Song of the Fairy Queen by Valerie Douglas Read Free Book Online Page B

twitched the corner of her mouth.
    Beneath Kyri’s hand were the solid muscles of Morgan’s chest and the steady beat of his heart, her hand beneath his almost entirely hidden.
    “Be safe, Morgan,” she said softly.
    Morgan looked into her brilliant eyes. Something moved there in them.
    For a timeless moment their eyes held.
    With an effort he released her, looked to Oryan, nodded and – with Jacob at his back – turned his horse away.
    He would need Jacob’s street smarts in the days to come.
    Save for Morgan’s rare visits, Oryan would be alone. Save for Kyri and her reports.
    And those few Morgan trusted to keep his King safe….and his King’s Heir.
    He’d done all he could there.
    They needed more information, though, more than Kyri’s people could provide. It was up to Morgan, Jacob, and the remaining Marshals to get it.

Chapter Six
    Smoke still rose above Caernarvon. Morgan’s jaw set and tightened to see it, but he said nothing, nor did those around him. It had been a week or more since the battle, those fires should have been put out by now. The only reason they hadn’t been then was that Haerold was allowing them to burn. Oryan’s city. Fury was useless, but it was still there.
    Around Morgan rode a dozen men and women who’d served directly with him, who’d fought beside him, who he knew he could trust. They had been fighting in the north, until he’d called them south, leaving the northern border bereft and undefended, however much it pained him. It was simply another injury to set at Haerold’s door. Some of these had met him on the journey east. Soon there would be more as faithful Caleb called the reserves and retirees up.
    Staying in the shadows beneath the trees on the mountain slopes above the city, Morgan looked down at the now battle-scarred castle that rose at the city’s back on the shores of the great river Arvon. In the waning light, smoke stains smeared the stone above many of the castle windows. Men walked the castle walls though, tiny figures in the distance.
    At his signal his people moved out, to find their own way into the city below. Some would gather information. Others would wait in the shadows in case of need, an alarm would rouse them.
    The sun settled slowly to the horizon. Dusk fell softly. Already the evening mists rose to drift through the streets as it did at this time each night. Above him, the moon glowed. The light silvered the fog as it drifted through the streets like a thousand ghosts. After the events here perhaps that was indeed what they were.
    It was a risk to come here but there was too much they needed to know. He had to take the chance, great as it was.
    With Jacob at his side, Morgan left his horse behind and made his way down the slope to the south and west of the city, keeping to cover and the shadows until he reached the outskirts and the small, mean buildings clustered there where the poorest folk lived.
    No one moved, no sounds came from the homes, not even a child’s cry or a dog’s bark, although you could sense both were there, huddled in those houses. People were afraid even to come out of their homes. With some reason…
    Patrols moved through the cobbled streets, but on horseback they were noisy and easy to avoid. There were, however, a lot of them.
    Where had Haerold gotten all these men?
    Frowning, Morgan moved closer to the street for a better look.
    “You know,” Jacob hissed irritably from the darkness and jabbed him with an elbow, “if you were any paler, you’d be a damn beacon, Morgan, whereas I can move through the shadows like a shadow. Get out of my way.”
    Morgan glanced back at his friend, shook his head with a chuckle and gestured Jacob ahead.
    With a snort, Jacob moved past him, his dark skin and hair blending with the shadows, nearly to the mouth of the alley.
    Listen and learn , Jacob thought, as the next patrol rode by, talking in low voices to each other in a language he’d only heard down by the docks.
    He knew it