Betrayal's Price (In Deception's Shadow Book 1) Read Online Free PDF Page A

ten
heartbeats, then her eyes snapped into focus. “Go tell your commanding officer
a delegation will arrive shortly to negotiate for our release. Pray they get
here before my mate does. I hear his warsong carried on the wind. It will not
go well for your people if Ryanth gets here first.”
    “Your mate
leads the army of lupwyns? The ones my father was trying to slow?”
    “Yes. Perhaps I
should have discussed this with Ryanth, but time was short and I was visiting
in Grey Spires, the phoenix city. While I was there, Vinarah had a vision of
danger to you—from a priest. I didn’t have time to inform Ryanth. Unfortunately,
he’s reacted faster than I anticipated.”
    “If your
oversight leads to my father’s death, you’ll never have me or my magic at your
command.” Ashayna couldn’t stand the tent’s confines any longer. Their magic
threatened to steal her breath. She backed away, heading towards the entrance
when she remembered the six guards. “Undo whatever you did to them and don’t
use magic upon a human again. I might come with you peacefully, if my father
still lives.”
    “Far be it of
us to control you, Ashayna, but know this. Magic will never be denied—and your
father will join you before this night is over.”
    After the
guards awoke, Ashayna fled the tent to seek out Captain Nurrowford.

Chapter Three
     
    A stiff
mountain breeze ruffled Sorntar’s feathers as it blew through a courtyard in Grey
Spires. Even a playful wind couldn’t distract him this day. He whirled,
ignoring the slap of both scabbards against his thighs. He paced about the
courtyard, cursing his sisters’ stupidity for getting captured. Fear had been
replaced by chaotic waves of anger when his mother first told him his sisters
were safe. They had gone with Queen Marsolwyn, seeking the humans for some
purpose. His cooling anger left a yawning pit of uncertainty in its wake.
Vinarah had seen something so intense it sent her running off to Marsolwyn. But
what?
    Sorntar
concentrated on reining in his apprehension, only to realize he was still on
edge from earlier in the day when his wings had twitched with the sensation of
being watched. He’d even thought he’d detected a faint essence of someone else’s
power.
    His Larnkin
hadn’t roused, so he’d put it out of his mind. Now the nagging sensation was
back, worming its way into his mind, setting his teeth on edge.
    He wanted to
blame his unease on his newly waking power. But whatever it was, it wasn’t the
same restlessness that had been hampering his concentration for days now as his
Larnkin gathered power. Soon it would wake fully. When it did, it would turn
his well-organized life into a muddle of raw emotions and chaotic magic surges.
    When he reached
a waist-high stone wall, he peered down. In the stone-tiled courtyard below, the
wind tugged at the manes and tails of a small herd of santhyrians who waited
with their riders for word from his mother. To their left, a mixed species
group of nervous-eyed apprentices prepared to summon a Gate. Off to one side,
his father conversed with Elder Cymael.
    Tension built,
vibrating along his feathers while something tightened in his stomach. He
hesitated to name it dread, although it was close kin. In his arrogance, he had
craved responsibility, had nearly pleaded for it. But now, doubts assaulted
him.
    He shook out
his wings to dispel the nervousness before he descended the stairs in two
bounds, his wings and tail spread to ease his landing. His talons barely
touched the bottom step before he stalked to where Summer Flame awaited him.
    With a sigh, he
scratched the stallion’s neck, working loose a few hairs from his winter coat
while they waited for the others to be ready. The routine gesture was more for
his own reassurance than performing any function the santhyrian required. Summer
Flame gently nibbled his shoulder in a less-than-subtle reminder.
    “Yes, I know,
time for us to be off.” Sorntar edged around his santhyrian