Brotherband 4: Slaves of Socorro by John Flanagan Read Free Book Online Page B

hurt his feelings before that. It’d make for a very awkward evening.’
    ‘Good point. But make sure you don’t drag it out any longer.’
    Lydia nodded. ‘You’re right. It’s time to let him know. It’s a pity that Heron isn’t going on a long cruise. That’d be the best way to distance myself from him.’
    ‘Nothing coming up in that line?’ Karina asked, although she knew if there were, Hal would have told her.
    ‘Not that I know of. Just short patrols minding the trading fleet. Out for three days, back for a week. That’s not enough time for him to get over me.’
    ‘Maybe something will come up. Hal did mention that Erak wanted to speak to him about something. You never know.’
    ‘That’s true,’ Lydia agreed. Then, with a devilish smile, she returned to an earlier subject. ‘What about you?’
    Karina looked up at her. ‘What about me?’ she said. There was a warning tone in her voice.
    ‘What have you got lined up for the festival? Any of those mysterious suitors planning on dancing the night away with you?’
    Karina snorted derisively. ‘Me? I’m an old widow. Who’d be interested in me?’
    Lydia laughed out loud at that. ‘You can’t be serious? You’re one of the most attractive women in Hallasholm! I’ve seen how men’s heads turn when you’re in the market.’
    Karina threw the trimmed mutton leg to one side with more than usual vehemence.
    ‘Well, I’m not in the market for any of them,’ she said primly, setting to work on a third mutton leg. ‘And stop grinning at me like that,’ she said, without looking up. Somehow, she knew Lydia was grinning. And somehow, she knew that she hadn’t stopped. Finally, Karina set the knife down and looked the girl square in the eyes.
    ‘I have agreed to accompany an old and trusted friend. He will act as my partner. Nothing more than that.’
    ‘And who might that be?’ Lydia teased.
    Karina straightened her back and said, with great dignity, ‘Thorn.’
    Lydia’s eyes widened. ‘Thorn? Our Thorn? I mean . . . Thorn who lives . . .’ She gestured in the direction of Thorn’s lean-to. ‘That Thorn?’
    ‘Do you know another Thorn by any chance?’ Karina said stiffly.
    Lydia shook her head in wonder. ‘No, I don’t. Who would ever have thought it? You and Thorn?’
    ‘Nobody would have thought it, because it isn’t. And we’re not.’
    ‘Not what?’ Lydia’s grin was as wide as it could be now. ‘What are you not?’
    ‘We’re not . . . anything,’ Karina said. She slashed vigorously at the leg of mutton, removing nearly as much meat as fat.
    Lydia couldn’t resist it. She crooned softly.
    ‘Karina and Tho-orn, sitting in a tree-ee. Kay-eye-ess-ess-eye-en-gee.’
    ‘This is a very sharp knife I have here,’ Karina said evenly.
    ‘I was just leaving.’

    ‘What in the name of chaos is that ?’ Erak asked, pointing at Kloof.
    Hal smiled. He was getting used to this reaction.
    ‘She’s a mountain dog. They’re used to find lost travellers in the snow and lead them to safety.’
    ‘Where did you get her?’
    Hal shrugged. ‘I found her on the mountain. I think she wandered off from her home and got lost.’
    ‘Hardly what you’d want in a dog whose task is to help people who are also lost,’ Erak remarked and Hal acknowledged the truth of the statement.
    ‘She’s only young,’ he pointed out.
    Erak raised his eyebrows. ‘I hope she doesn’t have any more growing to do. Now come and sit, the two of you.’
    They were in the Great Hall of Hallasholm, where Erak conducted official business as the Oberjarl. He gestured to two long benches that flanked his massive oak chair of office. Hal and Stig sat either side of him. Kloof flumped down onto the floor between the three of them, with a massive sigh.
    ‘I asked Stig to come because I assumed that you had something in mind for the Heron ,’ Hal said.
    Erak nodded several times. A good skirl usually included his first mate in discussions involving