A Crumble of Walls (The Kin of Kings Book 4) Read Online Free PDF Page B

considering that their only catapult is now a pile of ash outside the southern wall.”
    “Terren doesn’t know any of that for certain. They could have more catapults.”
    “Annah, I’ll only be gone a couple of days. I don’t want to go, but we can’t have the Elves siding against us.” Or sending someone to kill me. “They did give us the Krepps in armor, after all. Even though the Krepps have been nothing but trouble so far, I’m sure they will be worth the effort in the end. Now I need your help to figure out what Fatholl will make me do. It must be a portal he wants, but for what purpose?”
    “I don’t know. I can’t think right now.” She let her head hang. “I didn’t sleep well last night.”
    Basen held back a grumble. He decided to wait until she’d put food in her stomach before pressing her again.
    After she took a few bites of hot, generously buttered bread and grinned, he figured the time was right. “If you remember, I was also able to make a portal at the center of the village in Merejic, not just in Fatholl’s quarters.”
    It was from there that he’d transported hundreds of Krepps into the kitchen of Tenred castle while the Elves watched. Now, he wanted to teleport back to the village at night, when he might have a chance to skulk around before Fatholl knew he’d arrived.
    “In order to create a portal there, energy had to have been gathered in that area many times before. It was Fatholl who brought me to that spot after I explained the requirements of a portal. He must’ve known something else happened there, probably more than just a repetitive use of psyche. Do you know what it was?”
    “It’s likely to be where Doe and Haemon stood while destroying the Elves and their village. Though, Doe and Haemon weren’t standing, I suppose. They slithered. You do know what they were, right?”
    “I haven’t been living in a cave.” Of course Basen had heard of the two monstrous Slugari who had gone against their own kind with an army of Kreppen supporters. What he hadn’t heard, however, was that they’d helped destroy the Elven village, causing the Elves to flee to Merejic. He told this to Annah.
    “So you don’t know about Vithos,” she said. It wasn’t a question.
    “I know he’s Reela’s half-brother.”
    “About his past.”
    “He grew up with the Krepps. What does he have to do with Fatholl?”
    “Did you ever think about why he grew up with Krepps?”
    “I figured they found or took him when he was young—oh, he was in the village when Doe and Haemon attacked with the Krepps.”
    “Exactly. His history is what you’re really asking me about. There was a battle there when he was a baby. It must be why you can make a portal in the center of the village and why Fatholl knew the spot. His ancestors are the Elves who escaped.”
    One thing was now clear to Basen. The Elves and Krepps shouldn’t be getting along as well as it seemed. Perhaps Fatholl wanted to use Basen to get rid of the lizard creatures.
    “Do you know if Yeso was with the Elves who attacked us last night?” Annah asked. “He looks similar to Fatholl, from what I’ve gathered.”
    No doubt Annah had socialized with the citizens from Oakshen and the capital who’d fled to the Academy. Basen could easily imagine her questioning everyone she came in contact with, pumping them for information about their enemies. He appreciated her efforts but wished she knew how to relax. She seemed more tense each time they spoke.
    “I didn’t get a good look at any of them,” he told her. “I assume Yeso is the one who led the Elves here from Greenedge?”
    “Actually, I believe a Takary named Ulric is the one who led the new army here from Greenedge. But it’s Yeso who commands the Elves, at least that’s what I’m told. They might be here for other reasons than fighting, however. If you’re searching for something to use against Fatholl, you might want to find out more about them. Ask Cleve or Reela.