WINDWEEPER Read Online Free PDF Page A

out.
    "What now?" Conar asked, a surly expression on his unshaven face. He had been in the cell two days, had expected to be there longer, but there was something in the way Wynth stood that caught Conar's immediate attention. Something had happened. "Tell me."
    "Your Elite have engaged some of my guards. There has been a death and they have taken hostages. They are demanding to see you." Grice's voice was tight with rage. "Papa wants you to speak with your men so there will be no further bloodshed."
    Conar stumbled forward as one of his guards shoved him toward Grice.
    "Stop!" Wynth shouted to his man.
    But Conar didn't pay any attention to his indignities. Concern filled his face. "Are my men well?"
    Grice looked away. "We were in the process of releasing them to take them to the ship, when your man, Sentian, attacked. He took charge and your other Elite followed him."
    Conar grinned. "Good for Sentian."
    Grice ignored the comment. "Our guards were only doing their duty. Blood should not have been shed. Your Elite are threatening to kill a hostage every half hour until you are brought to them." His face took on a hard edge. "Will they do it?"
    Conar's grin faded. "They will."
    "I want your word that there will be no more trouble, McGregor."
    "We didn't start the trouble."
    "A man died! Didn't you hear me?"
    "And I tell you, you asked for such trouble when you slapped me and my men in your gods-be-damned dungeon. Sentian did his duty. You can not fault him for defending his Overlord."
    The look his Grice gave Conar was one of pure disbelief. "Aye!" he snarled, "and a good man died because of Sentian Heil! Does that make you happy?"
    "I am never happy when innocent lives are lost, Wynth; but you are responsible."
    Grice Wynth was deeply upset that any lives had been lost. His guards weren't prepared for the sheer volume of violence Sentian Heil garnered as the last man was freed from his cell. Conar's guards had been docile up to that point, but upon hearing their Overlord had also been—and still was—incarcerated, the men had gone berserk.
    Hard-pressed to keep themselves from being slain, astonished at the savagery with which the Serenians fought, Grice's men took flight. It was not until Grice had given his word—as Liza's brother—that no harm would befall Conar then the Elite backed off, taking five hostages as they waited for their commander to be released. Grice could only imagine what they would have done had they been told Conar was shackled to a stone wall, standing ankle-deep in shit.
    Conar's grin returned, for he picked up on Grice's thoughts. "Aye, it's a very good thing," he warned and watched Wynth start with surprise. "I will give you my word they will not harm anyone else. All they want is to see me safe. Once that happens, they will be satisfied as long as none of them have been hurt."
    "Your men weren't harmed," Grice said with clenched teeth. He walked away, expecting Conar to follow. He flinched when Conar put a light hand on his shoulder. "What?" came the snappish query.
    "I am sorry, Grice. For the loss of your man."
    A quick, grudging nod was the only answer Wynth could give. He walked as fast as he could down the darkened corridor to the holding area where Sentian and the others were keeping hostages.
    Seeing the grim, dark circles under their Overlord's eyes did little to calm the Serenians. When Thom noticed the raw places on Conar's wrists and realized he had been shackled, he howled with rage and threw himself at Grice. He would have crippled the Oceanian if Conar had not stepped between them.
    "No, Loure." He put a hand on Thom's thick chest. "There has been enough violence done."
    "They chained you!" Marsh Edan spat, shoving the hostage closest to him against the wall. "They dared to chain you!"
    "And they told us we are to leave, but they make no mention of our lady!" Sentian shouted. "We do not leave without her!"
    Swallowing bitter bile in his throat at the reminder that Liza was being