Fire and Sword Read Online Free PDF Page B

the others still up? Where’s Gudon?”
    “With Korigan.”
    “Ah,” Lynan said, misunderstanding. “I’ll leave him be, then.”
    Afterward, Ager was never sure what made him say next: “And Kumul.”
    “And Kumul?” Lynan blinked. “I see. And you were with them as well.”
    Ager nodded.
    “Why wasn’t I told?”
    “You had gone to your tent. You said you were exhausted.”
    “You could have waited until tomorrow.”
    “Lynan, it’s not like that—”
    But Lynan was not listening. He turned on his heel and made for Korigan’s tent.
    “Lynan, wait!”
    But Lynan ignored him. As he drew near the tent, he saw the Chett queen with Gudon and Kumul around a fire. When they saw him coming, they stopped talking. He smiled at them but said nothing.
    “You could not sleep, lad?” Kumul asked. His lips were pressed close together, and the skin around his salt-and-pepper beard seemed drawn and lined.
    “You look like you could use some,” Lynan replied.
    He waited.
    The other three looked at each other uneasily. Then Ager joined them, slightly out of breath.
    “Where have you been?” Kumul demanded.
    Ager shrugged. “I needed to walk.”
    “Walk? I could have used your support—”
    “Support for what?” Lynan interrupted.
    Kumul glanced at Lynan, then at Ager, but Ager was looking determinedly at the ground.
    “Truth, little master, it was of no great concern,” Gudon said, his tone light.
    “The weather?”
    The way Lynan held himself, the tension in the skin around his eyes and mouth, told Gudon the prince was in no mood for banter. “No, your Majesty.”
    “I am not your Majesty, Gudon. Officially, I am ‘your Highness.’ I believe Areava is still queen of this kingdom.”
    Gudon joined Ager in staring at the ground.
    Lynan caught Kumul’s gaze and held it. “My friend. My oldest friend. What were you talking about?”
    Kumul’s jaw set. “We can discuss this later, Lynan.”
    “No.” He said flatly.
    “We were discussing what we should do next,” Korigan said suddenly, and got to her feet. She walked to Lynan and stood straight in front of him. Lynan had to look up to see her face. Her skin shone like real gold in the firelight. “In fact, we were
arguing
about what we should do next.”
    “We? You mean me, don’t you?”
    “Lynan, there is no need to trouble yourself about this,” Kumul said. “Ager and I were going to tell you in the morning everything that transpired here tonight.”
    Lynan ignored him. “What was the discussion—sorry, argument—about?”
    “About whether to stay here in the east of the Oceans of Grass to be near Haxus and Hume, or to go to the High Sooq and recruit the entire Chett nation to your cause.”
    “Kumul wanted us to stay here,” Lynan said, a statement and not a question.
    “Yes.”
    “And you want us to go the High Sooq.”
    “Yes.”
    Lynan looked at Gudon. “And you? Which side were you on?”
    “There are good reasons on both sides.” Gudon shrugged. “But I support my queen.”
    Lynan turned to Ager. “And you?”
    “I lean toward Kumul, your Highness.”
    “And Jenrosa. Was she a part of this discussion? What side did she take?”
    “She has no experience in these sorts of things,” Kumul said gruffly.
    “Nor have I, apparently, though we both deserve a say, wouldn’t you agree?”
    “Of course, lad, but we weren’t making any decisions—”
    “Except what course of action I should take.”
    “It wasn’t like that.”
    “It’s always like that, Kumul. I remember the talks I had with you and Ager before Jes Prado kidnapped me. ‘Lynan, we think this is the best course of action. If you don’t agree, we’ll not support you.’”
    “It was never like that!” Kumul said, aghast.
    “It was exactly like that,” Lynan said without rancor. “But I’ve changed, Kumul. Being kidnapped, hacked to pieces, and brought back from the door of death does that.” He turned and walked away, and without looking over his