Read Online The General's Daughter (Snow and Ash #1) by Heather Knight - Free Book Online Page A

his throat and glances away, and Baldo doesn’t even look like he wants to fight. Idris is by far the biggest guy in the room. Probably in the state—if we still had states.
    “What’s going on?” Baldo asks.
    Blondie takes another look through the binoculars. “Recon. Probably from Command.”
    I’m not wringing my hands. My whole body is wringing.
    “Talon doesn’t look happy,” Blondie muses, and Baldo gives me an assessing look.
    “They’re arguing now.”
    Shit.
    By now I’m unashamedly peering out the tiny window over the kitchen sink. There are three soldiers out there, and Talon’s talking to one of them, aggressively it looks like, because he throws his hands around and leans into the other guy’s space. This goes on for several minutes before Talon gives the soldier a shove. Immediately, the other two men, who up until now shouldered their weapons, bring them across their bodies and grip them with both hands like they’re getting ready for business. But their companion doesn’t react to the shove, at least physically, so there’s no fight after all.
    What are they talking about? More importantly, what does this mean for me?
    Talon tosses one last comment, jabs a finger at the one he’s been talking to, and stalks toward the trailer. After a moment, the others make to follow, but Talon rounds on them. I can’t be sure what he’s saying, but by his gestures he’s telling them to go fuck themselves and find someplace else to stay. That’s my interpretation, at any rate.
    By the time Talon comes back inside, he looks like someone just tried to chew his balls. I don’t think I’ve seen even my dad this angry. He pitches his hat into the corner and barely looks at me. “Go back to the room. I’ll call you when you can come out.”
    I don’t like it, but I get to my feet. You know, like the obedient girl I’ve been trained to be. As I pass Idris, he offers me another look of sympathy.
    Once back in the bedroom, I close the door, making sure it’s with enough force that they can hear it. Then, softly as I can, I crack it open.
    “There’s no sign Balenchuk’s even left the mountain.”
    “Shit.” That’s Baldo.
    “Well, he came back, didn’t he?” Idris asks.
    “Within a day of her capture,” Talon confirms.
    “Are they sure he’s still there?” This sounds like Blondie, but I can’t be certain.
    “His army hasn’t moved, and he sure as shittin’ isn’t coming by himself.”
    “Her own daddy and he’s not going to do anything?” Idris sounds indignant on my behalf, and I realize I like this mountain of a man. Well, sort of. I mean, he killed Garrett.
    Talon swears, and I hear a bang like he’s kicked something, hard.
    “What now?” Blondie asks.
    “He has four more days. If Balenchuk doesn’t show by then…” Talon hesitates. “The general has new plans.”
    “What plans?” Baldo sounds a little too eager for the answer.
    Talon mumbles something, but I can’t hear.
    “He can’t do that,” says Idris.
    Talon makes a scoffing sound. “He won’t. It’ll be us. It’ll be me. If it comes to that, we’re to leave her head somewhere they’ll find it. Preferably on his doorstep.”
    I can’t describe the feeling that comes over me, other than to say it is enough to send me to my knees and make catching my breath impossible. If I could have, I would have bolted for the door right there and then.
    “She ain’t nothing,” Idris reminds the others. “She’s got nothing to do with anything.”
    “She’s a pawn.” Talon sounds defeated. “She was never meant to be anything but a means to get to Balenchuk. If Barry can’t draw him out to rescue her, then he’ll use her death to weaken him.”
    My hands shake as I close the door as gently as I can. I can’t let Talon know I heard. I don’t want him tying me up again. If he does that, I’ll never get away.

    It’s several minutes before I’m calm enough to think, and it hits me that there’s nowhere to