Read Online The Snowy Tower by Belinda Murrell - Free Book Online Page B

them, which when you looked at it one way, said True , but when you looked at it upside down said False . She also remembered Sniffer’s ambush a few days ago, when Fox had commanded the smugglers’ ponies to ‘whoa’. The ponies had immediately sprung into a full gallop, surprising the Sedahs and allowing them to escape.
    ‘Yes,’ replied Roana cautiously. ‘We should not be false .’
    ‘Good idea,’ agreed the leader approvingly. ‘So why –’
    He never finished his sentence. Saxon dropped his head and rammed it straight into the leader’s stomach with all his strength, yelling ‘WHOA’ at the top of his voice.
    Roana obediently turned and ran as fast as she could for the shelter of the forest. For a moment, all was confusion as men ran to help their leader and struggled to drag Saxon away. For a moment, no-one thought about the smaller boy, dashing for theforest. Roana ran as fast as she could, the safety of the forest drawing closer and closer.
    Then she heard footsteps pounding behind her, slowly gaining on her. Adrenalin gave her an extra burst of speed, but still the footsteps thudded closer. One of her pursuers dived for her legs, knocking them out from under her. Roana fell heavily to the ground, all the breath knocked from her body. She was dragged back to the fire, gasping for breath, and trying desperately not to cry.
    ‘Tie them up,’ barked the leader. ‘Tightly.’
    Willing hands trussed them up so that they were sitting on the ground back to back, their legs stretched out in front. Blood poured from Saxon’s lip. Roana ached all over.
    ‘Now, I don’t think I made myself quite clear,’ the leader said grimly. ‘I think you and I are probably on the same side. We are Tiregians, and it is our sworn duty to force the Sedahs to leave our lands. You, I take it, are fleeing from the Sedahs? So I guess the Sedahs are your enemies too?’
    ‘Bitter enemies,’ spat Roana impetuously. ‘I hate them with all my heart.’
    Saxon nudged Roana sharply.
    The leader smiled. ‘Good, then perhaps we can work together.’
    At that moment, a large man with a black beard ran into the clearing. He looked thrillingly, heartwarmingly familiar.
    ‘George?’ Saxon cried. ‘George, the blacksmith, from Kenley?’
    The large man turned immediately, ‘Saxon? By the blessed Sun Lord, what are you doing here?’
    ‘What are you doing here?’ retorted Saxon, his face twisting with conflicting emotions.
    ‘Training with the Tiregian rebels, of course,’ roared George. ‘There are two hundred of us here, men, women and children, hiding in small groups in the forest, waiting for our chance to strike against the Sedah. Working for the day we can rid our country of this evil vermin.’
    The leader of the rebels looked from George to Saxon to Roana. ‘You know this lad, George?’ he asked.
    ‘Known him since he were a swaddled babe,’ replied George. ‘Saxon’s father left him in my care two months ago, but he disappeared during the Sedah invasion. I thought he was on his way to Sedah as a slave by now.’
    ‘And you can vouch for him?’ the leader pressed.
    ‘With my life, Sam,’ George grinned. ‘Though he’s probably more mischief than he’s worth.’
    ‘Good.’ Sam sighed. ‘I think we are finally getting somewhere. Why don’t we eat and talk over everything? Did you have a message for me, George?’
    ‘Oh, I completely forgot,’ George said. ‘The woodcutter’s family arrived in the eastern rebel camp, saying the Sedah had commandeered their cottage and had thrown them out into the forest. They had two prisoners with them – two children.’
    ‘Ethan and Lily!’ exclaimed Roana.
    ‘Ethan and Lily?’ repeated George, pale with shock.
    ‘You know the others as well?’ asked Sam, grinning. ‘It’s quite a Kenley gathering, isn’t it? And this young lad’s from Kenley too?’
    ‘No,’ frowned George. ‘Though he does look a bit familiar …’
    Roana smiled and shrugged her