The Lord of Lies: Strange Threads: Book 2 by Sam Bowring Read Free Book Online Page A

people’s heads. Yalenna, so afraid of losing their forces to despair at Braston’s death, had asked him to consolidate their resolve, and use techniques that, once upon a time, he had wielded for all manner of ill purpose.
    He was not sure she really understood what it was she asked of him.
    She gave him a nudge, stirring him to speak.
    ‘Greetings,’ said Rostigan.
    The crowd fell to a hush.
    A part of him drifted into the deep place, tapping into memories of the calculating and manipulative Karrak, a man who had spoken with ease and confidence, who had convinced queens to war with kings. Who had stood before his own horde and sent out shockwaves of belief, slamming false words into the minds of good people, turning them to hateful minions.
    He could do this. This was simple in comparison.
    ‘The Unwoven gather,’ he began. ‘You have heard the rumours, and they are true. Every day, more and more of them leave the Pass to terrorise the Plainsfolk. Soon they may break out in greater numbers, as they did once before. Some of the older soldiers will remember how we once pushed them back into the Dale – but unfortunately that was not enough. While they remain in this world, they will always be a danger.
    ‘But itis not only the Unwoven who threaten. We face a fight on two fronts. We have reports that Forger marches again, his army on the way to Ander even as we speak.’
    Dismay at this – it could even be that some of the folk present had journeyed all the way from Ander.
    ‘Forger and Despirrow are also to blame for the breaking Spell.’
And Yalenna, and Braston, and Salarkis and me.
‘They should never, by rights, have returned to Aorn. They bring with them a corruption worse than their own inherent evil. We have all seen the results of this. We have seen the sun blink, seen strange bruises in the sky. We have seen the leaves that don’t stop spinning, never touch the ground. We have felt the ground quake. All is not well.’ He paused. ‘I count it lucky, in these circumstances, to have such good people before me.’
    A stir.
    ‘Braston would not have wanted his death to stop us doing what is right. If you journeyed here in answer to his call, you are like me – not born in Althala. I stand with her army nonetheless, because I know that if I do not, the world will suffer. This is a battle that goes beyond kingdom, or fealty, or lines on a map. If we don’t act, all will unravel, all threads unspun. We must not lose heart for Braston, but take heart in what he stood for.’
    He raised his voice louder.
    ‘So whatwill you do, people of Aorn? Will you hide in your houses, waiting for doom to come knocking? Or will you take up arms and fight our foes, be they Warden, or monster, or man, or Unwoven?’
    The answering shouts grew in strength and number.
    ‘We can only come through this as victors if we stand together. So, do we stand together?’
    The shouts escalated to a roaring crescendo.
    ‘Then we fight!’ bellowed Rostigan, raising his sword. ‘By fire and wind, we fight until the world is safe again!’
    As his blade directed the roaring heavenwards, Yalenna moved to stand beside him.
    ‘You didn’t use your gift,’ she said softly.
    Rostigan gave a small smile.
    ‘The message is worthwhile,’ he said. ‘I didn’t have to.’

    Yalenna watched the sunset from her room, aggrieved to take note, once again, of the shadowy bruising in the sky as the sun sank away behind the horizon.
    After that, she was unsure of what to do with herself. The day’s speechmaking had gone about as well as she had hoped, and she was exhausted after the valleys and peaks of emotion recently traversed. She was, however, too restless for sleep.
    She had suggested to Rostigan that they have a drink or five, but he had gone off to be with Tarzi. Otherwise there was a dinner downstairs to commemorate the returning king – not exactly a merry feast, for even Loppolo had the wisdom not to celebrate too lavishly – but she