Blood of the Emperor Read Online Free PDF Page A

Gradek asserted, turning toward Ethis.
    “There is more still,” Braun interjected, pointing at the long scroll parchment that draped over his hand.
    “Of course there is,” Gradek growled.
    Braun nodded and continued. “Eight: The pressures of maintaining order over the rapidly increasing population of the gathering believers has caused the rise of a number of factions within the encampment—several of which demand immediate attention…”
    “Everything is immediate in the eyes of an elf!” Gradek snarled.
    Soen’s eyes shifted but he remained otherwise still.
    Braun pressed on. “The self-proclaimed ‘Brothers of Drakis’ are a human faction which has been growing steadily in strength over the last month and recently has become openly defiant of the Council of the Prophet, claiming that Drakis is being deliberately kept away from the camp. There have been several incidents between the ‘Brothers of Drakis’ and the Grahn Aur Guard—a faction of manticores who believe in their right to stand in the Grahn Aur’s place to rule over the pilgrims in his stead. The Pajak has also decreed Willow Vale to now be within the boundaries of his domain as his just spoils for his assistance in the battle against the elven Legions. His warriors on wyvernback patrol through the camp side by side with the council’s constabulary with tensions running high on both sides. The constabulary force is inadequate to oppose the goblin warriors and a number ofincidents have been reported of goblins intimidating pilgrims—largely Hak’kaarin gnomes and humans as well as a number of chimerians—into surrendering their goods under threat of reprisal. These thefts…”
    “That is a lie!” Doroganda shouted, her small brick-red fist thrust defiantly at Braun with her thumb and first finger extended. “The warriors of the Pajak are no thieves!”
    Belag saw Soen smile. The manticore also knew from his negotiations with the Pajak that the gesture was a supreme insult among the goblins although apparently among those present only Doroganda, Soen, and himself were aware of it.
    “Which part?” asked Neblik, trying desperately to keep the narrative straight in his head.
    “Which part
what
?” demanded the goblin.
    “Which part was the lie,” Neblik asked. “The part about the ‘inadequate force’ or the part about ‘goblin theft by intimidation’?”
    “Both of them, you idiot!” Doroganda snarled.
    Ethis shook his head impatiently. “Braun! Can we get on with this?”
    “He lists a great number of other grievances,” Braun said, unrolling the scroll further as his eyes scanned down the page.
    “Pass over them!” Ethis threw all four of his hands up at once in frustration. “What does the councillor want us to DO?”
    Braun continued scanning down the page, pulling more parchment from the roll twice before stopping. “Ah! Therefore, we require that the War Council return the Army of the Prophet, led by the prophesied Drakis, at once to Willow Vale with the intention…”
    “Shades of Hchai!” Hegral swore. “Who is this elf to order our armies at his will? Let him move the encampment to us here! Then we can gather our strength, build our clans, and prepare properly to take on the Empire!”
    “You meet and you talk and then you talk about meeting!” Doroganda spat. “The Pajak will not stand for it! We stand with warriors not with cats who sleep when the sun is shining and only hiss when danger is upon them!”
    “You will swallow those words, goblin-whelp,” Gradek growled, “or I’ll tear them out of your throat myself!”
    “And what will that profit you, cat-man?” Doroganda sneered. “Iknow you and your kind! You would count yourself happy to be rid of the Pajak of Krishu and his goblin warriors. The warriors of the Pajak will walk with their spoils, take their mighty wyverns with them and you would not care—until your belly was hollow and your mewling whelps were without suck. If our warriors