Drenai Saga 02 - The King Beyond the Gate by David Gemmell Read Free Book Online

barracks and knew it was you, I was blind with rage. Until I saw you sitting there. And then … then …”
    “Then you thought to let me kill you,” Tenaka said softly.
    “Yes. It seemed … fitting.”
    “I am glad we found each other, my friend. I just wish some of the others were here.”
    The morning was bright and fresh, and the warmth of the promise of spring kissed the forest, lightening the hearts of the travelers.
    Renya watched Tenaka with new eyes, remembering not only the love and understanding he had shown to his scarred friend but the words he had said to her before the giant had arrived: “Believe in me.”
    And Renya believed.
    But more than this. Something in his words touched her heart, and the pain in her soul eased.
    He knew.
    And yet he cared. Renya did not know what love was, for in all her life only one man had ever cared for her, and that was Aulin, the ancient arcanist. Now there was another. He was not ancient.
    Oh, no. Not ancient at all!
    He would not leave her in Sousa. Or anywhere else. Where Tenaka Khan walked, there would be Renya. He was unaware of it now. But he would learn.
    That afternoon Tenaka stalked a young deer, bringing it down with a dagger hurled twenty paces, and the companions ate well. They slept early, making up for the late night before, and the following morning sighted the spires of Sousa to the southeast.
    “You’d best stay here,” Ananais advised. “I should imagine your description has been circulated throughout Drenai by now. Why ever did you write that damned letter? It’s not the sensible thing to let the victim know the assassin is on his way!”
    “On the contrary, my friend. Paranoia will
eat
at him. It will keep him awake—on edge—he will not think clearly. And for every day that there is no news of me, his fears will grow. It will make him uncertain.”
    “You think,” Ananais said. “Anyway, I will take Renya into the city.”
    “Very well. I shall wait here.”
    “And does Renya have nothing to say about this arrangement?” said the girl sweetly.
    “I did not think it would displease you,” answered Tenaka, nonplussed.
    “Well, it does!” she snapped. “You do not own me; I go where I will.” She sat down on a fallen tree and folded her arms, staring into the trees.
    “I thought you wanted to go to Sousa,” said Tenaka.
    “No. Aulin wanted me there.”
    “Well, where do you want to go?”
    “I am not sure yet. I will let you know.”
    Tenaka shook his head and turned to the giant, spreading his hands.
    Ananais shrugged. “Well, I will go in, anyway. We need some food—and a little information would not go amiss. I shall see what I can find out.”
    “Stay out of trouble,” warned Tenaka.
    “Don’t worry about me; I will blend in. I shall just find a large crowd of tall black-masked men and stick with them.”
    “You know what I mean.”
    “Yes. Don’t worry! I will not risk fifty percent of our new army on one reconnaissance.”
    Tenaka watched him walk away and returned to the girl, sweeping the snow from the trunk and sitting down beside her.
    “Why did you not go with him?”
    “Did you want me to?” she countered, turning to look into his violet eyes.
    “Want you to? What do you mean?”
    She leaned into him. He caught the musky perfume of her skin and noticed again the sleekness of her neck and the dark beauty of her eyes.
    “I want to stay with you,” she whispered.
    He closed his eyes, shutting out the magic of her beauty. But the perfume lingered.
    “This is insane,” he said, pushing himself to his feet.
    “Why?”
    “Because I am not going to live very long. Don’t you understand? Killing Ceska is not a game. My chances of survival are one in a thousand.”
    “It is a game,” she said. “A man’s game. You don’t need to kill Ceska. It is not for you to take on the burden of the Drenai.”
    “I know that,” he said. “It is personal. But I will see it through, and so will