Anais and the Broken War (The Blood Mage Chronicles Book 5) Read Online Free Page B

captains in the field. Afterward, Cedric decided that we shouldn’t tell her anything that might upset her.”
    “If Mediera’s not making the decisions, than who is?”
      “Cedric. Sort of. Gorman and Jacarda are letting him think he’s running the show, but he has no head for strategy. To be fair, neither do I.”
    “Are you in contact with the fat man? Does he know what’s happening?”
    “He hasn’t been in my head since the night Lord Pendragon died. I’ve tried to reach out to him, but I don’t know how. He never answers my calls.”
    “And Gorman?”
    Fynn shrugged. “I wish I knew. Gorman plays his cards near to the vest.”
    “The two of you seem close. I’m surprised he doesn’t confide in you.”
    “Gorman makes everyone feel like they’re his friend. He’s good at that. But, no one’s close to him. Not really. He only brought me into this because of you.”
    “Me?”
    “Yes. You trust me.”
    I blinked. “I do?”
    Fynn swatted my shoulder. “Yeah, you do. You trust me more than you trust Gorman. And Gorman knows that.”
    “Okay. I suppose I do trust you. But, why does that matter? Why do I matter?”
    “You matter because you are one of the few people close to Lady Mediera. And Lady Mediera is a symbol. She represents safety and continuity. Gorman needs her just as Lord Pendragon needed her.”
    “Does Gorman want to rule the city?”
    Fynn sighed. “I don’t know if he’s ambitious by nature. He’s a pragmatist. He doesn’t want the city to fall to the furies. Someone has to lead the people and the army to prevent the worst from happening. Who would you suggest do the job?”
    “It should Mediera.”
    “You’re right, of course. It should be. And maybe she will.”
    “Not if you’re keeping things from her.”
    Fynn sighed. “You’re arguing with the wrong person. You do know that.”  
    As we spotted the arches of the stables, I put my hands in my pockets, searching for a chunk of black rock or Gorman’s ring. But my pockets were empty. Although I was wearing my black pants, shirt, and leather boots under my dress and had my blades strapped to my thigh, I didn’t have the one thing that really mattered. I should have been prepared for this, but I wasn’t. I had been carrying that ring with me for weeks, but this was a freshly washed dress. I winced.
    “I don’t have any black rock, and I need it if I’m going to try to bury a band of furies. Can we go back?”
    “There’s no need.” Fynn reached into his bag and fished out a string of black pearls. Each bead gleamed bright in the sunlight.  
    “It’s lovely,” I whispered as Fynn dropped the necklace into my hands.  
    “Gorman had it commissioned from a local jeweler. They’re beads of black rock glass. He made sure they were produced with the highest grade of purity. An expensive little trinket, to be sure. But, he thought they would suit your needs.” He grinned. “Do you think it will work?”
    My fingers burned as they touched the impossibly smooth surface of the beads, and a low humming buzz twisted through my mind.  
    I nodded at Fynn. “It’s gushing with power. I’ve never felt anything like it.”
    “Good. For we don’t have time to get you something else.”
    I tucked the necklace into my pocket, not wishing to be distracted by its charm as we dealt with stable master, who handed me the reigns to a white mare after Fynn finished explaining our needs to him. It whinnied and touched my hand with its nose as if it recognized me. I knew it couldn’t be the same horse I had ridden after leaving the skins training grounds. That would be impossible. I stroked her neck before I pulled myself into the saddle.  
    Fynn was given a large black stallion, which he climbed on awkwardly. It seemed much too big for his slender frame. But he had requested a warhorse, and that was what he received.
    I led the way as we rode to the city gate, while Fynn struggled to control his mount.  
    “I thought