Arrows of Promise (Kingmakers Book 2) Read Online Free PDF Page B

with far more freckles, and a turned-up nose that
made him look like he was fifteen instead of nineteen. Ashlynn had told her he
was one of the more observant of the new batch of guardsmen, and because he
often accompanied his father while hunting, he knew how to read the forest. So
far that had been proven true as he saw things the other two watchmen did not.
“What do ye see this morning?”
    “Not good things.” Thorne waved her in closer before
pointing steadily outside of the camp. “See that narrow wisp of smoke?”
    Her eyes narrowed. “I do. No one out that direction?”
    “Hunters staying near the shoreline,” he informed her, not
taking his eyes off that trail of smoke. “No one’s going past me these days,
and good thing, too. That’s a cooking fire unless I miss my guess. It showed up
this morning. I wasn’t on duty last night, but I’d bet a month’s pay that our
bandits arrived last night.”
    Riana cursed solidly under her breath. “I will no’ take that
bet, Thorne.”
    He spared her a quick grin. “That’s because you’re a wise
woman, ma’am.”
    She stared hard in that direction and detected traces of
movement. The bandits were trying hard to keep their presence to a minimum, but
she had twenty years of experience keeping an eye for them and knew what to
look for. “It looks like quite a group is out there.”
    “Yes ma’am, it sure does.” Thorne didn’t sound happy as he
said this. “They haven’t come any closer than this, which is why I didn’t
report it sooner, as I knew you were coming to check in with me first thing
this morning. But I don’t give it good odds of them staying in place for much
longer. What do you want me to do?”
    “Stay put,” she ordered. “I will call for reinforcements. Ye
sound that horn if they make even a step in this direction. But lad, mind me:
do no’ engage. These be ruthless men and they will no’ hesitate to
overwhelm ye and slit yer throat.”
    “Yes, ma’am.”
    She studied his face but he seemed to mean it. Satisfied,
she slithered back to a lower branch and hopped out of the tree before striding
straight for where she had seen Ash last. He had been making noises this
morning about getting the inn’s kitchen finished, so that’s where she headed.
    Fortunately, he was exactly where he said he’d be, under the
sink and helping to install the pipes. All she could see at this angle was his
legs. “Ash.”
    He contorted around so that he could see her, although he
stayed down on the ground. “Uh-oh. I know that look. What’s wrong?”
    “The bandits be here.”
    Ash scrambled to his feet so fast that he brained himself
against the bottom of the sink. Hissing, he held a protective hand to his
forehead even as he demanded, “Are they attacking?”
    “No’ as of yet.” Riana grabbed a washcloth off the counter
and wet it. “Take yer hand away, let me look.”
    “It just smarts, it’s fine, what do you mean they’re not
attacking yet?”
    “No’ as yet. Thorne spotted their cooking fire off in the
woods and it looks like quite a number has gathered here. But they be no’
moving yet.” Getting a good grip on his hand, she yanked it down and saw that
he was right, it was just lightly bruising. She put the cloth to it anyway to
cool it down. She needed him to have a clear head later. “Call yer sister. We
will need every hand she can spare today.”
    “You think they’ll attack today?” Ash lifted the caller to
his mouth and spoke clearly, “Ashlynn.”
    “Belike today or tomorrow.”
    “ Ash?”
    “Sister dearest, we have bandits camping out in the woods.”
    Ashlynn swore, the language vile enough to make a sailor
blush. “ How much time do I have to get help to you?”
    “We don’t know,” Ash said sourly. “They’re not making a move
so far. Riana says there’s quite the gathering out there, though. We don’t have
the manpower here to fight them off.”
    “I’ll get you every person I can spare and then