Read Online The Griffin's War (Fallen Moon Trilogy) by K. J. Taylor - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: K. J. Taylor
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somethin’ we could use for strings, pass ’em over.”
Arenadd clenched and unclenched his good hand, and sighed. “I’ll never use a long sword again, that’s obvious. Besides, I lost mine. I need a new weapon. Something I can use one-handed.”
“Worry about that later,” said Saeddryn. “Tell me now, Arenadd”—she leant in close—“what did ye tell them?”
Everyone watched him closely, waiting for the reply.
He sighed. “They broke my fingers—”
“I know,” said Saeddryn. “We won’t blame ye. Just tell us the truth. What do they know?”
“They broke my fingers,” Arenadd repeated. “They broke all my fingers on that hand before I even started lying.”
Cautious hope showed on Saeddryn’s face. “Lies?”
“You saw me,” said Arenadd. “When they caught me.”
“Ravin’ like a lunatic,” said Davyn. “I thought—”
“So did they,” said Arenadd. “I thought, they all think I’m mad. Why not let them go on thinking it? So I kept pretending. Did everything I could think of. Sang all night, talked to walls. I did everything short of wearing my pants on my head. And then I bit half the captain’s ear off, but that was just me losing my temper.”
Rhodri and Davyn both sniggered, but Saeddryn didn’t even smile. “So they know nothin’? Ye didn’t give anythin’ away?”
“Not a thing,” said Arenadd. “They decided I was too deranged to be any help, so after the fingers they stopped torturing me.”
Saeddryn rubbed a hand over her face. “What about the others, then? Up at the Throne? Ye were the last t’see them.”
“Don’t worry about them,” said Arenadd. “I saw what had happened at Eitheinn and gave your—gave her a warning. They’ll all be long gone by now.”
Saeddryn relaxed. “Thank the Night God. I was so worried.”
Arenadd smiled. “No need to worry any more. Not unless you’re me, anyway.”
Rhodri and Davyn had helped Cai to gather the sticks she needed, and some strips of cloth would serve to hold them in place.
“I can start now,” she told her patient. “But I’m warnin’ ye, it’s goin’ t’be painful.”
Arenadd nodded stiffly. “Do it.”
Cai began her work. Arenadd made no sound; he clenched his jaw, and sweat beaded on his face. Annir sat close by him and held his other hand, and he leant on her for comfort. None of the others wanted to watch the gruesome process of straightening each bone before the splints were strapped in place, and Saeddryn quietly motioned them away with her to search for food. Skade went with them, and Skandar lay down by a tree and slept, apparently unconcerned.
By the time Saeddryn returned, the splinting was done and Cai was wrapping the bandages back over Arenadd’s hand. He looked even more haggard than before.
“Are ye all right?” Saeddryn asked.
Arenadd winced as Cai tied the end of the bandage down. “Gods, I would kill for a drink. But I suppose I’ll just have to wait.” He stood up. “Saeddryn, I need to talk to you. Alone.”
“Ye should rest,” she said gently. “Ye look about t’fall down.”
“Later. This is more important.” He walked out of the campsite, waving to her to follow. Skandar glanced up and rose to go with them.
Skade watched them go, narrow-eyed with suspicion, but stayed where she was.
T he moment they were out of sight and earshot, Arenadd stopped. “Saeddryn,” he said. “There’s something I have to tell you.”
She stopped, too, standing close and facing him. “I know,” she said softly.
Arenadd looked away for a moment, his good hand rising compulsively to fiddle with his beard. “I’m going to be honest with you now,” he said. “Completely honest. And I know this is going to be hard to accept, but I promise you that it’s the truth.”
“I believe ye,” she said. Nearby, Skandar looked on with vague interest.
“I know you want a war with the Southerners,” said Arenadd. “A war with Malvern. That’s what your
Arenadd clenched and unclenched his good hand, and sighed. “I’ll never use a long sword again, that’s obvious. Besides, I lost mine. I need a new weapon. Something I can use one-handed.”
“Worry about that later,” said Saeddryn. “Tell me now, Arenadd”—she leant in close—“what did ye tell them?”
Everyone watched him closely, waiting for the reply.
He sighed. “They broke my fingers—”
“I know,” said Saeddryn. “We won’t blame ye. Just tell us the truth. What do they know?”
“They broke my fingers,” Arenadd repeated. “They broke all my fingers on that hand before I even started lying.”
Cautious hope showed on Saeddryn’s face. “Lies?”
“You saw me,” said Arenadd. “When they caught me.”
“Ravin’ like a lunatic,” said Davyn. “I thought—”
“So did they,” said Arenadd. “I thought, they all think I’m mad. Why not let them go on thinking it? So I kept pretending. Did everything I could think of. Sang all night, talked to walls. I did everything short of wearing my pants on my head. And then I bit half the captain’s ear off, but that was just me losing my temper.”
Rhodri and Davyn both sniggered, but Saeddryn didn’t even smile. “So they know nothin’? Ye didn’t give anythin’ away?”
“Not a thing,” said Arenadd. “They decided I was too deranged to be any help, so after the fingers they stopped torturing me.”
Saeddryn rubbed a hand over her face. “What about the others, then? Up at the Throne? Ye were the last t’see them.”
“Don’t worry about them,” said Arenadd. “I saw what had happened at Eitheinn and gave your—gave her a warning. They’ll all be long gone by now.”
Saeddryn relaxed. “Thank the Night God. I was so worried.”
Arenadd smiled. “No need to worry any more. Not unless you’re me, anyway.”
Rhodri and Davyn had helped Cai to gather the sticks she needed, and some strips of cloth would serve to hold them in place.
“I can start now,” she told her patient. “But I’m warnin’ ye, it’s goin’ t’be painful.”
Arenadd nodded stiffly. “Do it.”
Cai began her work. Arenadd made no sound; he clenched his jaw, and sweat beaded on his face. Annir sat close by him and held his other hand, and he leant on her for comfort. None of the others wanted to watch the gruesome process of straightening each bone before the splints were strapped in place, and Saeddryn quietly motioned them away with her to search for food. Skade went with them, and Skandar lay down by a tree and slept, apparently unconcerned.
By the time Saeddryn returned, the splinting was done and Cai was wrapping the bandages back over Arenadd’s hand. He looked even more haggard than before.
“Are ye all right?” Saeddryn asked.
Arenadd winced as Cai tied the end of the bandage down. “Gods, I would kill for a drink. But I suppose I’ll just have to wait.” He stood up. “Saeddryn, I need to talk to you. Alone.”
“Ye should rest,” she said gently. “Ye look about t’fall down.”
“Later. This is more important.” He walked out of the campsite, waving to her to follow. Skandar glanced up and rose to go with them.
Skade watched them go, narrow-eyed with suspicion, but stayed where she was.
T he moment they were out of sight and earshot, Arenadd stopped. “Saeddryn,” he said. “There’s something I have to tell you.”
She stopped, too, standing close and facing him. “I know,” she said softly.
Arenadd looked away for a moment, his good hand rising compulsively to fiddle with his beard. “I’m going to be honest with you now,” he said. “Completely honest. And I know this is going to be hard to accept, but I promise you that it’s the truth.”
“I believe ye,” she said. Nearby, Skandar looked on with vague interest.
“I know you want a war with the Southerners,” said Arenadd. “A war with Malvern. That’s what your
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