Dark King Of The North (Book 3) Read Free Page B

seek,” Markwood said.
    “Are we suggesting some sort of parley with Verkain?” Kron looked as if he did not believe what he was hearing.
    “Not exactly,” Markwood answered, “or, at least, not unless we can do so from a position of strength.”
    “How could we do that?” Randall asked as they continued to ride along. “The rebellion was quashed three years ago.”
    “We could try finding any surviving rebels,” Markwood suggested. “They might be able to help us. At the least it could give us a foothold in Kobalos.”
    “I wouldn’t know where to begin looking for them,” Randall said.
    “Did your brother have a base, a headquarters of sorts, during the revolt?” Kron asked the healer.
    “There was an old keep in the Grave Lands,” Randall said. “That’s where we were stationed when my father attacked and killed Corvin.”
    “It might be worth a look.” Markwood’s face appeared hopeful.
    “How far are we from these Grave Lands?” Kron asked.
    “It’s about a day to the northwest,” Randall said.
    Kron steered his riding animal to the left. “Then that is where we shall begin.”
     
    ***
     
    Adara knelt, staring at the ground, one hand gripping her steed’s reins while the other hand rubbed across a hump of raised mud.
    “Frog!” the woman yelled over her shoulder.
    The bald border warden with the shaggy beard came running, halting behind her to stare over her shoulder. “What’ve you found, lass?”
    “Someone’s been through here,” she said, “and it’s not been one of us. Looks like soldiers with hobnailed boots and shod horses.”
    “How many?”
    “Six. Maybe seven.”
    “How long ago?”
    Adara stuck a finger into a hoof print. “Last hour or two.”
    Frog turned and waved the other wardens forward. The ten men in leathers, seeing they were beckoned, rode their horses out of the brush.
    “Could the pope’s troops already be here?” Adara asked.
    “Not this far in,” Frog said as one of the other men handed him the reins to his horse. “Even if we hadn’t run into them, the Captain would have warned us with the blowing of horns.”
    Adara stood, her eyes shifting to watch their surroundings.
    Frog climbed aboard his steed. “Most likely some exiles have gotten themselves some boots. We should get back to Captain Weaver. He’ll want to know about this.”
    “I’m afraid we can’t allow that,” a voice said.
    All heads turned to their left and spotted a tall, lanky fellow stepping out from behind a thick pine. A thin sword rested in his right hand, the blade aimed at Adara.
    “Fortisquo!” the woman shouted.
    “And friends,” another voice spoke.
    The wardens and Adara looked to their right. A gigantic man with a bald head moved from dark shade into the open, four burly men with swords behind him.
    “Formation!” Frog yelled.
    The wardens began to move their horses, but they suddenly halted, staring at white flecks trickling down from the sky.
    “I’ve brought along an old friend of yours, Adara,” Belgad the Liar said as Karitha slipped from a shadow and into view.
    “Magic!” Adara yelled to warn her companions.
    It was too late. The wardens were unmoving, a slender layer of ice having already formed over them. Frog sat fixed in his saddle, his sword held high but still.
    “You bastards!” Adara dropped her horse’s reins and jumped away from the animal, drawing her sword and dagger.
    “Fighting will only make this more sporting,” Fortisquo said as he moved toward the woman, his rapier still pointed at her.
    “No.” Belgad moved forward, nearly between the two rapirists. “She is not to be killed.”
    “She murdered my brother!” Karitha yelled.
    “Your brother killed himself!” Adara shot back.
    “Because you left him!” from Karitha.
    Adara paused, taking breaths slowly. “And whom do you think I left Jarnac for ?”
    Karitha stared at the woman in silence.
    Adara’s sword twisted in her hand to be leveled on Fortisquo.
    The