A Battle Lord’s Heart Read Online Free PDF Page A

attacks are crude. Nothing more
than a massive surge coming straight at us.”
                “What kind of weapons are they
using?”
                Powell shook his head. “Mostly
ineffective swords and a couple of crude bows. Quite a few axes. It was as if
they just wanted to swarm over us. Several times they pressed up against the
walls and tried to chop their way in.”
                “Was there any sign of a leader or
someone who seemed to be giving the orders to attack?” Yulen questioned.
                “Not that we noticed.”
                “How far apart were these attacks?
When was the last one?”
                “The first one was a week ago. The
second, the night before we left to come here. It was during the second raid
that we noticed something unusual, which prompted Verris to send us here.”
                “Noticed what unusual?” Yulen asked,
his gaze swinging back to the side door. It was obvious to everyone who he was
waiting for.
                “This, sir.” The soldier stepped
forward and handed the Battle Lord a small wrapped object. “They were carrying
it when they attacked.”
                Yulen
quickly unfolded it to find himself holding a ragged, blood-stained pennant in
colors that were half red and half blue. The colors that were the symbol of
Alta Novis. He glared at the sub-lieutenant. “Where did they get this?” he
demanded softly. The pennants were not easily obtainable. Without exception,
they flew from the top masts of the highest buildings in a compound, or from
observation towers set along the perimeter, so that people approaching could
see which Battle Lord was in charge. It was clear the one he held had been torn
from its moorings.
                Again, Powell shook his head.   “We don’t know, sir. It’s not from
Bearinger, that we know of.”
                Not from Bearinger. And definitely
not from Alta Novis, or he would have been informed. Yulen felt an iciness
crawl over his skin. That left one other compound that was flying his colors.
                “Sir!”It was Del Ray yelling at him
from the side door. The man’s face was white. “Sir, Sorcher’s taken Atty to the
clinic!”
                Without taking time to question the
man further, Yulen jumped off the table where he’d been sitting and ran for the
door under the stairwell that led directly into MaGrath and Madigan’s private
quarters. From there he knew he could go straight into the adjoining clinic,
rather than have to go outside and around the lodge to the main entrance in the
back.
                Several people looked up at the man
who strode past them with long, hurried steps through the outer waiting room
and into the back area where the physician did his examinations. MaGrath was
already leaning over the prone body of his wife when Yulen arrived. Sorcher
stood to one side, his eyes on the wilted figure beneath the single blanket on
the narrow padded table.
                “Sam?” Yulen asked briskly.
                “I noticed the front door was open
at the new lodge, sir, so I looked inside. That’s when I found her just inside,
lying on the floor, out cold.”
                “Was there any sign of a struggle?
Any sign she’d been attacked?” Yulen snapped, more harshly than he realized he
was asking.
                “No, sir. It was like she’d just—”
                “She fainted, Yulen,” MaGrath’s
calmer voice interrupted. He looked up from his examination as Yulen turned
toward him. “She passed out. There’s no need to worry. Pregnant women are
notorious for it. Their hormones are going crazy, they get a bit over-stressed
or over-exerted, and down they go.” His eyes drifted over to where the soldier
nervously stood. “You’re dismissed, Sam. Thanks for bringing her in. She’ll