The Trials Of Ashbarn ( Book 5) Read Online Free PDF Page B

edged his voice.
    Realizing her blades were still pressed against his, she lowered the weapons. As she did, her eyes wandered down his slim physique. Shirtless in only a pair of shorts, his hardened body looked to belong to a man half his age. Carved from wood and deceptively strong, his lean body was covered with scars. Some newer, but most old and faded. A lifetime of war was displayed across his body like a mapped-out timeline. This was not the first time she had seen them, but it had certainly been a while.
    With an effort, she raised her eyes back to his. His sheepish smile looked odd as he leaned on his sword. It was hardly a regular expression for the humorless man. Then it hit her. Resisting the overwhelming urge to cover herself, she dropped her swords and began tugging at the clinging fabric of her damp nightgown. Just straightening it. Nothing more . “How did you get in here?” she demanded, still tugging and pulling, avoiding his gaze.
    “The door was open,” he shrugged . He polity turned away, allowing her to continue fighting with the nightgown in privacy.
    “Wha–” She peeked over his shoulder. Sure enough , one of the heavy doors was slightly ajar. There is no way I left that open. Was he only implying that it was unlocked? Damn him and his games ! “And why are you up, sneaking around like some thief in the night?”
    “Same reason as you,” he replied with another shrug. Another simple answer that carried multiple interpretations.
    She sighed, then gave a final frustrated tug of her gown. The cool, damp fabric snapped against her skin, hugging her curves as tightly as ever. Her exposure suddenly seemed very unimportant. “And what do you know of my sleepless nights?” she mumbled, swiping a hand across her forehead, removing sweat and stray strands of red hair that tickled her eyelashes. “What do you know of the darkness that haunts my dreams?”
    Azek turned back slowly and gazed into her eyes. She was surprised at how much effort it took not to look away. “We all carry demons, Ilirra. I don’t pretend to understand the pressures of your symbolic stature. I admit I know nothing of this darkness you speak of. Only the gods themselves would make such arrogant claims.” He took a step closer, his sharp, dark eyes holding her gaze. “But I do know this. A lifetime is no more than a blink in time. A meaningless flash from birth till death. We have but an instant to define ourselves before it is over. To create a name that will live on through the ages while entire generations come and go.”
    “ And when my brief time has come to an end, what exactly will my legacy be, Azek?” she said, her breathy words heavy with fatigue. “Will I be renowned for losing this impossible war? Remembered as the queen who fell before the darkness, dropping to her knees and trembling like a leaf in the wind? Tell me, Azek Lamanton, famed blademaster and Captain of the Guard, what legend do you see standing before you? A queen...a killer...a martyr...a moth–” She swallowed hard as moisture filled her eyes. “A mother,” she whispered.
    Azek brushed a few strands of red hair from her eyes. His voice was soft, but confident. “I see before me the most powerful queen to ever sit upon the throne. A woman of wisdom and integrity, although haunted by both past and future. Taron needs you now, focused and ready to act when the time comes.” He slapped a hand over his chest, breaking her stare. Ilirra only now realized her eyes had been wandering over his numerous scars. “Do you know what I remember about each one of these marks? What I recall of each man and beast who blessed me with yet another badge of honor?” He leaned into her ear. “Only that their hearts no longer beat,” he whispered, every calm word frosted with ice.
    I lirra resisted the urge to shiver, but her voice was tight. “You’re a killer, cold, with no remorse for the lives you’ve taken. I get it. You’re—”
    “No, you