Strange Land (The Young Ancients Book 15) Read Online Free PDF

a woman that was perhaps his worst enemy in the world. She'd been there, and had seen it happen. Her friend, so little and pale then for all that he was perfect, ripping himself apart, almost to his death, to fight the seven Larval Assassins that came at him.
    To save fucking Maria Ward .
    If the woman hadn't been a Countess, Sara would have had her killed. As it was, she'd been tempted to have it done anyway. The bitch had hurt her friend after all. Damaged a good man, for her own petty reasons. Only begging from the King himself had stopped her.
    Except that wasn't really what had happened, was it? King Richard had looked at her, as if sad, and shook his head. Then asked her to reconsider. It had been a big thing, at the time, all those years before. King's didn't ask . Not people like her. What had she been back then? Some merchant's daughter? A spy in training? Still, instead of having her put to death for daring to speak against a member of the peerage, King Richard had treated her as if she were someone important. Like she could have actually managed to remove Maria from the world, even if he chose to struggle against her in the action.
    So she hadn't gone after the Countess Ward. It had nearly led to Tor dying, and then later going mad. No one else made the connection, but she did. It wasn't all Maria's fault, but the woman certainly hadn't helped her friend grow stronger over time, had she?
    Sara looked at the others there, and had to wait, since it was clear that the Day Leader was the one they needed to follow. After all, none of the others really knew where the closest town was. That turned out to be nearly ten miles away.
    Her feet had blisters after only the first half of the trip, and she wasn't the only one to be limping along when they got to the little hamlet. No one there met them however. Roget didn't wait, setting up one of the magical devices, taking water from the river that flowed there. Then he made food. Enough for hundreds of people.
    Except only a few came out to see what was happening. Three at first. All women.
    They wore dresses that were barely held together in places. They also looked so thin that Sara thought she could make out their ribs under the heavy clothing.
    It was the Day Leader that sank to his knees first, and informed them of what was happening.
    "Rejoice! We bring a miracle from the All High! It is manna, from his own kingdom above the clouds! Come, see this wonder, and eat. We shall pray so that you may nourish yourself on his larder."
    This time there was no questioning their intent. No one suggested that the devil was behind it all. Others came out once the first woman called for them to. Most of the people were too sick to do it though. That meant they had to be taken food, one by one. Their strength having fled already.
    That took time, but food, plus the use of a healing amulet, helped most of them immediately. No one died while they were in that little town. Several of the stronger people stripped to their under things and rubbed dirt or ash on their heads, then set off to go with them.
    They didn't stop to sleep, even when the night came. They just hobbled on, sore feet bleeding in places. Going to town after town.
    At each point Sara expected to be met with real resistance. For there to be fighting, or at least name calling. This method seemed to be working though. The people of Tellerand weren't going to turn down free food. Not if they could accept it at all. All the praying and kneeling was making it so that they could.
    The problem that arose was a bit of a surprising one. Most places didn't actually have a saint to work the device for them. She couldn't spare anyone to do it either.
    Not from their little pilgrimage group, or whatever they were going to call it.
    Those places that didn't have anyone to make the food for them, simply took what was offered, and then seemed to accept that it would be all that would come. They were pleased enough by it, but that wasn't the