Read Online The Shadowed Throne by K. J. Taylor - Free Book Online

want is the same as what you want. Peace for the North—Tara, I mean”— she corrected herself—“an’ happiness for its people. There’s no reason why we can’t work together for that, Saeddryn. We’re both Taranisäiis, ain’t we? Let’s be the way we should be. Tara needs us to be workin’ together. Help me do it, Saeddryn.”
    Saeddryn listened impassively. “Ye sounded like yer father, Laela. He’d’ve been proud.”
    â€œThanks.” Laela couldn’t help but feel good about that.
    â€œI . . . too . . . care about Tara,” Saeddryn went on. “I’ve only ever wanted the best for us. I fought beside yer father in the wars, an’ I remember it every time this eye twinges. I gave it up t’help our people, like my mother before me.”
    Laela looked steadily at her, waiting to see what she would say next.
    â€œUnderstand,” Saeddryn went on, “all I’ve ever done was for Tara. All my life, that’s how it’s been. I serve the Night God now, an’ she an’ me are the same that way. We’re both one-eyed, an’ we both love Tara before life itself.”
    A memory rose up in Laela’s mind, of a cold, ice-white face with a blank hole where an eye should be.
Kill her, Arenadd. Kill her now.
    She shivered, and hatred made her throat tighten.
    â€œI fought in Tara’s name,” said Saeddryn. “I fought for the Night God, as I still do. An’ for that reason, I will not let the ceremony happen.”
    Laela fought to keep calm. She picked a sprig of griffintail from the garden bed behind her and shredded it slowly while she spoke. “I’m Queen of Tara. Queen of all darkmen. I can’t rule unless I’m really one of them.”
    â€œPerhaps, but I will never let ye become a woman in my Temple. The Night God does not want ye, Laela.”
    Kill her, Arenadd.
“Don’t make me do this, Saeddryn. I swear, don’t make me do it.”
    â€œA half-breed can never be in the Night God’s heart,” Saeddryn said flatly.
    Oeka rose, tail lashing. “Do not insult my human, traitor.”
    Aenae hissed at her, but the dark brown griffin didn’t back away, and he didn’t risk making any other move.
    â€œIt’s not my decision to make,” said Saeddryn. “A half-breed belongs to no god. If this ceremony went ahead, the Night God would be angry. Terrible things would happen.”
    â€œTerrible things’ll happen if it doesn’t,” said Laela. “An’ trust me, they’ll be happening to you.”
    â€œIs that a threat?”
    Laela stood up and looked her in the eye. “Yeah. It’s a threat. Good job on spottin’ that one, eyepatch. Yeh might think yeh know about the stars an’ the phases of the moon an’ what tattoo goes where, but I got the real power here, an’ trust me—push me too far, an’ the Night God ain’t gonna save yer sorry hide.”
    Saeddryn bared her teeth. “How
dare
—?”
    â€œOh, I dare all right.” Laela flung the shreds of herb aside. “I dare. Girl I might be, an’ half-breed I might be as well, but I’m still King Arenadd’s daughter, an’ if yeh give me one good reason, I’ll deal with yeh the way he should have. An’ trust me . . . that wouldn’t be pretty. But I’m sure yeh coulda guessed that part.”
    Saeddryn bowed stiffly. “My lady.”
    Aenae stayed behind as his human walked off. He took a threatening step toward Laela and Oeka. “Be warned,” he snarled. “Touch my human, and you shall die.”
    Oeka spread her wings, hissing. “You and your human shall do as you are commanded. It is not you who rules this Eyrie, Aenae.”
    He raised his own wings, feathers fluffed out until he appeared to double in size. “You do not frighten me,