Rebel's Cage (Book 4) Read Online Free PDF

thing in the end,’ he mused, frowning a little. He turned away then, but didn’t go far. ‘We cannot take Malachi or they will turn against us, but it’s too soon for …’
    Though there were secrets there Kenrick burned to know, he just sat and waited. The opportunity would come one day for him to learn more.
    Nash shook his head. ‘We have exhausted every possible avenue and yet they’re still out there somewhere. We need to … find them. Now more than ever – but without bringing a battle down on us that we are not yet in a position to win.’
    A burn of fear flashed in Kenrick’s stomach; he almost flinched at what Nash was suggesting. He gathered himself, venturing the next necessary question, just to be sure. ‘You’re talking about the Salti Pazar, aren’t you? But you’ve been looking for them for decades. We need sorcerers
now.
We can’t wait for you to—’
    ‘No,’ Nash stiffened as though in surprise, sniffed in a breath and returned to his chair, sinking down with a short sigh.When he spoke again, there was something calculating in his tone, as if of thoughts only just considered. ‘You’re right. We don’t have any more time to find them. They’re protected in some fashion by …’
    ‘What?’
    ‘That doesn’t matter.’ Nash fell silent then, but Kenrick didn’t dare say anything. ‘Perhaps we should … perhaps there is a way to draw them out in the open, where we can get at them.’
    Kenrick frowned. ‘The last time you tried that, we had a battle and Robert Douglas killed my father!’
    ‘No, that’s not what I mean.’ Nash reached up and took the fresh cup of wine Taymar handed him, sipped and nodded to himself. ‘Yes, I think that is definitely our very next step. Come here.’
    Slowly Kenrick moved forward until his back faced the fireplace. Nash flicked his hand. As though from nowhere, a small black ball appeared and hovered in the air between them. Looking more closely, Kenrick saw the rough pockmarks over the surface, saw the dull ochre colour, despite the poor lighting. It was big enough to fit neatly into the palm of his hand. He knew what this was and his excitement, for a moment, almost overwhelmed him.
    He dared not touch it.
    ‘You know what this is,’ Nash said, his tone almost bored. ‘Use it only when you must. Let the blood flow freely into a calyx the first time you use it—’
    ‘What’s a calyx?’
    ‘It’s a … shallow bowl. Sit the orb in the bowl. Once the blood has gone, allow yourself a full day to absorb the power you have been given.’
    ‘How?’ Kenrick’s whisper sounded loud, his gaze never leaving the orb as it hung in the air before his eyes. For so many years he’d wanted to know how to do this, how to prolong his life, to heal his wounds just as Nash had been doing for a century and a half – and now it was there, in front of him. His fingers itched to reach out and take it.
    ‘Sleep with it between your hands, palms flat against thesurface. You will be tired afterwards, but … your scar will be gone.’
    ‘But … it’s so small.’
    ‘Big enough for what you want. You’re still young, you have no further need as yet. Later, I will show you more. Go on, take it.’
    For a second, Kenrick’s gaze flickered to Nash. Then he reached up and plucked the orb out of the air. It felt instantly warm and welcoming.
    ‘Don’t use it unless you’re injured,’ Nash added, settling back into his chair. ‘And don’t go killing Malachi to use their blood or they will turn against us and we will have an enemy we can’t afford.’
    ‘Then where do I find sorcerer blood to …’
    That twisted half-smile returned as Nash looked up at him. ‘Why, Salti of course. And, my King, you can do this part all on your own. In fact, I’m sure you will enjoy it.’
    *
    The heat of the early autumn night kept Osbert uncomfortable long into the banquet. He could not, of course, loosen any of his formal robes, but instead had to sit at