Two Queens (Seven Heavens Book 1) by Ryan Holden Read Free Book Online Page B

chest as the others collectively drew breath—“she's evil.”

 
    Paris laughed softly into his mug. That the outcast princess could find no better identity among these destitute peasants delighted him. Beautiful, a hundred times yes; intelligent, at least more than these bumpkins. A new twist to his plan formed in his mind. Why kill her? Who would care one way or another if he made her his slave? All girls he had known were the same: a pretty face, a young body, but nothing else. She would be interesting. She was interesting. He sipped at his beer.
    But first: her ring. That was the linchpin in his great game, the fulcrum that would swing him back to where he belonged. She was but a toy, to be kept at his pleasure or cast away at his pleasure.
    The next morning, his cart stocked with new items for sale, he made his way into Darach. The oaks were brilliant in their fiery oranges and yellows but his eyes had no use for gold such as that. He went through the town direct to the smithy. There was no sound to greet him nor smoke issuing from the chimney. He couldn't make sense of it. He encamped and set out for the woman's cabin.
    There he found the blacksmith and the redhead. They were standing next to the cabin. She had her arm around his waist and was sobbing into his chest. He was murmuring something. Paris sat in his old hiding place for what seemed like hours until they left. Where they had been standing he saw a pile of rocks, crowned with a pink ribbon. He just looked and wondered, waiting for the noise of the four departing feet to trail off in the distance behind him.
    He approached the cairn. The pile didn't look like three graves, only one. Did these people bury families together, one body on top of another? He sickened at the thought of digging it up. To disrupt the sacred last resting place. They're criminals, he told himself, and if it should be done it will be done. His stomach didn't believe him: turning to the side he retched bile onto the ground next to the grave.

 
    There was one other option. It would be real work, something slaves were made for, not him, but anything was better than that . He walked over to the cabin and opened the door.
     
    Orion sat there, numb. He hardly saw the men standing there, shock on their faces. Except for Riley. His thin lips curled back. “Now isn't that a fine piece of mountaineering. Mayhap the old tales have some truth in them.” He looked over Kerry's trembling body. “But as for you,” he swung his fist and socked Orion in the face.
    “No!” Patrick called out. Orion didn't understand. Why was he struck? The pain made little impact other than to wake him out of his stupor. What had just happened? Why was he down here, and not up there? Where was his father?
    “That fool of a guide just lost me a horse. Now, I wonder how you could pay for that.”
    “Leave him be. It wasn't the man's fault, by the Hairs of the Mane!” Patrick said.
    “Quiet!” he snapped, and grabbed at Orion. When his hands brushed against Kerry's side she kicked her hindquarters away from him. He jumped at her neck but she rose, breaking out of his hold. On the way down she struck at him with her forelegs. He fell to the ground, unconscious, and she galloped away with Orion swaying in his seat.
    “You're a dead man!” one of the horseman called out. Orion glanced back to see two of them spur their horses after them. The others clustered around the fallen lord.
    He felt dizzy and turned back forwards. Falling against her shoulders all went black. Just the rocking of her thundering legs under him for a few more seconds then nothing.

 
     
    When he awoke they were in a valley he had not seen before. He looked for men and horse but saw none. Kerry's coat glistened with sweat but her breathing was steady and deep. She walked daintily through the scattered trees. He slid off of her. His legs buckled and he fell to the ground. He rolled on his back and lay on the grass. Kerry walked over to