Hunters (Spirit Blade Part 1) Read Online Free PDF Page B

me."]
    ["I wasn't speaking of her. You may fool others, but I've known you too many centuries not to see what ails you."]
    Je'Kaoron paused for several long seconds. ["I will do what must be done. One old man's temporary joy is not worth sacrificing this world."]
    ["And what of the huntress?"]
    Kaelen's heart threatened to leap from his chest. He strained to make out every word of what followed that question.
    Je'Kaoron partially turned, and Kaelen dreaded the demonlord spotting him. However, Je'Kaoron bowed his head and dropped his shoulders. ["She will do it."]
    Do what? What did they have planned for Nadia?
    Rage flared inside him, but he restrained the urge to demand an answer from these two. It would only end up with his life forfeited. Instead, he took a deep breath to calm himself.
    ["Then it shall be."] Je'Dron sounded almost dismayed. ["I would not wish on anyone the burden you bear. Knowing your secret is enough for me."]
    ["Then it is better that so few of us remain."]
    So few of who? What secret? If they had something planned for Nadia, Kaelen needed to know.
    ["Perhaps…Or we might not be in this situation if the others had such guidance."]
    ["The young never listen to their elders,"] Je'Kaoron said with a hint of admonishment in his voice.
    ["Some of us learn, and we will try to pass on the wisdom."]
    ["Not all are open to learning."]
    At that, Je'Dron tipped his head. ["That is their loss."]
    ["It would be the loss of all."]
    The two fell still for a while again as the stars lit in the sky and the moon rose among them.
    After some time, Je'Dron stood. ["I must retire, but I expect you have much to ponder."]
    ["I need only notify the party of our departure tomorrow."]
    ["Then I will send word to them."]
    ["Thank you."]
    ["Thank you ,"] Je'Dron said with a bow of his head. ["For all you have done for me and this world."]
    Kaelen frowned, confused by the show of respect from the highest ranking Je'Gri to a lesser. Je'Dron wasn't the high lord he had encountered upon first arriving in the city palace. At the time, he had the impression that Je'Dron yielded to no one, but apparently that wasn't the case.
    The high lord blurred and changed. The tiger that replaced the man ran towards Kaelen.
    In the second he would have had to prepare for an attack, the tiger ran past.
    Kaelen caught his breath from the moment he thought he would be a snack for eavesdropping on the ruler of the Je'Gri domain. He should have been. Demonlord hearing was supposedly so acute they could detect a rodent's heartbeat, and their sense of smell was capable of tracking any prey. High Lord Je'Dron should have detected him.
    It didn't make sense, unless the spell cloaked everything.
    The white tiger disappeared as if he wasn't there.
    Kaelen relaxed and watched the man remaining at the ledge like a ghostly statue. What are you about? The cryptic conversation played through his head with possibilities that led to the same destination—Lord Je'Kaoron was up to something and using Nadia for that purpose. Kaelen couldn't allow it, and not only because of the dagger. Nadia deserved more respect.
    Reality hit like a punch to his gut. Not even their commanders of the Li'Ador training had granted her that much, using him to try to fail her from her goal of becoming a demon hunter. He had hated himself for what he'd done, but he'd been proud to learn it had only made her stronger. Nadia deserved the recognition and respect she had earned, and he wasn't going to let a demonlord take that away.
    Kaelen stepped from the shadows.
    Je'Kaoron turned his head aside. "Are you now a sorcerer?"
    Kaelen froze a step from the tree and waited.
    The demonlord rose and turned to face him. "Hidden from sight but not from other senses, Hunter," he said with a hint of annoyance. "You followed me for a reason."
    Kaelen stood his ground.
    "No doubt you question my motives with the huntress." Lord Je'Kaoron stepped towards him. "Or you would not have followed me from her