Read Online The Sword of Ardil: The War of the Furies Book 2 by Matt Thomas - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Matt Thomas
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trying too hard,” Luc muttered. “This isn’t Alingdor. We are what we are. There’s no reason to change.” He paused. “I’d be sorry if you changed, Nella,” he finished quietly.
She looked doubtful but gave him a quick hug anyway. “Well then, Luc, it’s good to see you. It’s a wonder you let that exquisite creature out of your sight long enough to visit. Well, everything’s changed now. I always knew you would end up in Alingdor one way or the other. Mark what I say. I’d like to see some of the world, too. Soon, I think.”
Luc glanced around the corner of the slight entry area towards the sitting room. Rew and Nella had rooms up top. No sign of his friend. “I mark it. Where’s Rew, Nell?”
Nella sniffed. “He’s still asleep. Soused himself. Won’t talk to anyone. Go on up. And make sure he doesn’t have any of my father’s brew about. I’ll bring you a sip of brandy.”
“Thank you,” he said, giving her a wink.
They found Rew sprawled out face down. It was a wonder he could even breathe. Gaelin startled Luc with a low growl and quick strides that instantly took him to the bedside. Seizing the young man’s shoulders, he shook Rew mercilessly. “Get up, boy,” he snapped. Rew groaned. His hands instantly came up to the sides of his head. “You’ve slept through more than half the day.”
“So what?” Rew whined.
“What’s the problem, boy?” Denail demanded.
“My head.”
Luc chose a different tact. Rew was one of the threads in the tapestry of his life that kept him grounded. His parents were two others. If his friend was having difficulty accepting the rapid changes, it was understandable. Particularly after what they had both seen and done. “Look,” he began, “it’s no problem if you’re having second thoughts. You don’t need to come with me, Rew.” He would have actually preferred it if Rew stayed behind, if only for his friend’s sake.
“Luc—?” Rew sat up, still groaning. “Sorry I didn’t swing by like I promised. I . . .”
“You’ve been dousing yourself silly,” Gaelin said. “I did not agree to take you on to allow such idiocy. Get cleaned up. And get dressed. Now .”
Rew glared at the man. “Thinks he owns me. You stay away from me, Denail. You hear me? You can have your bloody knives back, too!”
“Fool,” the silver-haired man whispered. He started to turn, but Luc halted him with a glance.
“What’s the problem, Rew?” he asked. This was not like him. Not at all. His face was stretched and had a miserable cast.
He hesitated, then sighed, giving in. “It’s the damned dreams. No, not those ones. Haven’t had one since the plains. Just . . .” He swallowed. “There was a girl. I met a girl in Alingdor.” Now it was Denail’s turn to groan. “It’s not like that, man! I swear. I see her eyes. Green eyes. White hair like a . . . a . . . I think she’s dead, Luc. She told me I had to be here. She could see things, too. I know it. But she can’t be dead. She’s my sister’s age. She . . . saved me.” He finished it hoarsely.
“Then we all owe her,” Luc said.
Gaelin was intrigued now and crossed his arms. “I think you would have found your way back here regardless, boy. Besides, what is it about this girl that strikes you?”
“I . . . don’t . . . know.”
Something in the man’s eyes changed. A light of empathy perhaps. Or irritation. “Get up, Acriel. She is no more dead than you or I. You’ll see her again, I’m certain.”
Rew let out a breath, then shuddered. His skin definitely had a gray cast. “I suppose you would be. Fine. Have it your way. I’ll get up. Anyone feel like a drink?”
Luc chuckled. Gaelin looked as though he wanted to throw his arms up. “I must attend the Lord Viamar,” he said stiffly. “Though I would like to get to know your friend here. Another time perhaps.”
Nella appeared with the brandy she had promised. Luc took his while still holding the man’s eye.
She looked doubtful but gave him a quick hug anyway. “Well then, Luc, it’s good to see you. It’s a wonder you let that exquisite creature out of your sight long enough to visit. Well, everything’s changed now. I always knew you would end up in Alingdor one way or the other. Mark what I say. I’d like to see some of the world, too. Soon, I think.”
Luc glanced around the corner of the slight entry area towards the sitting room. Rew and Nella had rooms up top. No sign of his friend. “I mark it. Where’s Rew, Nell?”
Nella sniffed. “He’s still asleep. Soused himself. Won’t talk to anyone. Go on up. And make sure he doesn’t have any of my father’s brew about. I’ll bring you a sip of brandy.”
“Thank you,” he said, giving her a wink.
They found Rew sprawled out face down. It was a wonder he could even breathe. Gaelin startled Luc with a low growl and quick strides that instantly took him to the bedside. Seizing the young man’s shoulders, he shook Rew mercilessly. “Get up, boy,” he snapped. Rew groaned. His hands instantly came up to the sides of his head. “You’ve slept through more than half the day.”
“So what?” Rew whined.
“What’s the problem, boy?” Denail demanded.
“My head.”
Luc chose a different tact. Rew was one of the threads in the tapestry of his life that kept him grounded. His parents were two others. If his friend was having difficulty accepting the rapid changes, it was understandable. Particularly after what they had both seen and done. “Look,” he began, “it’s no problem if you’re having second thoughts. You don’t need to come with me, Rew.” He would have actually preferred it if Rew stayed behind, if only for his friend’s sake.
“Luc—?” Rew sat up, still groaning. “Sorry I didn’t swing by like I promised. I . . .”
“You’ve been dousing yourself silly,” Gaelin said. “I did not agree to take you on to allow such idiocy. Get cleaned up. And get dressed. Now .”
Rew glared at the man. “Thinks he owns me. You stay away from me, Denail. You hear me? You can have your bloody knives back, too!”
“Fool,” the silver-haired man whispered. He started to turn, but Luc halted him with a glance.
“What’s the problem, Rew?” he asked. This was not like him. Not at all. His face was stretched and had a miserable cast.
He hesitated, then sighed, giving in. “It’s the damned dreams. No, not those ones. Haven’t had one since the plains. Just . . .” He swallowed. “There was a girl. I met a girl in Alingdor.” Now it was Denail’s turn to groan. “It’s not like that, man! I swear. I see her eyes. Green eyes. White hair like a . . . a . . . I think she’s dead, Luc. She told me I had to be here. She could see things, too. I know it. But she can’t be dead. She’s my sister’s age. She . . . saved me.” He finished it hoarsely.
“Then we all owe her,” Luc said.
Gaelin was intrigued now and crossed his arms. “I think you would have found your way back here regardless, boy. Besides, what is it about this girl that strikes you?”
“I . . . don’t . . . know.”
Something in the man’s eyes changed. A light of empathy perhaps. Or irritation. “Get up, Acriel. She is no more dead than you or I. You’ll see her again, I’m certain.”
Rew let out a breath, then shuddered. His skin definitely had a gray cast. “I suppose you would be. Fine. Have it your way. I’ll get up. Anyone feel like a drink?”
Luc chuckled. Gaelin looked as though he wanted to throw his arms up. “I must attend the Lord Viamar,” he said stiffly. “Though I would like to get to know your friend here. Another time perhaps.”
Nella appeared with the brandy she had promised. Luc took his while still holding the man’s eye.
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