Page 23 (1/2)

Despite the horror of the significance behind our journey across Phaedra, despite the terrible close calls I’d already had with the world’s less civilised creatures, and despite the tur near Wolfe, I actually looked forward to venturing into the coaldistrict of Daeronia I’d heard the people were close knit and friendly So as we trotted into the first village on the main trade road, I was more than a little surprised by the chill in the eyes of the villagers as we passed through It was dusk, and people strode quickly to their hoed, headed in the opposite direction towards the mine But all of theaped at the in their squalid little horeet us, and Wolfe, who rode a few metres in front, made no attempt to stop to speak with them The lines of his own body were stiff and I noted his hand sat on the hilt of his sword Sing nervously now, I keptwith bewildere in Daeronia It was one frolance with the Lieutenant, we shifted the horses forward at a faster trot Wolfe crossed a little wooden bridge on the other side of the town and stopped in the clearing beyond it He turned and the Lieutenant and I did the same None of us said a word We just waited for the entire Guard to e When the last two o of my breath

"That was chilly," I said quietly to Chaeron

He answered with a brittle nod and looked over at Wolfe questioningly

Wolfe sighed "It’s nearly dark We should ca as we don’t ask thelance at ain "I’m afraid it’ll have to be a campfire bed for you, my Lady I hope that doesn’t distress you too much"

Oooh, I wanted to nip back at him He had said it loudly to needlethe anticipation about hi fro a little, I turned away fro his questioning gaze oncheeks

"Tyler, Szorst!" Wolfe called out to two of theout a bag of coins "Go back into the village and procure us some coal It should keep us warm at camp and perhaps soften the locals to us" He nodded in the direction of the bridge to soe to peer at uscamp Their entire bodies radiated with hostility As the two men started off on foot I worriedthe looks on the coalthe men in alone was a bad idea But I couldn’t very well say that to Wolfe and I couldn’t rush off alone – that had not worked out well in the past

"Lieutenant" I approached Chaeron quietly as he settled the horses with soan?"

Telling Chaeron I thought his er wouldn’t work The Royal Guard were sohtly to having it called into question I’d have to go about this a different way "We’ve been riding all day and I really would like to stretch e?"

He frowned at an, you sa unfriendly the people were"

"Then perhaps a few of the other s with us," I used my take no prisoners tone that Haydyn hated She could never defy me when I used that tone I usually brandished it on her when she was daydreaet out of bed

I blanched at that last thought Shaking off the fa panic that thrummed continuously beneath my skin, I raised my eyebrow at Chaeron as he just stood there As my look intensified he finally drew hian"

As we passed two men, Chaeron called to them to co ument by the look on Wolfe’s face, I drew out my heaviest artillery and stilled hiuilt and hurried on,at the feel of his eyes on e I felt the charge in the air, a sense of violence and anticipation Chaeron and hisback into the town and through the narrow streets, to get to the h, Tyler and Szorst stood with their hands on the hilt of their swords, surrounded by a group of angry coal ht That’s all it would take

"Halt!" Lieutenant Chaeron bellowed and I flinched in surprise He sounded terrifying and inti, and looked it too, as he strode forith the two guards at his back The villagers stumbled a little but did not move away from Tyler and Szorst who looked relieved to see us "An attack on the Royal Guard is a high offence and will result in iers seeruressive One man, a tall stout man with a round face hardened with hatred, stood forward froives a damn about the Guard?! We’re left to stew in this forsaken place, working our fingers to the bone in 18 hour shifts in the o orked good hours, decent hours, untilan hour here and there until eventually we exist on no sleep, bad food and broken bodies Our children grow sick! Our wives groeary! Where is the Royal Guard in that, I ask you?!"

Chaeron was as shocked as I at the explosion, and the rebel rousing yells of agree on here? What this man said, it couldn’t be true? But as I looked around at the desperate faces, I found the truth in their eyes

Impulsively, I strode forward past Chaeron, who tried to reach for me and missed "There must be some mistake," I implored to the man "We didn’t know"

He looked at y noise in the back of his throat and spat in ainst his neck before I even could comprehend what had happened Hu down ainst Chaeron’s sword

"Your narowled in his face

"Den Den Hewitt"

"Den Hewitt, you just committed a crime Do you knoho this lady is before you?"

The rebel-rouser paled so a little of his panic as he wondered who he had just offended "No," he replied hoarsely

"You just assaulted the Lady Rogan of Silvera The Princezna’s Handasps of the people around ushis mouth white Still shocked at his treatment of ht his punishh stunned by his offence, I was more concerned by his accusations