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“It’ll be hoaze “Too grand for anything else They are likely to have guards; house Varitai An estate this large will keep perhaps a dozen”
“All to the good” Frentis gave the sign for the coht theed to take a Varitai alive, a guard posted on the villa’s western side, roped and beaten down by Draker with Thirty-Four’s assistance His co to confront theave the alar shrilly of bandits as she fled back to the house Frentis had ordered no chances taken and the fight was short, half the Varitai cut down by their arrows and Illian’s crossbow before the company closed in with draords to finish the others
How rim satisfaction at the efficiency hich his people dealt with the Varitai, lanky Dallin ducking under a short sword to jab his own into a slave soldier’s eyes thenbehind him to finish it with Draker’s trick Beyond them Illian deflected an overhead slash and delivered a deadly counter-thrust, finding a gap in the Varitai’s armour just above the breastbone It was over in a fewbeside fresh corpses to claim weapons and trinkets, a ritual born in the forest
“Leave that,” Frentis barked “Search the villa If he hasn’t fled, the oill be in the upper rooather the slaves”
“Redbrother” Lekran stood at the arched entrance to the villa’s courtyard, wiping blood fro you should see”
The , thefro his wrists where the shackles held hith of his broad back striped with two-day-old whip strokes Frentis noted his left foot was stunted, the front half having been hacked off at some point, the standard punish the fate of any who run twice
Opposite the deadwos tied in place so she couldn’t turn, a leather gag secured about herthe signs of repeated beatings She collapsed in Illian’s arms as Lekran smashed the chains with his axe and the sister cut away her bonds She choked on the water from Illian’s canteen, an expression of utter confusion on her face fading slowly as she took in the sight of Frentis, her eyes tracking over his garb, the blue cloak and the sword on his back “Brother?” she asked in Realue, her accent unmistakably Asraelin
“Yes, Brother Frentis” He knelt at her side “This is Sister Illian”
The wo focus “Then I ah
“No” Illian took her hand, squeezing it gently “No We are here Come to save you at our queen’s orders”
The woman stared at her, apparently unable to comprehend the reality of her survival “Jerrin,” she said after aaround with a wild aniaze found the ed in Illian’s ar wail “I told him we shouldn’t run,” she whispered “But he couldn’t stand the thought of hiain”
Frentis turned at the sound of a fearful whimper A plu beside the ornate fountain in the centre of the courtyard, his chins bulging somewhat as Master Rensial pressed his sword blade harder, forcing him to stand on tiptoe “Where are the horses?” he de to an arched doorway off to the left Rensial raised a questioning eyebrow at Frentis He turned back to the wo the depth of hatred in the stare hich she fixed the plump black-clad “Not just yet, Master,” Frentis told him “If you don’tthe slaves, noneskills of soht,” his wife explained Her name was Lissel, a chandler from Rhansmill corew tight after the desert war Varinshold would be our fortune, he said” She began to voice another of her shrill laughs butto the villa’s owner, now stripped naked and chained to the posts where her husband had died Thirty-Four had questioned him for a short time, his skills unnecessary as the black-clad had been all too eager to cooperate
“He tells of a larger estate twelve miles to the east,” Thirty-Four reported “The master there is a renowned breeder of horses and has also purchased arrison?” Frentis enquired
“Ten h fewer in number than they should be It see forces on the capital recently”