Rise Read Online Free PDF Page B

departure.”
    Alistair gave the barest of flinches.
    Bosque approached him, speaking calmly. “Is this not true, young knight?”
    Clearing his throat, Alistair said, “It is, my lord.”
    “When that which is most precious has been stolen from you, there is even greater pleasure in taking it back.” Bosque smiled at Alistair.
    Alistair looked at Bosque, a desperate hope etched on his face.
    With a frown, Cian interrupted. “I ask again, how will you find them?”
    Bosque ignored her and instead considered Alistair’s stricken expression. “I would ease your pain, Lord Hart. Do you crave a hunt?”
    “A hunt?” Alistair repeated.
    “You’re the son of a nobleman,” Bosque answered. “Surely you’ve enjoyed hunts with your father and brothers.”
    “I have, my lord,” Alistair said, though his brow furrowed in confusion.
    “I’ll need something that belongs to the one you seek,” Bosque told Alistair. “Can you provide such an item?”
    “I—yes,” Alistair said, the doubt in his voice giving way to excitement.
    Bosque smiled at him. “Collect it and join us in the courtyard.”
    Alistair gave a short bow and dashed from the hall. Bosque pivoted to stand squarely facing Cian.
    “If you wish, I can show you exactly how we will find your runaways,” Bosque told Cian.
    “The courtyard, you say?” Cian asked, and Bosque laughed.
    “To bring my hunters here would be quite hazardous.” Bosque glanced at the wooden beams of the ceiling. “And to lose such a lovely hall would be a shame.”
    Cian cast a questioning glance at Eira, but Eira had no answers for her sister. When Bosque offered his arm, Eira took it and let him lead them from the hall. She could see hesitation and fear written on Cian’s face, but she knew her sister would soon understand and come to love the wonders Bosque Mar wrought.
    For her own part, Eira was no longer anxious about Lord Mar’s mysterious plans or his strange confidence in solving complex problems. She’d witnessed his finesse, his power, his control so many times over that she felt an almost childish joy in anticipating what he might manifest next.
    Cian would come to know that same crackle of expectation, and then the two sisters would wield the great weapons Bosque provided. All would be as it should. Eira was certain of that.
    When they entered the courtyard, Alistair was already there. He hurried to Bosque, and when the tall man held up his open palm, Alistair dropped a delicate object into Bosque’s hand.
    Eira recognized the necklace, and she knew Bosque would as well. He’d enchanted the pendant himself, promising Alistair that Ember would face no threat from the wraiths sent to attack the village. Assuring Alistair of Lady Morrow’s safety had been tantamount to securing his allegiance.
    A similar pendant had been given to Sorcha, but for a different purpose. When Eira had spoken to Sorcha, she’d presented the necklace as a peace offering. A token to remind Sorcha of the bond that women warriors shared, and an apology from Eira for the arguments they’d had about the future of Conatus. Sorcha had graciously accepted the necklace, not knowing that it meant her doom.
    Sorcha’s fate could have been Ember’s. Had Ember reached the village and attempted to take on Bosque’s wraiths only to have the shadow creatures submit to her, as they did to Sorcha, the villagers would have taken Ember for a witch too. Thus, Eira’s task of the night had been to find the girl and keep her out of harm’s way. That had been easy enough, though Eira hadn’t found Ember alone—but she had determined to keep what she’d seen from Alistair. The boy was brokenhearted enough, thinking that Ember had gone with Lukasz, but Eira knew that the girl’s reasons for leaving were likely more tied to the strength of Barrow’s embrace than her loyalty to the commander.
    “Lady Cian, if you’d bring me a torch.” Bosque gestured to Eira’s sister.
    Cian fetched a torch from