The Sin War Box Set: Birthright, Scales of the Serpent, and The Veiled Prophet Read Online Free PDF Page B

choice. “Go ahead.”
    Mendeln paused at the door. Meeting his brother’s gaze, he asked, “How do you know this woman?”
    “We met by chance,” was all Uldyssian would return. After a moment, Mendeln finally nodded and left the room.
    Gently placing the noblewoman on the bed, the farmer paused to look at her. Again, he was struck by the perfection of her face and wondered what could have sent her wandering alone in the world. Certainly, Lylia could have found a good marriage with many a wealthy noble. Was she related by blood, perhaps, to one of the losing mage clans? That might explain the matter…
    As he pondered this, her eyes abruptly opened. Gasping, Lylia bolted into a sitting position.
    “What…what happened?”
    “Do you remember the woods?”
    Her hand went to her mouth as she stifled another gasp. “It was all…all true, then? What I…saw?”
    Uldyssian nodded.
    “And you…you brought me here…where is here?”
    “The Boar’s Head. It’s the only inn in Seram, miss—Lylia. We thought you likely had a room here.”
    “But I do not—”
    He shrugged. “My brother took care of that; then we brought you up here. After that, Mendeln went to retrieve your things from the caravan.”
    She stared long and hard into his eyes. “Mendeln and your brother…they are the same person, I gather?”
    “Yes.”
    The noblewoman nodded to herself, then asked, “And the…the body?”
    “A friend is looking into it. He can be trusted to deal with the matter properly. Achilios will alert the Guard, then our headman.”
    Lylia drew her knees up to her chin, then hugged her legs. That she badly wrinkled her elegant gown, she did not seem to care. “Was the…was the man we found also a friend of yours?”
    “Him?” Uldyssian shook his head. “A damned missionary…from the Temple of the Triune. His companions were looking for him earlier.” He considered. “They came with the caravan. Did you—”
    “I saw them, yes, but never spoke. I have little trust in their teachings…or that of the Cathedral, for that matter.”
    This admission, so near to his own thoughts concerning the two sects, inexplicably lightened Uldyssian’s heart. Then the farmer quickly berated himself. However much his calling repelled Uldyssian, the man had not deserved such a monstrous end.
    Thinking of that, Uldyssian knew that he had to go and see to the situation. As the one to initially come across the dead missionary, it behooved him to tell the village officials what he knew.
    His brow arched as he considered the noblewoman. He would avoid speaking of Lylia as much as possible. She had already been through too much.
    “I want you to stay here,” he commanded, inwardly stunned that he should talk to a lady of high caste so. “Stay here and rest. I have to see those who’ll deal with the body. You needn’t come.”
    “But I should be there…should I not?”
    “Only if necessary. You merely saw what I saw, after all. And you didn’t know him, either.”
    She said nothing more, but Uldyssian had the clear impression that Lylia knew that he risked his reputation by protecting her so. The noblewoman leaned back on the bed. “Very well. If that is what you wish. I will wait until I hear from you.”
    “Good.” He started for the door, already formulating his explanation.
    “Uldyssian?”
    He looked at her.
    “Thank you.”
    Face flushing, the farmer exited. Despite his size, he moved silently down the steps. At the bottom, he glanced into the tavern. Everyone he saw acted as if nothing was wrong, which meant that news of the corpse had not yet filtered inside. Achilios could be thanked for that discretion. Seram would be in shock soon enough, the last murder having taken place more than four years ago and that due to a drunken altercation between old Aronius and his stepson, Gemmel, over farming rights, with the latter coming out the loser. Once sober, Aronius had pleaded his guilt and had been driven off by wagon to