Page 35 (1/1)

Now she sucks in gasping, ragged breaths as she struggles not to break down right here in front of hiaron Twenty years have been cut loose with casual words flung in her face

Father will not even look at her He has already !" I scream

"Jessamy!" Mother’s voice shatters into coarse slivers "Do not huhs "I cannot spend all day enduring a wos the handbell

The door opens and Polodos enters, bowing "My lord?"

"Take the concubine away," says Gargaron

Father says nothing

Turning so I don’t have to see the man I have looked up to all irl stays," adds Gargaron "She will come with me"

I stop dead

Mother’s shuddering and silent tears cease on the instant Her gaze rises to Father’s shame-ridden expression

"Esladas, you cannot mean to hand Jessaaron is my lord now and thus my household is his to order as he wishes," says Father in a tone so rough I suddenly realize he is on the edge of weeping

She steps between us "I will not allow it! She stays with aron "Now at last we see the scorpion Defiant and disloyal when her true face is revealed!"

"Mother, it’s all right" I aaron will dele up in a dead-end aron has already said "He just wants o train for the Fives in the Garon Palace stable That’s all"

"Of course that is all" Gargaron laughs "Please do not believe I would ever touch a wo, age a woman of my own people Ottonor has died in such destitution I can pick and choose fro kinswomen Now, if you will, remove the concubine to her quarters"

"I won’t let you go, Jessa to o," says Father in a brutal voice "She is mine, Kiya I allowed her to live, so I hold the power of life and death over her Let it be that if the girl illing to defythe Fives without my permission then she can live with the choice shehis whip He’ll whip her, I knoill I tug on her aro"

Polodos peels her away fro steward’s expression is closed and disapproving He obeys without a questioning word and leads her out of the roo despair before the door closes

I stuainst the door that has locked me away from my mother and sisters The whole world has broken apart around aron in the pleasant tone of a man who approves of the bread and wine set before hiether ill do very well"

"Yes, rief-stricken face keeps me silent I will not cause more trouble for her "But if I may, my lord It would be dishonorable ofprocession and his journey to the City of the Dead As one of his sponsored men, I am required to attend with aron waves a hand as if brushing away a fly "But you are no longer Lord Ottonor’s man You are ation Besides, I stand areat deal ofon your sponsorship I do hispart of his debt"

"My lord, I obey But…" His hesitation lasts only a ation But Lord Ottonor supportedbut the clothes on my back and a hope to ratitude properly Had Lord Ottonor not given me the chance to take up a ained the honors I did and thus come to your attention"

"Your honor does you credit, Captain I will ranted the honor of sitting the overnight vigil with Ottonor on his first night in the City of the Dead However, I need you to depart right away I received word yesterday that there has been an attack on the outpost of Seperens, beyond the Green River I need a reliable and intelligent commander there as soon as practicable, so today you will be escorted by an honor guard of Garon soldiers to my villa at Falcon Hill My niece will e contract After Ottonor’s funeral ill celebrate the wedding feast and you will sail east to the war"