Winterbirth by Brian Ruckley Read Free Book Online

sheathed crossways on her back.
    'The woodwights have brought you down, but it is fitting that the killing blow should come from a truer enemy,' she said in a harsh, rough-edged accent Lekan did not recognise.
    There were other figures gathering behind her. Lekan could not see them clearly. The warrior languidly drew her sword over her shoulder. She saw the confusion in Lekan's eyes.
    'You should know why you die,' she said, 'so know this: the Children of the Hundred have come for you, for all of you. The Bloods of the Black Road will take back that which is ours, and where you go now, all of Lannis-Haig will follow.'
    Lekan's mouth moved. There was no sound. The blow fell, and he plunged towards the Sleeping Dark.
II
    THE SECOND DAY'S ride was easy going and Orisian and his shieldmen made good time. From the Dyke down to Glasbridge the road was well maintained. The flat ground close by the river was good cropland, and there were countless small farms. A chilling rain that fell for most of the day kept all save a few people off the road, though. Two or three riverboats drifted by. Orisian and the others could easily have found a boat to carry them down to Glasbridge, but few horses tolerated such a journey with equanimity and Orisian preferred, in any case, to stay in the saddle.
    By mid-afternoon they were approaching the northern gate of Glasbridge, Lannis-Haig's second town. It was a bustling port, and the scent of the sea and the screeching of gulls filled the air as they rode down towards the harbour. The quayside was swarming with people. Kylane grew animated at the sight of the largest of the dozen boats berthed along its length: a long, fat sailship riding high in the water.
    'Look,' he said, patting Orisian on the arm. 'She's a merchant-man out of Tal Dyre.'
    The young shieldman had once told Orisian, when somewhat the worse for drink, that he had dreamed as a boy of taking service with the ships of Tal Dyre. Fanciful tales were told of the exploits of that island's sea captains and of the wealth of its merchant lords. Orisian was disinclined to believe such stories now, but three or four years ago they had stirred in him the same yearnings Kylane described.
    There had been times when he would have given anything to escape the confines of Castle Kolglas and the memories it embodied. Then, as he had looked out over the great expanse of the estuary from his high bedchamber, to ride the waves as the Tal Dyreens did, to leave everything behind, had seemed an enticing prospect.
    'The harbourmaster is waving to us,' Rothe said with a touch of despondency.
    Orisian looked towards the harbourmaster's rather ostentatious residence a short way down the waterfront. Renairan Tair dar Lannis-Haig was indeed leaning - somewhat recklessly, given his girth — over the edge of a balcony, waving vigorously and hailing them. Passing through Glasbridge on his way to Anduran a fortnight before, Orisian had promised to visit with the harbourmaster on his return. He would have preferred to pass the night quietly in the fine house Croesan kept here, but the harbourmaster was a difficult man to refuse. Given time, his remorseless jollity could have ground down the most obstinately doleful rock.
    'Orisian!' Renairan was shouting. 'Here, here!'
    'I suppose we cannot pretend we did not hear him,' murmured Rothe as scores of heads amongst the crowds turned towards the harbourmaster.
    'This'll be a long evening,' said Kylane under his breath.
    Kylane's prediction turned out to be accurate, though not for him and Rothe. Orisian was respectfully paraded before the guests Renairan had invited to dine with them, like a trophy from some polite hunt.
    The harbourmaster hardly needed to prove his importance - his line had long carried great influence in Glasbridge - but the presence of a member of the Thane's family in his house had been too great a temptation to resist. Orisian's two shieldmen, much to their relief, had not been expected to attend.