Exile by Rowena Cory Daniells Read Free Book Online Page A

the accord?’ Imoshen asked, as if Charald was a reasonable person. Didn’t she remember Sorne’s insight into the king?
    ‘What I want is a Chalcedonia free of Wyrds. I want all your kind to pack what you can carry and leave this city, leave this kingdom.’
    Behind her, the two males went utterly still, and exchanged quick looks. The warrior escort looked stunned. Only Imoshen was not surprised.
    ‘This is our home,’ she said. ‘We have enough food for years and plenty of fresh water. We can shut the gates and go about our lives, while you sit out here in the winter snows, and the dust and flies, while your men die of the flux and their fields lie fallow, while their women sleep alone and their children forget them–’
    One of the barons cursed, but Charald laughed.
    ‘Shut the gate. See if I care. While you sit on your arses behind your walls, my barons will be riding for your estates. They’ll pull down the gates, march in, put everyone to the sword and burn their bodies.’
    ‘Barbarian,’ the taller of the two males gasped.
    ‘There’s no negotiating with him,’ the other agreed. They both spoke T’En, unaware that Sorne understood.
    King Charald glanced over his shoulder to the barons as if to say, See, one of them is the true causare .
    ‘We have wealth,’ Imoshen said. ‘We can pay a tithe to the crown for the use of this island.’
    ‘Pay him?’ the tall one muttered in T’En, clearly not impressed. ‘Why should we pay for what we already own?’
    Hadn’t anyone ever told him you only own what you can stop others from taking? Charald had proven that repeatedly.
    ‘Why should I accept scraps when I can have it all?’ As Charald addressed the tall male behind Imoshen, she tilted her head to study the king and his barons. Sorne felt the brush of her gift on his senses, subtle and alluring. Female gift power rolled over him, over all the barons. Several of the men fidgeted, responding to the sensation. But none objected, and Sorne suspected they were too focused on the interplay between their king and the T’En male to notice it.
    ‘We broke through once. We can do it again,’ Charald said. He gestured to the big T’En man. ‘Next time, speak for yourself, causare. Next time, come prepared to surrender.’
    ‘We have not used our gifts on True-men,’ the smaller, sharp-eyed man said in Chalcedonian. ‘Do you really want to push us? You can’t resist our gifts.’
    Charald gave a bark of laughter. ‘Your gifts? I piss on your gifts. You know why?’ He beckoned Sorne to step forward. ‘Because I have this priest, returned from the dead not two days ago.’ And he thrust Sorne’s hood back to reveal his face with the missing eye.
    All of the Wyrds gasped.
    ‘Warrior’s-voice,’ the sharp-eyed male muttered in Chalcedonian.
    ‘I see you’ve heard of my half-blood,’ Charald gloated. ‘Have you heard what he can do? He’s the one who discovered how to contact the gods. The Warrior has been blessing him with visions since he was seventeen. Through this half-blood the Warrior guided me, as I conquered the kingdoms of the Secluded Sea. He guided me here tonight.’
    As Charald paused for effect, Zabier glanced to Sorne and the king. He looked as if he wanted to protest, but managed to hold his tongue.
    Sorne also wanted to protest, but couldn’t. If he was to be any use as Imoshen’s spy, he had to let the T’En believe the worst of him. He had promised to let her know if Charald was going to attack. Now, after Charald’s boasts, she would assume he’d lied to her.
    Sorne did not try to catch her eye, not with Zabier watching him.
    ‘Can you guess how he gets these visions?’ Charald was enjoying himself. Sorne knew what was coming and he could not stop it. ‘He sacrifices his own kind. Just two days ago, he sent a silverhead into the Warrior god’s arms and was rewarded with a vision.’
    The T’En stared at him in horror. All Sorne could do was look, stone-faced,