Read Online The Prince of Exiles (The Exile Series) by Hal Emerson - Free Book Online
Authors: Hal Emerson
Ads: Link
privacy. He also felt a little self-conscious, as if he were talking about a private part of himself that wasn’t brought up in polite conversation.
“You need to learn how to use it properly … I can help you if you want.”
He cleared his throat gruffly.
“If you need it that is. I understand if you’d like to figure it out on your own – it’s fine if you’d rather I stay out of your business.”
Leah rolled her eyes at him again and Davydd smirked.
“How about you help me with that,” rumbled Tomaz, “and I’ll help you build that cabin you’ve been thinking about?”
Raven was in need of a place of his own back in Vale, and he’d been thinking about building a cabin similar to the one Tomaz owned. He could certainly use the big man’s help, and he wouldn’t mind helping Tomaz learn to channel the Ox Talisman. If anything, it would only help him build his cabin faster.
“I think we can do that,” he said. Tomaz grinned at him and the matter was settled.
“Well, now that the next great Treaty of our times has been settled,” said Davydd dryly, “are you ready to report on what happened in the mountains? The Elders will have very specific questions. As amusing for me as it will be to see you flounder, I know my sister would never forgive me.”
“Yes,” said Leah with a strange protective edge to her voice, “I certainly wouldn’t.”
“I know what I’m going to say,” said Raven. “There’s very little to hide, even if I wanted to. They all know about the Raven and the Ox Talisman, so it would be pointless to leave out any parts of the truth.”
“My feeling exactly,” said Leah, nodding in approval. “Besides, you’re one of the Kindred now in all but name, and it would be a good idea to get the Elders to respect you.”
“Crane already adores him,” said Davydd in a mocking baby voice. “He tink he wov- ley.”
“But some of the others do not,” Tomaz rumbled, silencing the young man. “Warryn chief among them.”
“Ah yes,” said Raven darkly, “Henri Perci’s sponsor.”
Henri Perci was a newly appointed lieutenant general in the Kindred army. He had been one of the survivors of the Stand, not because he was there fighting alongside Raven and the others, but because he had been the only officer brave enough to remain in the open countryside, rallying the men to harry the Prince of Oxen’s force as they’d approached. It had been a suicide mission, and most of those he had rallied had died. Those that had lived, however, all owed their lives to the hand of Henri Perci. He had become something of a legend among the Kindred, partly for his tactical genius and military skill, and partly for his heroic good looks. Raven was no stranger to how such things worked – Rikard had always taught him that people followed images. Henri Perci was the embodiment of a young, powerful warrior – tall, with a handsome face and long flowing hair. He just looked like a hero, the kind of man that everyone should love.
But he hated Raven.
It had never been made abundantly clear why , but Raven knew that often times hatred didn’t require specifics. It was said that when news had reached Perci that the Prince of Ravens had defeated the Ox Lord, the man had said he’d rather all the Kindred had perished from the earth than one such corrupt demon as a Child should fight on their side.
Elder Warryn, the titular head of the Kindred forces, in turn shared his hatred. All generals were sponsored by an Elder when they received their post, and when Warryn nominated Perci for generalship, it had been widely acknowledged he’d done it because of their shared hatred for the former Prince of Ravens.
“But the others, like Ishmael, can still be persuaded,” she said pointedly.
“What is it exactly that he does?” Raven asked. “What does ‘Intelligent Elder’ entail? I’d say it was oxymoronic, but I
“You need to learn how to use it properly … I can help you if you want.”
He cleared his throat gruffly.
“If you need it that is. I understand if you’d like to figure it out on your own – it’s fine if you’d rather I stay out of your business.”
Leah rolled her eyes at him again and Davydd smirked.
“How about you help me with that,” rumbled Tomaz, “and I’ll help you build that cabin you’ve been thinking about?”
Raven was in need of a place of his own back in Vale, and he’d been thinking about building a cabin similar to the one Tomaz owned. He could certainly use the big man’s help, and he wouldn’t mind helping Tomaz learn to channel the Ox Talisman. If anything, it would only help him build his cabin faster.
“I think we can do that,” he said. Tomaz grinned at him and the matter was settled.
“Well, now that the next great Treaty of our times has been settled,” said Davydd dryly, “are you ready to report on what happened in the mountains? The Elders will have very specific questions. As amusing for me as it will be to see you flounder, I know my sister would never forgive me.”
“Yes,” said Leah with a strange protective edge to her voice, “I certainly wouldn’t.”
“I know what I’m going to say,” said Raven. “There’s very little to hide, even if I wanted to. They all know about the Raven and the Ox Talisman, so it would be pointless to leave out any parts of the truth.”
“My feeling exactly,” said Leah, nodding in approval. “Besides, you’re one of the Kindred now in all but name, and it would be a good idea to get the Elders to respect you.”
“Crane already adores him,” said Davydd in a mocking baby voice. “He tink he wov- ley.”
“But some of the others do not,” Tomaz rumbled, silencing the young man. “Warryn chief among them.”
“Ah yes,” said Raven darkly, “Henri Perci’s sponsor.”
Henri Perci was a newly appointed lieutenant general in the Kindred army. He had been one of the survivors of the Stand, not because he was there fighting alongside Raven and the others, but because he had been the only officer brave enough to remain in the open countryside, rallying the men to harry the Prince of Oxen’s force as they’d approached. It had been a suicide mission, and most of those he had rallied had died. Those that had lived, however, all owed their lives to the hand of Henri Perci. He had become something of a legend among the Kindred, partly for his tactical genius and military skill, and partly for his heroic good looks. Raven was no stranger to how such things worked – Rikard had always taught him that people followed images. Henri Perci was the embodiment of a young, powerful warrior – tall, with a handsome face and long flowing hair. He just looked like a hero, the kind of man that everyone should love.
But he hated Raven.
It had never been made abundantly clear why , but Raven knew that often times hatred didn’t require specifics. It was said that when news had reached Perci that the Prince of Ravens had defeated the Ox Lord, the man had said he’d rather all the Kindred had perished from the earth than one such corrupt demon as a Child should fight on their side.
Elder Warryn, the titular head of the Kindred forces, in turn shared his hatred. All generals were sponsored by an Elder when they received their post, and when Warryn nominated Perci for generalship, it had been widely acknowledged he’d done it because of their shared hatred for the former Prince of Ravens.
“But the others, like Ishmael, can still be persuaded,” she said pointedly.
“What is it exactly that he does?” Raven asked. “What does ‘Intelligent Elder’ entail? I’d say it was oxymoronic, but I
Similar Books
