The Blind King by Lana Axe Read Free Book Online Page A

Na’zoran king.”
    “I never said
that,” Efren replied. “I simply think it’s wiser to know what we’re dealing
with before we rush into battle.”
    “You can let me
deal with that,” Willem declared. “It’s not as if you’ll be present on the
battlefield.”
    “No, he won’t be
there,” Gannon said. “He must stay behind and tend the kingdom while I’m away.”
He looked thoughtfully at his brother, the man who had his full confidence.
There was no other who was better suited to the task of seeing to Ra’jhou’s
needs while the king was away.
    A few of the
councilors grumbled at those words, but no one spoke openly against the new
king. They worried Ra’jhou would become a kingdom to ridicule if a blind man
was left in charge, but they kept their opinions to themselves. The long
history of war with Na’zora made them more inclined to support their king’s
decisions. With luck, the king would return victorious in a short amount of
time. Efren wouldn’t have the chance to mess things up too badly.
    “We ride tomorrow,”
Gannon declared. “Dismissed.”
    The councilors
marched out the door, talking among themselves. Their voices spoke excitedly,
anticipating the battle to come. All were in favor of war.
    Efren remained
behind after the other councilors had gone. “Take care of yourself out there,”
he said to his brother. “We have never before encountered Na’zora’s mages, not
even when our father sat on the throne. They might prove far more dangerous
than you expect.”
    Gannon looked upon
his brother’s worried expression. With confidence, he said, “Their mages are
mortal. They will fall as quickly as any other man.” He clapped his brother on
the shoulder.
    “Kings fall too,”
Efren replied solemnly. “Please take caution.”
    With a sigh, Gannon
said, “Of course, Efren. Do not worry. Once we’ve shown Na’zora we are not
easily defeated, they will yield and cease their fighting. They are only
testing a new king. This will not result in an ongoing war, you shall see.” He
strode from the council chamber, leaving his brother alone.
    Ryshel waited
patiently outside the council chambers. She bowed her head before the king as
he exited. “Your Majesty,” she said.
    “Sister,” he
replied. “Your husband will rule in my stead while I’m away. See that you take
good care of him.”
    “Always,” she said.
Entering the room, she found Efren standing alone. Taking him by the arm, she
asked, “Are you all right?”
    “No,” he replied
honestly. “Gannon is a skilled warrior, but Na’zora uses magic. He is as yet
untested against their kind, and it worries me.”
    “All you can do is
wait and hope for the best,” she said. “Concentrate on the work he has left for
you, and the time will pass quickly. He’ll be home before you know it.” Her
attempts to ease his mind had little effect. His face clearly showed his
concern.
    “I have no desire
to rule in his stead,” he declared. “I would rather he remained and sent
soldiers to deal with Na’zora, but he is stubborn and believes himself
invincible. That is a dangerous way of thinking.”
    “How would you deal
with mages?” she asked curiously. She knew Na’zora had a special college where
sons of the wealthiest nobles could study magic, but she had never heard what
skills might be taught there. Nor did she have any idea how powerful those
mages might turn out to be.
    “I’m not sure, to
be honest,” he said. “I know that these mages have been trained by the Enlightened
Elves. They are a race who guard their magical secrets closely. Their
cooperation could not have been easily won. They are incredibly powerful, but I
don’t know if humans are capable of wielding the same level of power. For my
brother’s sake, I hope news of their skills has been exaggerated.”
    Efren’s words hung
heavily in the air. The Na’zoran mages were trained by masters of the arcane,
and they were ready for a fight. They intended to