Valour and Victory by Candy Rae Read Free Book Online

like we’re
Comrades in Arms.” He was grinning broadly, “I like that idea.”
    “So do I sir,”
agreed Robain.
    “First though,”
Duke William said, “tell me, what are the Lind really like? As
fabulous as report has it?”
    “You’ll be
seeing them yourself before very long Duke William and I don’t
think you’ll be disappointed.”
     
     
    * * * * *
     
     
    Tala and
Danal
     
    It was the
night before they were due to leave the fortified manor that
belonged to Philip’s relative.
    Danal lay in
his bed, tossing and turning, his thoughts racing. Sleep had been
evading him for some bells and this much to the annoyance of Asya
who was tired. She couldn’t get to sleep due to the constant bubble
of confused thoughts emanating from Danal.
    At last she
could take it no more and she lifted her head from its accustomed
sleeping position between her front paws and turned bright blue
eyes in his direction.
    : Danal?
: she pleaded : please :
    Danal’s own
eyes snapped open and he looked over.
    : You are
keeping me awake : she complained.
    “I can’t stop
thinking about her,” he confessed.
    “I know that,”
she said in a tart voice, “our thoughts are not entirely private.
Why don’t you go do something about it? Tala is in the next daga.
Go wake her up and leave me here to sleep.”
    “I can’t”
    “Why not? You
like her and she like you.”
    As far as Asya
was concerned that was all that mattered. Tonight she had tried to
block out the mind-link that joined them but Danal’s thoughts were
so intense and agitated she hadn’t been able to. If Danal went to
Tala, she decided, then she might be able to reduce the connection
to a manageable level and get some sleep .
    “You have been
thinking of her for days now,” she argued, “go do something about
it, please.”
    “She might say
no,” he fretted.
    “I do not think
so my Danal.”
    Danal stared at
her, half amused, half cross then made up his mind.
    “Okay, I will.”
He got out of bed, flinging back the covers and padded on bare feet
towards the door. He looked back at Asya.
    “Go on,” she
ordered, settling her head between her paws and closing her eyes.
“I won’t listen, I promise.”
     
     
    * * * * *
     
     
    Tala woke.
Someone was knocking on her door.
    “Who is it?”
she called out in a sleepy voice.
    “It’s me,
Danal. May I come in?”
    Tala smiled, a
self-satisfied smile just short of a grin of triumph. At last. He
was here.
    “Come in,” her
voice was eager.
    The door opened
and Danal stumbled into the room, his borrowed and oversized
nightshirt only just not tripping him up.
    “Tala?” he
whispered.
    Tala moved over
on the bed, patting the space beside her invitingly.
    “I could do
with some company,” she whispered. “Care to join me?”
    With a low moan
Danal sped to her side and gathered her into his arms, pressing her
willing body against his own.
    In the next
room, Asya, with a sigh of relief, cut the mind connection and fell
into a contented and uninterrupted sleep.
     
     
    * * * * *
     
     

Second Month of
Summer - Vadrhed
     
    The Susa
     
    Zaoaldavdr,
Susa of the Avuzdel of Larg received the Largan’s order to report
with his pack’s kohort at the staging area south of the Kingdom of
Murdoch.
    He ignored
it.
    Instead of
leading his warriors west to join the Largan’s army he led the old,
the females and the young as far east as he could possibly manage
into the high mountains of the eastern range. They would be safe
there, or as safe as anylarg could be during the perilous days
ahead.
    He and the
other leaders of the pack debated at length about what to do next.
There could be no return to the fold of Largdom. As Zaoaldavdr’s
friend Anavdr said, they had ‘burnt their paws’.
    For centuries
the pack had trodden a fine line between loyalty to the Largan and
loyalty to the greater good of the planet under the auspices of the
Avuzdel and the Lai. They were now outlaws. The Largan would never
forget their