Altered Destiny by Shawna Thomas Read Free Book Online

aren’t there?” he said softly.
    “Yes.” How did he know?
    A half smile turned his mouth. “I’ve heard their horses.”
    She took a step closer. He heard horses? What did that have to do…?
    His smile matured. “A soldier’s horse sounds different than your average farmer’s horse. For one thing, it is usually carrying a heavier load and underneath, there is always the sound of leather and metal that a farmer’s mount lacks.” He pointed his chin toward the last stall, where a lone horse stood staring at them with large brown eyes. “Besides, she perks up her ears at the local horses and ignores the rest.”
    Selia almost smiled. “Chances are the local horses are her descendants. Jemima’s been around a long time. Are you part of the group of Svistra the soldiers were following?”
    He shook his head. “I am part of no group.”
    “But you know of them?”
    He hesitated. “Yes.”
    “Then what are you doing here? The Svistra live farther north. They don’t journey south for no reason.”
    “You seem to know a lot about Svistra habits.”
    “Not enough, apparently.”
    The silence stretched for several heartbeats. “I was and, as soon as I am able, will again attempt to track a particular band of Svistra.”
    “Why?”
    “Personal reasons that do not involve you or your safety.”
    Personal reasons? Selia backed out of the stall and shut the door behind her. She felt the Svistra’s gaze.
    “How are you keeping the soldiers from putting their horses in the barn?”
    “I told them Jemima was sick with something that may be contagious,” she answered.
    “And that worked?”
    “So far. Inlanders are skittish this close to the Wastes.” She met the golden gaze. “Several days ago an emissary from Newhaven gave me a little trouble but nothing I couldn’t handle.”
    “Oren told me about him.”
    She nodded. “I’ll bring you a book in the morning. Good night.”
    “Good night. And Selia…”
    She halted her step but didn’t turn around.
    “Thank you for talking to me. It’s been pleasant.”
    Selia hurried into the moist night air.
     
    “Commander?”
    “Yes?” Nathan looked up from the document he’d been reading to find a soldier waiting by the door. The man was so young Nathan doubted he’d sprouted his first chin hairs. He laid the paper on the desk in frustration and relief, letting the letters blur before his tired eyes. When he was promoted from captain to commander, no one had warned him how much reading and writing would be involved, or that his charges would be young enough to be his sons—if he’d taken another route and married. It was a good thing too; he might have reconsidered accepting.
    The soldier fidgeted.
    “You need to be elsewhere?” Nathan snapped.
    “No. But sir, the king’s emissary waits.”
    That’s right. Somewhere on his desk was a message to expect a viscount something or other. Nathan glanced once again at the parchments on his desk, and, next to them, to a map of the area. “Show him in.”
    The soldier nodded and disappeared. Nathan didn’t think the viscount would like the news but if he was in a hurry for it, so be it.
    The man who entered was nothing like Nathan expected. Portly, with an excess of three chins hanging over a stiff collar with far too many ruffles and laces to be practical, he took small mincing steps, the heels of his boots clicking against the wooden floor.
    Nathan reached for the viscount’s hand, to squeeze soft flesh further cementing his opinion that the man had never worked a day in his life. He’d ridden a horse here from Newhaven? “I trust you had a pleasant journey.” He gestured for the man to sit and made a mental note to instruct the head groom to give the gallant horse an extra measure of oats.
    The viscount glanced at the offered chair before sitting, as if he’d like to dust it first. Then he settled in such a way that Nathan feared for the integrity of the chair.
    “Far from it. The weather is