Cutlass Read Online Free PDF Page A

glared at the Elf, but watched him as he disappeared from sight. He returned his gaze to his brother and fiancée. Barren gulped wine from a glass he’d snatched off a servant’s tray. Twisting the stem between his fingers, he meandered through the dancers, edging his way toward the couple. He wasn’t sure what he hoped to accomplish. Surely this would only lead to exposure, but he wanted to see them close up—watch Larkin’s face as he passed, look into his brother’s eyes…and then kill him.
    The closer he got, the more he noticed William stumbling over his own feet, his distant, glazed stare—he must be drunk. Though Barren could feel people weaving around him, he suddenly felt like no others existed but his brother and him. This was his chance. He had a knife in his belt. It would be simple: take the knife and jam it through William’s back. He would fall and Barren could escape over the edge of the courtyard. He knew that water; it only looked dangerous. His fingers remained on the stem of his glass, while his other hand clasped the blade at his side. His chest tightened, he was trembling with adrenaline, but he could do this—hadn’t it been this easy for William to kill their father?
    Something hit Barren’s elbow, throwing his glass of wine from his hand and onto William’s back. The glass fell into the grass, and William whipped around to face Barren. All went quiet. Suddenly, it was like Barren’s entire body was coated in ice. He could only think to clutch his knife and drop his head as his heart pounded frantically in his chest. Barren was sure not a single eye strayed from him.
    “What do you think you’re doing?” William growled. It had been a long time since Barren had heard his brother’s voice. He kept his eyes on his feet so William could not see his face.
    “Sorry, sir. I didn’t mean to…sir.” Barren’s teeth hurt from clenching his jaw so tightly. It unnerved him to use courteous words with the murderer of his father.
    “Imbecile! How dare you ruin my night!”
    William raised his hand and Barren’s grip tightened on his knife. “You’ll only ruin the rest of your night if you hurt him,” Larkin stepped in front of Barren, shielding him with her slight form. “Leave him be, it was a mistake.”
    William hesitated a moment, clenching his fist. Barren watched as his brother’s fiancée bent to pick up the empty glass. She handed it to him, smiling, though Barren barely lifted his gaze. “Perhaps you should take a stroll around the dancers next time.”
    Barren swallowed and nodded in agreement.
    William scowled and grabbed Larkin’s arm, pulling her away from Barren and out of the crowd. Barren stood there for a moment, staring at his empty glass—if only his hands had been empty, then maybe there would be blood in the grass, instead of red wine. He slinked toward the shadows. The music began again, and slowly everyone stopped looking at him.
    He kept near the wall, one hand on his knife, the other clutching the glass at his side. He knew Leaf had seen that little display, and he probably knew Barren’s intentions, too. While it would have been easy to end everything right here, this was not the place to fight William. There were too many others who could intervene. No, Barren needed to wait. The sea would be a much better place.
    Barren allowed himself to relax a little. He took a deep breath as the wind washed over him, causing the fabric draping the walls to rustle. He dropped the empty glass to the ground, and let his fingers loosen their hold on his knife. He still felt eyes following him. He had drawn too much attention. Now people would ask who he was, where he came from. Did anyone recognize him? Just as hysteria began to creep back into his mind, he spotted the figure of Larkin Lee retreating from the courtyard. She seemed in a hurry, and just before she slipped out, she looked around to see if anyone noticed her.
    Barren wasn’t sure where she might be headed,