The Crown of Stones: Magic-Price Read Free Page B

did everything I could to find a peaceful solution. It was what they all wanted.
    But I didn’t. And I had to live with that truth every single day.
    I said again, “Do we have a problem?”
    Tilting his head, he held my gaze pretty steady for his age. “Stories say Ian Troy could fell a man in less than a minute. Course, you were younger then. Probably take you at least two, now, eh?” Grinning slightly, he shrugged. “Nah, you best be on your way. I’m too old for problems.”
    “Good.” I put a boot in the stirrup and climbed up into the saddle.
    “And you got some chasing ahead of you, anyway” he said. “Chasing…” he gave me a measured, weighty glance, “and I’m thinking maybe some running too.”

TWO
    I landed flat on my back in the marsh. Cushioning my fall, the soggy ground swallowed me on impact then spit me back out. Thick, wet chunks of mud flew up and the assassin was on me before they ever came back down.
    “Now, let’s have a little chat.” Straddling me, pressing a long, thin knife against my throat, Taren Roe leaned in close and her weight pushed me down. Silt gurgled into my ears. It sloshed up over my arms and legs, flowed, thick and cold, over my stomach and shoulders.
    “We can talk all you want,” I told her. “But do you mind if I get up first?”
    “Actually, I do.” Her short, leather tunic creaked as she wriggled a bit to make herself comfortable. “I like it here.”
    “Glad you’re happy,” I said sourly, mourning the loss of my dignity and my sword. “But you’re not the one sinking.”
    Tossing a chunk of muddy yellow hair out of her lean face, Taren’s lips curved into a suggestive smile. “Don’t you like me on top?”
    “You’re only up there because you didn’t play fair. You distracted me,” I said, eyeing the cord dangling in my face. It was holding the front of her shirt together and I could almost catch it in my teeth.
One, little tug,
I thought. That’s all it would take to release the generous amount of pale flesh bursting out.
I don’t even need my hands.
    “Well. Look at that.” Snickering, Taren raised her body up slightly off mine and looked down between her legs, to where our breeches met. “I would have never thought that, Ian Troy,” pausing, she threw a measure ofdrama into her words, “notorious sword for hire and ruthless hunter of bandits and brigands, would ever sink so low as to be aroused by one of his own prey. But…there it is.” She glanced back up at me. “Like it rough, do you? Or maybe it’s just been a while.”
    “Maybe,” I said, edging my fingers through the muck, searching for my sword, “you’re just the most attractive, bloodthirsty criminal that’s sat on me in a long time.”
    “Is that why I’m still alive? You were hoping I might do you the favor of a tumble before you kill me?”
    “You’re alive, Taren, because in the last three months you haven’t slowed down long enough for me to catch you. Now that you have, I’d really like to know why.”
    “Isn’t it obvious?” She pushed the very tip of the knife into my skin. “I’m surrendering.”
    I grunted a laugh. “You killed six guards in your escape from the city prison. You’ve ridden horses to death, one after another, barely stopping to eat or rest. You’ve lead me all through the mountains of Kael, clear across Rella to the very edge of Langorian territory and back. And now you stop
here
.” Mindful of the knife, I glanced around. “I could have gone my whole life without stepping foot in this fetid hole and you’ve got us in so deep it’s going to take weeks to get back out.”
    “Sorry,” she shrugged.
    “What are you doing here, Taren? Why did you stop?”
    “That poor excuse for a horse I was riding got stuck in a bog. I tried to get him out, but the lazy bastard just stood there.”
    “That’s because he was stuck.” I risked a slight, annoyed shake of my head. When she didn’t object, I shifted my shoulders some,