Dragon Blood-Hurog 2 by Patricia Briggs Read Free Book Online Page B

hard.
    "Unwanted crazy nobles," I murmured, taking a bite of stew and relishing the taste of fresh carrots. By the end of winter we'd be out of vegetables. I glanced at Tisala and she sent me a strained smile in return.
    She obviously agreed with Tosten.
    "Unwanted crazy nobles," Tosten snapped with a wave of his hand. "Now you want to hie off and see what Jakoven's been up to? You might do well to remember that the last Hurog who stuck his nose in Jakoven's business got his throat slit."
    "He killed Erdrick," I acknowledged. "And now he's after Beckram. I need to find out what's going on, before we end up with Beckram dead as well."
    Tosten's fists came down and made the table jump. "And you can look after Beckram's business so much better than he can?"
    It wasn't the words that got to me, it was the tone of voice that implied simultaneously that Beckram was
    competent and I was an idiot.
    I bit back several things that would have been unforgivable—foremost was reminding everyone that it was Beckram's affair with the queen that killed his twin, Erdrick. I took hold of my temper and told them
    the truth as I saw it. "I am Hurogmeten, guardian of Hurog. Beckram is of Hurog blood and thus under my protection. If I cannot or will not protect my own—I am nothing."
    "That attitude would surprise the two other Hurogmetens that I've known," said my aunt dryly, referring
    to my father and grandfather.
    " Meten means guardian, and Ward is Hurogmeten," said Oreg before taking a bite of bread.
    "What can you do that Beckram can't?" protested Tosten. "I say warn Uncle Duraugh and Beckram and let them deal with it." But the heat was gone from Tosten's voice. He knew all of Hurog's old songs and stories better than I did. He knew the duties of the Hurogmeten. If Oreg's firsthand experience had Generated by ABC Amber LIT Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html robbed the old lays of veracity, it hadn't robbed the ideal of its power.
    "I need to have a better feeling for what's going on in court," I explained. "Jakoven's abduction of Tisala
    is just the start. Something ugly is about to happen, and I'm afraid Hurog is going to be caught up in the middle of it."
    "Who are you taking with you?" asked Aunt Stala, and the matter was settled. We planned the trip over the last of the meal, and if Tosten didn't eat much, he didn't protest again, either. We had just stood up to let the kitchen staff clear the dishes from the table when we heard the clatter of racing hooves.
    The armsman who ran in was white-faced. "My lord," he said. "There's royal troops riding in." My mouth went dry. Were they here after Tisala? Thoughts flew through my head. But I'd decided after I heard Tisala's story that it wasn't likely that Jakoven would come after her here—too many people to silence with too little gain. He wouldn't want anyone knowing he'd tortured Tisala. That left only one answer that would send a royal troop: the writ.
    Should I run? Oreg would take me—but that would leave Hurog and those who belonged to her vulnerable—and my family open to charges of treason. My uncle couldn't prove he hadn't helped me, could he? Nor could Beckram, if that was truly whom the king was after. We could fight. It would start a civil war. Shavig would fall behind us. Oranstone might as well—but they had to worry about the Vorsag invading again as they had four years ago. Except …
    I shook my head as I dismissed the thought of civil war. It might have happened if the king had attacked
    us next year instead of this. Today, Hurog would fall in a day, and presented with that accomplishment, Shavig would moan and groan, but ultimately submit to Jakoven's hand. We were ready to hold off bandits, but the king's army was another thing entirely. Maybe if we had a real gatehouse and portcullis on the curtain wall we could have withstood for long enough. Instead we had nothing but an outer wall with a stout wooden door barred against intruders—the keep had no