A Hero's Curse Read Online Free PDF Page A

into Plen, the capitol and political center of the kingdom, after all these years. It would have looked like the beginning of a rebellion—which, o’ course, is exactly what this is. Your parents decided not to tell you anything about it. That was their decision. I’m only telling you now because things have changed. We have to part ways for a while.”
    I try to jerk my arms out of his grip. I feel betrayed by those closest to me. Again. Uncle Cagney pins my arms to my sides. “Lady Ess, I know you’ve been hurt.” His beard brushes past me as he looks over his shoulder again, and then back at me. He continues in the same gentle voice. “Some people say there are no heroes in the face of pain. That if the hurt is bad enough, the hero will break. They’re wrong. That’s just what makes a hero. They’re the ones who take the pain. Stand in the gap. Take on more hurt than they deserve and then take on others’ pain as well.”
    I feel a tremor in the ground through my soft shoes even before I hear the sound of hoof beats. “The heroes and old Champions have heard the crack of the whip and folks pleadin’, and they’ve come to stand in the gap.” He grips my shoulders hard and pulls me into a hug. I stay stiff and turn my face away.
    “Someday you’ll have the choice to stand in the gap, Lady Ess. We all do. I know it’s hard to stop thinking about your own hurtin’. It’s hard to put it aside. But that’s what a hero does. It’s what’ll make you a hero.”
    I shake my head again . I will never let go of my hurt. It’s part of who I am. I redirect my thoughts to what I’m hearing. Hoof beats.
    Uncle Cagney squeezes my arms. “I’m going to take this group back toward Plen.” I feel him jerk his head toward the coming troops. “You and Tig make your way out of sight and off the road the best you can back to the farm. Stay hidden there until one of us comes for you—”
    “That could be weeks!” I interrupt, panicked.
    “It should be the day after tomorrow,” says Uncle Cagney. “We’ll make it through by then. There’s still a bit of war blood left in the heroes.” The hoof beats sound close enough that someone will surely see us. “It’ll likely be Keira coming for you. Stay hidden. I know you can, you know more than you let on. Use the cat door in the back to get into the house. I know that’s how you’ve been getting out at night. Your parents told me.” I fail to hide my surprise that my secret is such common knowledge. “You shouldn’t have any trouble. Even mercenaries won’t go so close to the Valley of Fire if they think they’ve no prize to catch.”
    Uncle Cagney lifts me and carries me in three great bounds to the western edge of the road where I feel him set me behind a prickly bush. “Demon’s Claw” we call it. “Rub the shiny for luck,” he chuckles. He takes my hand and rubs it on his head. “Now, go!” he whispers fiercely. He bounds back across the road. I hear the sound of metal on metal, and my stomach does a flip. He has drawn his sword. I hear him running toward the horses, and he lets out a roar that sends chills up my spine.
    I expect any moment to hear the sounds of battle, but instead I hear Tig whisper in my ear, startling me. I’d forgotten he’s here. “He’s running.”
    “What?” I say, almost in a yell.
    “Quiet!” hisses Tig. “He’s taking off around to the east of the troops.” As if on cue I hear the faint yell of someone shouting, “Catch him!” I hear the horses change direction and the inarticulate yells of more men. The sound of hoof beats leaves the hard road and pounds into the valley off to the east.
    “Tig?”
    “They won’t catch him before he makes it to the tree line,” says Tig, “and they won’t be able to follow him in that scrub on horseback.” We wait a moment longer, until I can barely hear the sounds of horses and men. “He made it,” says Tig. “We better get