Sacred Knight of the Veil by T C Southwell Read Free Book Online

now."
    Minna called the cat to her and held her at bay with a mental command while the soldier hacked off a lock of her hair. When he was finished, Trelath departed with a mocking wave, leaving her to slump against the sand cat as bitter tears ran down her cheeks. The thought of Kerrion's anguish tore her heart. The prospect of watching Shista die filled her with cold dread, and she prayed that Kerrion would find her before it was too late.
     
    Chiana walked along the echoing passage that led to her rooms, numb with fatigue and worry. It was late; she had spent half the night poring over reports of unrest and riots that the rumours of Endor's intent had sparked. She had had to despatch orders to outlying officials, directing them to pacify the crowds and try to dispel the rumours, many of which were far worse than the truth. Still there was no word from her messengers, and she despaired of any of them ever finding Blade.
    The guards outside her rooms snapped to attention at her approach, opening the doors to admit her into the dark sanctity of her private apartment. Here at last, she could find a little respite from the clamouring of lords and advisors, and the endless stream of petitions pouring in from minor officials, mayors and judges. All of them demanded solutions to their various problems, which the current situation had sparked. Although she had delegated a lot of the work to her senior advisor, she still had to do the bulk of it, or at least approved it, which meant reading all the replies and signing them. Often she did not agree with the replies her advisors supplied, which sometimes led to disputes, but usually she just did it herself. She sighed and picked up the candle beside the door to light her way to her bedroom, where a hot bath awaited her in the curtained alcove. Two maids would be there to help her disrobe and bathe, but at least they would be silent if she wished.
    A time-glass of peace and quiet would help her to relax before she went to bed, then perhaps she could sleep, something that was becoming an increasingly rare luxury. Considering how her head ached from the stress of the day, she might resort to the herbal drink that Verdan, the palace healer, had made to help her sleep. A single lamp on the far wall cast a golden glow over some of the sitting room's vast area, but most of it was dark.
    Out of the corner of her eye, she glimpsed something beside the curtains that covered a window. Her heart seemed to leap into her mouth, and she stopped, her blood chilling. A motionless black-clad figure stood there. The candle holder slipped from her fingers and hit the floor with a crash. The room was plunged into almost total darkness, then the doors burst open, letting in a flood of light from the corridor. Her guards rushed in, their spears ready and their eyes darting about for a foe.
    "Are you all right, Regent?"
    Chiana peered at the curtains, but there was nothing there, or had she imagined the figure in the first place? Were her tired eyes playing tricks on her? She waved a hand at the guards.
    "I am all right. I just dropped the candle, that is all."
    One of the soldiers picked up her candle and relighted it from the sconce outside, then returned it to her with a bow. She thanked him, and the men went back to their post. Once more the room was plunged into semi-darkness, and she stared at the curtains, waiting for her eyes to adjust. The shadowy figure became visible once more, standing there as if he had not moved at all, which, if he was who she thought he was, was quite likely.
    A huge lump of joy threatened to suffocate her, and she gulped, stepping forward on shaking legs to confirm her suspicion. As she approached, the candlelight revealed the cold, pale visage of the man who had haunted her dreams for the past fifteen years. Her eyes roamed over the sculpted features so dear to her. The narrow, high-bridged nose, fine dark brows, sensuous lips and jet hair tied at his nape with a thong,