Exile by Rowena Cory Daniells Read Free Book Online

Sorne had worked himself into a position of trust. Each time the king conquered a city, town, or port, he would meet with the defeated officials. Towards the end, many had capitulated without a fight. It was better to pay a ransom and survive than to have their city sacked.
    From what Sorne had overheard today, he gathered Charald had promised his people a kingdom free of Wyrds and his barons the spoils of the city. This did not leave much room for negotiation.
    ‘No more foreigners suckling at the Wyrds’ tit,’ one of the barons muttered, gesturing to the foreign quarter.
    Set out from the wall, and to the left of the causeway, was a cluster of two- and three-storey buildings. They had been built on stilts over the lake by merchant princes from distant kingdoms. Right now the foreign quarter looked empty and Sorne suspected Charald’s men had sacked it.
    ‘Here they come,’ someone said.
    A glow filled the tunnel under the causeway gate, and a shiver of fear passed through the gathering.
    ‘Let’s see how arrogant they are, now that we’ve called their bluff,’ Charald said and the barons muttered approvingly.
    The True-men’s bravado amused Sorne. It was the first time he’d seen Charald’s party afraid of the inhabitants of a besieged city. When the Wyrds stepped out onto the causeway, their lanterns cast light up the wall to the defenders on the walkway above them. Sorne caught the glint of armour, pale faces and helmets.
    The first three T’En who approached wore shimmering silk breeches, sandals and knee-length robes of rich brocade. On their shoulders they wore wide, jewel-encrusted torcs, revealing their ranks and affiliations. Their long silver hair was dressed in elaborate styles, held in place with jewelled pins. The men’s chests were bare, displaying old duelling scars. The woman...
    Was Imoshen.
    He’d had no idea she ranked so high amongst her people.
    As the warrior escort took up position, Sorne saw them look to the banner’s trophy braids and their mouths grow tight with anger. The two males remained one step behind Imoshen, who came to a stop when there was still a body length between her and the king.
    ‘A woman?’ one of the barons muttered. ‘Their causare is a woman? I thought it was an elected position, not inherited.’
    ‘One of the males will be the causare,’ Charald said softly over his shoulder. ‘They’ve put a beautiful woman out front to distract us.’
    Zabier said nothing. Sorne glanced to the back of his head. If Zabier knew as much as he claimed, he’d know the T’En women’s gifts were more powerful than the men’s.
    ‘I am Causare T’Imoshen, of the T’Enatuath,’ she introduced herself, speaking Chalcedonian with a slight accent.
    ‘High King Charald, conqueror of the five kingdoms of the Secluded Sea, ruler of Chalcedonia,’ Zabier introduced the king.
    Charald rested his hand on his sword hilt and waited, drawing out the T’En’s discomfort. Whoever spoke first revealed weakness.
    Imoshen took a step forward. ‘King–’
    ‘That’s near enough.’ Zabier held up his hand before she could come close enough to touch the king.
    ‘King Charald,’ Imoshen began again, ‘your ancestor signed an agreement, giving our people this island. Why have you broken the accord?’
    ‘The accord is nothing but scribbles on parchment.’
    Both the males behind her stiffened, and Sorne guessed their gifts would be rising. He was glad he was too far away to sense their power; he did not want his gift addiction to surface again. While Oskane’s scourgings had given him the strength to fight it, repeated exposure to power had made his hair go white by the time he was twenty-five, and the craving for power had slipped under his guard. The pain of the empyrean wound had completed his downfall. He was as addicted as any devotee, just not to one specific T’En. As long as he avoided their power, he could keep the craving under control.
    ‘Do you want to renegotiate