Page 22 (1/2)

But she hated all this nearness, this closeness She couldn’t bear it

She tried to pull away but found she couldn’t, not even a little A war began to rage within her ood I could stay here forever and I’ll kill the ood sensation kept flowing and her body grew quiet Unfortunately, the ot, two sensations that couldn’t live within the saether and srunts ca-locks had completely settled down and even thefor the release, were thinned out and nor circles Wider and wider Suddenly the wood floor of the cabin rushed up fast

Warrior’s Lament

I bloodied the dirt, blood on h I won, thus was I lost

--Collected Poems, Beatrice of Fourth

Chapter 8

Thorne was breathing hard "Good workout" He clapped Arthur again on the back of his neck and shook hiood measure Arthur smiled He wiped his forehead with the back of his wrist then shook off the sweat

They were both dripping

Glancing at the Militia Warriors, Thorne addressed the leader "You’ve got good ers Why don’t you take your troops and hat you’ve seen here In ood drilling"

"Yes, Warrior Thorne" He turned to his troops, which included at least three woave a short brisk order to head down into one of the local pastures Al down the shallow grade toward the lower farms

Thorne put his hand on Arthur’s shoulder "Your instincts are good, your speed better Speed is your biggest advantage Only Warrior Kerrick ht be faster He could teach you what I’h, is that you need training, persistent, day-to-day training, by one of us I don’t care which one Jean-Pierre ht be the best choice because you’re lean in the way he’s lean and you lared at hi the colony With all due respect, Warrior Thorne, you need to get used to that right now And the hell if I’ the Warriors of the Blood"

Thorne smiled He couldn’t help hiht warrior faces for the past several hundred years Basic belligerence see trait for this level of skill and power

Thoughts of the warriors, however, and the post he’d abandoned, dropped a stone in his heart Shit, he had to get back What the hell was he doing here anyway?

He’d been able to talk for an hour to Diallo, who’d invited both Thorne and Marguerite up to his house for lunch

Thorne had beenhis way back to the cabin when Arthur had waylaid hi instincts about the boy, and so ine how yet So he’d accepted

Ettgers had joined in with his group

It had been a good session

Besides, he knew Marguerite had needed sos out in her head He had no doubt that his wo She had itchy feet, and that wasn’t going to change anytime soon

He looked up and down the lane, always on the alert, always hunting for death vaet himself out of this mess

"Now you’re pissed at me," Arthur said

Thorne looked back at hi, but this isn’t pissed If I was pissed, you’d be facedown on the ground with my foot on your neck"

But Arthur smiled that half smile "Good to know Let’s hope I stay on your sweet side"

"Just so ya know, not sure I have one"

But Arthur laughed It was a good sound

Jesus H Christ The kid had killed five death vaht No question he was Warrior of the Blood h to compassion to know that he didn’t want that for Arthur He wanted Arthur to stay all bundled up in this secret society, to stay safe and as innocent as he could for as long as he could But how innocent was a young one into battle and come out with a whole lot of blood on his hands?