Drenai Saga 01 - Legend by David Gemmell Read Free Book Online Page A

counts. My father told me that after Skeln Pass he couldn’t sleep without nightmares for a month.”
    “You’re not shaking,” he said.
    “That’s because I’m keeping busy. Would you like some more tea?”
    “Yes. Thanks. I thought we were going to die. And just for a moment I didn’t care—it was a wonderful feeling.” He wanted to tell her how good it was to have her standing beside him, but he could not. He wanted to walk across the room and hold her—and knew he would not. He merely looked at her while she refilled his mug, stirring in the sugar.
    “Where did you serve?” she asked, conscious of his gaze and uncertain of its meaning.
    “Dros Corteswain. Under Gan Javi.”
    “He’s dead now,” she said.
    “Yes, a stroke. He was a fine leader. He predicted the coming war. I’m sure Abalayn wishes he had listened to him.”
    “It wasn’t only Javi who warned him,” said Virae. “All the northern commanders sent reports. My father has had spies among the Nadir for years. It was obvious that they intended to attack us. Abalayn’s a fool; even now he’s sending messages to Ulric with new treaties. He won’t accept that war’s inevitable. Do you know we’ve only ten thousand men at Delnoch?”
    “I had heard it was less,” said Rek.
    “There are six walls and a town to defend. The complement in wartime should be four times as strong. And the discipline is not what it was.”
    “Why?”
    “Because they’re all waiting to die,” she said, anger in her voice. “Because my father’s ill—dying. And because Gan Orrin has the heart of a ripe tomato.”
    “Orrin? I’ve not heard of him.”
    “Abalayn’s nephew. He commands the troops, but he’s useless. If I’d been a man …”
    “I’m glad you’re not,” he said.
    “Why?”
    “I don’t know,” he said lamely. “Just something to say … I’m glad you’re not, that’s all.”
    “Anyway, if I had been a man, I would have commanded the troops. I would have done a damned sight better than Orrin. Why are you staring at me?”
    “I’m not staring. I’m listening, dammit! Why do you keep pressing me?”
    “Do you want the fire lit?” she asked.
    “What? Are we staying that long?”
    “If you want to.”
    “I’ll leave it to you,” he said.
    “Let’s stay for today. That’s all. It might give us time to … get to know each other better. We’ve made a pretty bad start, after all. And you have saved my life three times.”
    “Once,” he said. “I don’t think you would have died of the cold; you’re too tough. And Grussin saved us both. But yes, I would like to stay just for today. Mind you, I don’t fancy sleeping on the floor again.”
    “You won’t have to,” she said.
    The abbot smiled at the young albino’s embarrassment. He released his hands from the mind hold and walked back to his desk. “Join me, Serbitar,” he said aloud. “Do you regret your oath of celibacy?”
    “Sometimes,” said the young man, rising from his knees. He brushed dust from his white cassock and seated himself opposite the abbot.
    “The girl is worthy,” Serbitar replied. “The man is an enigma. Will their force be lessened by their lovemaking?”
    “Strengthened,” said the abbot. “They need each other. Together they are complete, as in the Sacred Book. Tell me of her.”
    “What can I tell?”
    “You entered her mind. Tell me of her.”
    “She is an earl’s daughter. She lacks confidence in herself as a woman, and she is a victim of mixed desires.”
    “Why?”
    “She doesn’t know why,” he hedged.
    “Of that I am aware. Do
you
know why?”
    “No.”
    “What of the man?”
    “I did not enter his mind.”
    “No. But what of the man?”
    “He has great fears. He fears to die.”
    “Is this a weakness?” asked the abbot.
    “It will be at Dros Delnoch. Death is almost certain there.”
    “Yes. Can it be a strength?”
    “I do not see how,” said Serbitar.
    “What does the philosopher say of