Read Online Voice Of The Demon (Book 2) by Kate Jacoby - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Kate Jacoby
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cape fell from his shoulders like a shroud. With a glance back at the cart, he murmured, ‘Where’s my mother?’
‘Inside, my lord.’
There was no response for a moment, then Robert turned back to Micah. ‘How is she?’
What could he say out here where everyone would hear him? ‘She has spent much time at prayer, my lord.’
Robert nodded slowly and glanced around at the waiting people. Acknowledging their tribute, he turned and took the stairs two at a time. Once inside he strode across the hall so quickly, Micah almost had to run to keep up.
‘My lord,’ Micah ventured as they climbed the stairs, ‘you have guests waiting in the winter parlour. Lord Daniel and others.’
‘Yes, I know,’ Robert grunted, passing his study door. ‘They’ll have to wait.’
They continued on until they reached Robert’s bedroom. There he ushered Micah inside, glanced quickly down the passage, then closed and locked the door. Briskly he whipped off his cloak and strode over to a side table where fresh water, a bowl and linen had been laid out for him.
‘How much time have I got?’
‘Time, my lord?’ Micah murmured, completely at a loss.
‘Until the Guilde gets here. How long?’
The magic word knocked Micah back to reality and he sucked in a breath. ‘An hour perhaps, little more. We’re keeping track of them from the top of the keep.’
‘Damn!’ Robert swore and splashed water on to his face. He rubbed a towel over it, then removed something from inside his muddy shirt, wrapped in red cloth. Then he stripped down to his waist, his back a mess of healing bruises and welts mixed in with the old battle scars.
Micah frowned, but felt the sudden sense of urgency. He handed Robert a fresh shirt, then took a sombre black jacket from the chest by the window. As Robert pulled it on, Micah poured him some wine and stood waiting.
Robert ran his hands through his hair, then strode to the window. ‘I don’t suppose there’s any way we can slow them down? No, of course not. An hour! Too little time. I can’t bury Finnlay before they get here. I still have to talk to my mother.’
‘I should warn you, my lord,’ Micah ventured, ‘she will not see you today.’
Robert turned back from the window with a frown. ‘She blames me, doesn’t she? Well, she’ll have even more reason to hate me before this day is out. Still, I have to talk to her – and before the Guilde get here. I can’t risk the alternative.’
‘My lord,’ Micah held up his hand, now completely unable to keep track of this discourse, ‘will you tell me what happened?’
Robert crossed the room to take the wine from Micah. He lifted the cup, drained it in one go and handed it back. With something that looked a lot like a smile, he said, ‘Yes, but not now. All you need to know now is that Finnlay is not dead.’
‘What?’ Micah breathed, his heart suddenly pumping madly. ‘Then how . . .?’
‘I’ll tell you everything later. Right now I need to tell my mother the truth. She needs to be prepared for when the Guilde arrives. They’ll be asking some very dangerous questions.’
Micah took a deep breath and let it out slowly. Why? Why did he never expect these things? After all these years, he should be used to this kind of surprise. But no, once again the reality of working for a man like Robert had walked up and smacked him in the face. One of these days . . .
‘Are you all right, Micah?’ Robert was leaning forward, frowning in concern.
‘Am I . . .’ Micah took another deep breath. After that he felt somewhat better. ‘Finnlay’s alive?’
‘Yes, but I still have to convince the Guilde that he’s dead. They believe Finn’s a sorcerer and they come here determined to prove it. The problem is that I no longer have my
ayarn.
The Key destroyed it. Every night since I left the Enclave I have tried to make another, but I can’t. I can use my powers without it, but anything big could kill me.’
‘Mineah’s
‘Inside, my lord.’
There was no response for a moment, then Robert turned back to Micah. ‘How is she?’
What could he say out here where everyone would hear him? ‘She has spent much time at prayer, my lord.’
Robert nodded slowly and glanced around at the waiting people. Acknowledging their tribute, he turned and took the stairs two at a time. Once inside he strode across the hall so quickly, Micah almost had to run to keep up.
‘My lord,’ Micah ventured as they climbed the stairs, ‘you have guests waiting in the winter parlour. Lord Daniel and others.’
‘Yes, I know,’ Robert grunted, passing his study door. ‘They’ll have to wait.’
They continued on until they reached Robert’s bedroom. There he ushered Micah inside, glanced quickly down the passage, then closed and locked the door. Briskly he whipped off his cloak and strode over to a side table where fresh water, a bowl and linen had been laid out for him.
‘How much time have I got?’
‘Time, my lord?’ Micah murmured, completely at a loss.
‘Until the Guilde gets here. How long?’
The magic word knocked Micah back to reality and he sucked in a breath. ‘An hour perhaps, little more. We’re keeping track of them from the top of the keep.’
‘Damn!’ Robert swore and splashed water on to his face. He rubbed a towel over it, then removed something from inside his muddy shirt, wrapped in red cloth. Then he stripped down to his waist, his back a mess of healing bruises and welts mixed in with the old battle scars.
Micah frowned, but felt the sudden sense of urgency. He handed Robert a fresh shirt, then took a sombre black jacket from the chest by the window. As Robert pulled it on, Micah poured him some wine and stood waiting.
Robert ran his hands through his hair, then strode to the window. ‘I don’t suppose there’s any way we can slow them down? No, of course not. An hour! Too little time. I can’t bury Finnlay before they get here. I still have to talk to my mother.’
‘I should warn you, my lord,’ Micah ventured, ‘she will not see you today.’
Robert turned back from the window with a frown. ‘She blames me, doesn’t she? Well, she’ll have even more reason to hate me before this day is out. Still, I have to talk to her – and before the Guilde get here. I can’t risk the alternative.’
‘My lord,’ Micah held up his hand, now completely unable to keep track of this discourse, ‘will you tell me what happened?’
Robert crossed the room to take the wine from Micah. He lifted the cup, drained it in one go and handed it back. With something that looked a lot like a smile, he said, ‘Yes, but not now. All you need to know now is that Finnlay is not dead.’
‘What?’ Micah breathed, his heart suddenly pumping madly. ‘Then how . . .?’
‘I’ll tell you everything later. Right now I need to tell my mother the truth. She needs to be prepared for when the Guilde arrives. They’ll be asking some very dangerous questions.’
Micah took a deep breath and let it out slowly. Why? Why did he never expect these things? After all these years, he should be used to this kind of surprise. But no, once again the reality of working for a man like Robert had walked up and smacked him in the face. One of these days . . .
‘Are you all right, Micah?’ Robert was leaning forward, frowning in concern.
‘Am I . . .’ Micah took another deep breath. After that he felt somewhat better. ‘Finnlay’s alive?’
‘Yes, but I still have to convince the Guilde that he’s dead. They believe Finn’s a sorcerer and they come here determined to prove it. The problem is that I no longer have my
ayarn.
The Key destroyed it. Every night since I left the Enclave I have tried to make another, but I can’t. I can use my powers without it, but anything big could kill me.’
‘Mineah’s
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