Read Online The Lord Son's Travels by Emma Mickley - Free Book Online

attack when their attention was focused on
the distraction on the ground.   He
dismounted and followed his friend’s path through the tall, desiccated weeds.    They crumpled under his boots as
they had done under his companion’s.   And Brendan realized, studying the growth encircling him and the object
in the grass, under no one else’s steps.   From the undisturbed state of the vegetation, no one had walked through
this field for some time, giving him more reason to wonder how what they had
found had gotten there at all.   Adrien heard his steps and turned around, puzzlement dominating his
expression.
    "A
woman," he said.   "Dressed in white."
    "How
in the Lady’s name…” Brendan started, but the sight of her disrupted his exclamation.   He too examined her closely, noting the
strangeness of her appearance.   “How did she get here?” he asked over his shoulder.   Adrien shrugged in response.   He didn’t want to leave her to her fate
in the tall grass, but he had no desire to draw attention to himself by
transporting her to the nearest farm for aid.   And he was extremely frustrated that his own curiosity had
brought him to this situation.   He
stepped away from the scene to gaze up into the sky and let himself think of
possible responses to the new dilemma.   Brendan certainly knew his friend well enough to know his pose meant he
wanted peace to think, and instead let his own attention stay focused on the
stranger.
    Brendan
knelt down and gently stroked her pale cheek.   "Rather pretty, I think."   At his touch, she gave a shudder and
moaned softly.   "She's
waking!"   Brendan called to
his friend with relief.   He
crouched down next to her and waited for her next move.   She stretched her arms above her head as
she slowly returned from the sleepworld.   She licked her lips, moaned, and turned her face from the rays of the
fading sun.   One eyelid opened,
revealing a brilliant green iris surrounded by angry redness, and squinted
against the light.
    "Ow,"
she murmured, pulling up her left hand to rub her forehead.   "What the hell was
that?"   She stretched again
and tried to pull herself up to a sitting position, still with her eyes
clenched shut against the brightness.
    "My
lady," Brendan urged in a soothing voice.   "Rest.   I
fear you are injured."
    At the
sound of his voice, the woman's eyes flew open.   She stared bewildered at the man for half a second, then
clambered into a defensive crouch with a snarl.   She almost fell as her balance wavered.   Brendan flew to his feet to steady her
with a hand on her shoulder.   She
pulled away and tumbled backwards.   With a cry, she sat up again, still glaring ferociously at the
travelers.
    "Don’t
you touch me!" she snapped, inching backwards towards the shelter of the
woods.
    "We'll
not harm you!" Brendan replied quickly, offering her a friendly
smile.   Adrien took a step
closer.   She heard the crunching of
his footsteps and turned to include him in her glare.
    "Right,"
she snapped back.   "You won't
have that option."   Her
unsteady rise to her feet proved the improbability of her bravado.   She managed to waver and remain
upright, tracking Adrien through narrowed eyes as he
approached slowly.   He kept his
place with his hands open in front of him in a gesture of trustworthiness.   She turned to the closer man, who was smiling
and murmuring words of benevolence   A minute passed before she thawed a bit.  
    "Who
are you?" she said.   "And
where am I?"   She took a
moment to look around her and study her surroundings, and frowned deeply at the
sight.   The men were frozen in place
observing her in return, noting oddities in every line of her clothes and
manner.   The white blouse unnerved
them; in the Eastlands only bodies dressed for their funerals ever wore the
color of death.
    "We're
travelers," Adrien said.   "Seeking our fortunes in the world."   The woman nodded.  
    "Okay,"
she said, peering over his shoulder