Path of Revenge Read Online Free PDF Page A

series of strokes. Anomer barely countered them. Noetos could not tell whether the cloaked man held himself in reserve.
    A series of strokes later—as quick as Anomer could deliver, quick enough to make the Recruiter work—his son was ordered to put up his sword.
    ‘Very good balance,’ came a composed, high-pitched northern accent from within the cowl. ‘You show promise. Is the sword your best skill, youngster?’
    ‘No, lord.’ Anomer’s voice was clear and undaunted. No sign of exertion. ‘I believe it the least of my skills.’
    ‘And your best?’ The voice was piqued with interest.
    ‘Intelligence, lord.’
    ‘Is that so? Ataphaxus!’ the cowled figure snapped. Another of the Recruiters sprang forward, a question already on his lips.
    ‘Tell me, youth, why will the Neherians always dominate the Fisher Coast?’
    Noetos drew a startled breath, and the gathered crowd murmured uneasily. What sort of question was that?
    As if in answer, Ataphaxus the Recruiter turned to the benches. ‘It is not enough to know the things that are. True intelligence seeks to understand the reasons why these things are.’ The undercurrent of whispering grew louder among the benches. What were his words if not designed to provoke?
    Anomer shrugged his shoulders. ‘If I was truly wise I would not try to answer this question in such a public place, here in front of my friends and family. However, I can offer you this thought, my lord. It is a matter of population. The Neherians are a numerous people, and they have a wide view of the world from their favoured harbours. We Fossans are few, and see no further than our own sheltered bay. The Neherians dominate the Fisher Coast because they look beyond it. We are contained by our harbour because we see all we need within it.’
    ‘And with this in mind, which Fisher country supplies the most recruits for Andratan?’
    ‘Palestra, my lord,’ Anomer answered promptly. ‘Neherius would, all other things being equal, but their lords do not allow the very best of their youth to be examined by the Recruiters. Thus they extend their advantage over their neighbours because they see humans as more valuable than the gold they are exchanged for.’
    Dangerous! Noetos gripped the bench until his knuckles whitened. Anomer had succeeded in offending everyone present. He offended Fossa and allthe other fishing villages by saying they were not as clever as the Neherians, who owed their advantage to the strategy of avoiding the Recruiters. He offended the Recruiters by claiming they were being duped by Neherius. Could this be true? And, if so, how could Anomer possibly know it?
    His son was left standing in the middle of the square, sword still in his hand, while all four Recruiters huddled together. Before Noetos could do more than worry, they turned to face the boy.
    ‘You, Anomer tal Noetos, have finished here. You will return to your home with your family and await our pleasure. In the meantime, we call Siela tar Follia.’
    Within moments the bewildered boy and his parents found themselves outside Nadoce Square and on Lamplight Lane, walking home along an empty street.
    ‘What are they going to do to us?’ Opuntia moaned. ‘What are they going to do?’
    Noetos ignored her and placed an arm around his son. He had no answer for the question his wife posed, and wondered how long they would have to wait.
    A cool afternoon sea breeze had dragged in pale clouds by the time a sharp rap echoed in the living room of the Fisher house. Four quick raps, then even before Noetos could rouse himself from his couch, four more. Rushed, insistent, not like the self-assured deliberateness the Recruiters had shown this morning. He hurried to the door.
    Behind him Opuntia drew her arms tight around Anomer, whose grim face hadn’t changed for hours, no matter what foolish things his mother had said. They would be slain on the spot, she’d exclaimed, or taken out to Nadoce Square and publicly executed as an