The Traitor's Heir Read Online Free PDF

stop the snakes taking the border towns, murdering the women and children, and burning the fields!”
    Eamon drew a deep breath. He had seen such towns in the time he had spent as a cadet on active service in the provinces of Sablemar and Wakebairn – both on the borders to the north-east of Edesfield – during his Gauntlet training.
    â€œI know,” he answered.
    â€œWhat we know doesn’t stop them evading us.” Ladomer exhaled loudly and with frustration.
    Eamon glanced at him in surprise. “The man last night…?”
    â€œHe was a wayfarer, Eamon – a snake, just like the men who killed Hughan.”
    The name drew across Eamon like a blade.
    â€œWe don’t know that wayfarers killed him, Ladomer,” Aeryn said quietly.
    â€œYes we bloody do!” Ladomer retorted, slamming his fist on the table. “It was wayfarers, and they had no reason to kill him, or anybody else, who died that day. No reason, Aeryn! The snakes did it, and they would do it to any one of us without a second thought. That is what their ‘glorious leader’, the Serpent, instils in them.”
    â€œI don’t understand why they do it,” Eamon said.
    â€œThey have no reason,” Ladomer answered bitterly. He looked across at Eamon with a returning smile. “But they will be stopped; they cannot outlast the Master and his Gauntlet.”
    There was a pause. Chatter bubbled on about them. Telo came past, his arms filled with steaming bowls which he laid, one by one, on the table before them. Eamon looked gratefully at the food; after a night spent crawling about in the mud and a morning lurching between hope and despair, he was ravenous, despite the first singing of nerves in his flesh.
    â€œWhat’s a Glove without his meat in him, eh?” Telo said kindly. “Eat up, lad.”
    â€œThank you, Telo,” Eamon replied, looking up at the innkeeper. He suddenly caught sight of a bloody mark on the man’s rolled-down sleeves. He leapt to his feet in alarm.
    â€œTelo, you’re hurt!” The outcry drew the attention of nearby tables.
    â€œWhat?” Telo looked down at his sleeves and then laughed. “Oh no, no lad,” he said, brushing aside Eamon’s concern, “no, that’s not mine. I’ve just been preparing some meat in the kitchen, that’s all.” He laid a hand over his arm to hide the stain. “I’m sorry it bothered you.”
    Eamon wasn’t convinced. “You’re sure you’re not hurt?”
    â€œI’m sure.”
    Eamon reluctantly sat down again.
    â€œNow, eat well!” Telo said.
    The innkeeper went quietly back to the bar and out into the back parts of the inn.
    Aeryn raised her mug. “To Eamon,” she said, and smiled at him.
    The lunch was pleasant, and although his swearing was on all their minds it was not mentioned again. They whiled away an hour or so, reminiscing over the long years that they had known each other and wondering about the future. As they talked, Eamon felt that his own future had never seemed as bright as it did then.
    At last the lunch ended and Eamon left, anxious to be punctual. Aeryn and Ladomer both walked with him down to the crossroads at the foot of Bury’s Hill.
    â€œI should go and get ready for the ceremony myself,” Ladomer said.
    Eamon laughed. “You’re always impeccably turned out,” he answered, looking his friend’s pristine uniform up and down.
    â€œComes of being a lieutenant, Mr Goodman!” Ladomer returned. “I’ll see you later. Don’t dally too long!”
    â€œI won’t. I’m so glad you can be here today, Ladomer. It means a lot to me.”
    His friend smiled. “And to me, Eamon.”
    Ladomer began moving back through the roads towards the college. Eamon turned to Aeryn. “I should go too,” he said, and he meant to, but the look on her face stopped him. “Is