelched his protests with a wave of his hand.
    The men were listening, an entire army of ears perked in their direction.
Larz's eyes slid sideways, absorbing that thought. He opened his mouth to
protest, then thinking better of it, backed his horse out of hearing range. Rau
followed.
    “You don't think there's truth to the rumor of the warrior-princess?” Larz
leaned in close, lowering his voice despite the distance. “Do you, Sir?”
    “Of course not,” Rau said with a certainty that didn't reach his heart. “But
I must discover the truth to this woman's identity before rumor of her existence
reaches the King.”
    Larz nodded in a agreement, though Rau read disapproval in the set of his
mouth.
    “And if there is