Lord of the White Hell Book One lotwh-1 Read Online Free PDF Page A

distaste for war arts was only exacerbated by the fact that Master Ignacio often called Javier over from the third year riding practice to demonstrate perfect battle forms. Kiram scowled at the master's obvious pride in Javier's prowess.
    Though, Kiram couldn't help but stare when Javier countered one of Master Ignacio's attacks, lunged past his defense, and brought the tip of his blade to the master's chest. It wasn't just his accuracy or audacity that fascinated Kiram; it was the pure beauty of his movements. He didn't waste a single gesture or ever hesitate. He moved the way an animal would, utterly assured of his nature.
    Kiram found his own awe aggravating and consciously worked at dismantling it. He decided that much of Javier's grace could be attributed to arrogance. Of course he never hesitated or second-guessed himself. The man was probably incapable of conceiving of himself making a mistake.
    "He's terrifying," Nestor whispered to Kiram.
    "You can hardly see him," Kiram replied.
    Nestor squinted intently at Javier through the bristling mass of his sandy brown bangs. He wasn't exactly Kiram's friend but over the last two weeks they had grown comfortable with each other.
    Unlike most of the other second-year students, Nestor shared Kiram's intellectual curiosity. He asked questions in natural sciences, took the highest scores in their law classes, and clearly possessed the talent and inclination to be an artist. He, like Kiram, hailed from the port city of Anacleto, though Nestor's father was an earl whereas Kiram's father was the indulged husband of a very wealthy Haldiim merchant.
    Nestor retrieved his delicate spectacles from their ivory case and placed them on the bridge of his beak-like nose.
    "Still terrifying," Nestor said as he watched Javier demonstrate a maneuver called the King's Cross. "How do you ever fall asleep with him in the room?"
    Kiram rolled his eyes. "Look, I know that no one is actually afraid of him. You don't have to keep pretending."
    Nestor peered at Kiram through the thick lenses of his spectacles. "What are you talking about?"
    "If people actually thought Upperclassman Javier was some kind of demon, why would they all hang around him at dinner or even agree to allow him into the academy?"
    "He's the Duke of Rauma. Who's going to tell him that he can't attend the academy?" Nestor went quiet as Master Ignacio walked past them. After the master was out of earshot, Nestor leaned a little closer to Kiram. "It's not really Javier that people fear. He's actually nice enough. My brother Elezar and he are best friends. But the white hell trapped in him is something else. You just haven't seen it, that's why you're not afraid."
    "Have you ever seen it?"
    "Once. When the royal courier came to confer the dukedom upon Javier, the white hell broke free. The instructors were able to contain him with muerate poison that time but last year." A troubled expression came over Nestor's round face and he lowered his voice to a whisper. "Last year a stable hand was murdered. Torn apart. The headmaster denied that it was the white hell but everyone knew it was. Javier didn't attend classes for two weeks after it happened."
    Kiram didn't have a response for that. It was the first time that anyone had explicitly told him what there was to fear in rooming with Javier-he was quite probably a murderer.
    Kiram was still wrestling with the idea at lunch, when he took his usual seat between Nestor and Fedeles.
    The first day he had taken breakfast at the academy he had made the mistake of seating himself next to a second- year student he didn't know. The young man had knocked Kiram's food to the floor and hissed that he could eat down there, but not with decent men.
    To Kiram's relief and surprise, Nestor had intervened right away, offering Kiram a place with him at another table. The day after that Fedeles had joined them, though he had offered no reason other than singsong jumbled words.
    The three of them were the only