Siege (The Warrior Chronicles, 5) Read Online Free PDF Page B

made herself stand still while Rohnan peeled her out of the expensive dress. Underneath she had a tight top and leggings, garments that would allow her to fight without being overly restrained under the dress.
    “What’s happening?” Eloise asked as she heaved her body upward.
    “Someone is in our lands.” Shanti kicked off the slippers and raced toward her sack at the door before ripping out her boots. “I should be halfway out there by now, not trying to get dressed.”
    “Point made,” Eloise said somberly.
    Rohnan, who had also been required to dress up, stripped off the silk top and pushed down his trousers.
    “Now this I don’t mind,” one of the women said.
    “Let’s go!” Shanti said through gritted teeth as another pop of warning blared through her mind. “There’s more than one.”
    “I feel it.” Rohnan snatched up his sword and strapped it on as Shanti opened the door.
    They raced out as Shanti pinpointed where everyone was. Her people were running toward whichever one of the city gates they were nearest to. Shadow did likewise, feeling the urgency and taking up their posts. She could feel Cayan’s anxiety, aware of what was happening but having to rely on speech to get his men in position.
    Another warning blasted. “Flak!” Shanti said, veering right.
    “Where are you going?” Rohnan kept pace.
    “Horses…” Her breath came out in fast puffs. “They can…run faster…than we can.”
    The first foreign mind solidified in Shanti’s consciousness as the cobblestone of the street ended and became torn-up dirt. The smell of horses assaulted her nose. She ripped open the stall to the Bloody Bastard as Sonson ran in behind her.
    “Should we turn loose the beasts?” he asked, running toward his horse.
    “Will they run rampant around the city?” Shanti launched a foot over her horse’s back and scrambled on. There was no time to saddle up.
    “Tunston has been working diligently to train them where to exit the city. He’s confident.” Another gate squealed as Sonson went after his horse. “Those cats, though…”
    Shanti locked on to the strange mind in her range, waited for more, and was immediately rewarded with another two. “The cats will wait for Cayan and I, I have no doubt.”
    She was lying. She had a lot of doubt.
    “Leave the beasts for now. There are only three. We aim to capture, not kill.”
    More Shadow, and now the army started to file in. Shanti felt others running outside of the city, getting into position to surround the intruders.
    “This is not an attack,” Rohnan said for Sonson’s benefit as he climbed on his horse. “This is Xandre’s way of collecting information. He has no problem sending men in, even though, toward the end, he rarely received any back.”
    “He’s talking about before the battle that ended our way of life,” Shanti said, clutching her horse’s mane. He pranced impatiently. “We waited for them to come with force. We cannot make that mistake again. We need to leave before it’s too late. Hopefully these men can give us information about Xandre’s plans.”
    “They never have before,” Rohnan said quietly.
    “Yaw!” Shanti dug her heels into the horse’s flank. The animal lurched into motion, his power and speed jolting Shanti backward.
    “Bloody…hell.” She gripped with her knees and adjusted her balance, feeling the horse’s speed pick up to almost alarming levels. “No, no!” She clutched the coarse hair in her fists as she tried to steer around a corner. The horse’s hooves clattered and skidded, the animal stumbling before it righted again. “Too fast for— Look out!”
    A woman screeched as she hustled out of the way. Others in the busy street ran to the sides, shock or disgruntlement on their faces. The Women’s Circle would no doubt put this on their agenda.
    The open gate loomed in sight. Men stood around the chain, ready to close the doors and secure it if they received the command. “ Now run, you