Broken Stone Read Online Free Page B

here as your representative.”
    “No,” Emariya said, perhaps too quickly. She couldn’t imagine leaving him behind. An idea dawned and she grinned. “I will leave my handmaiden, Jessa, to speak for me. She has a good sense of what is fair and I think she will be excellent at advocating for our interests, without causing additional conflict.”
    Torian grinned. “That may be so, and while I have no concern for her station being a problem, I don’t know how well she would manage commanding an outpost of men. While many follow you eagerly, My Lady, you are the exception, not the rule.”
    Emariya sighed. She’d relished the idea of keeping her friend away from Blaine’s foul intentions.
    “Fine. Rink and Norval may stay for me. Norval is a distributor, so he will be invaluable at organizing the trade. He can train Rink so he can be more heavily utilized in the future.”
    “That sounds reasonable.” Rees stood once more and turned to his son. He clapped him on the shoulder, and then exited the tent.
    “When will you be wanting to leave?” Blaine asked.
    “As soon as arrangements can be made. In the morning?”
    “In the morning then. I’ll see you at first light.”
    Once Blaine was gone, Emariya turned to Torian. “I need to go find Rink,” she whispered, dreading the conversation to come.
    Emariya fought to hold her tears back as Rink looked at her, displaying his broken heart blatantly on his face. They’d walked together toward the bluff, gazing out over the sea. The piercing anger in his eyes stabbed her, but while he spoke his frosty demeanor melted, leaving a puddle of hurt behind.
    “You’re leaving me behind?” he whined as his lower lip trembled.
    “I’m giving you an opportunity,” she said as the wind whipped her blonde hair in front of her face.
    “Going with you is an opportunity!”
    Emariya smiled. “I know, but this is an even bigger opportunity. You will eventually be the sole person at the trading outpost with the authority to speak on my behalf.”
    Rink turned his head to the side, looking at her skeptically. “No foolin’?”
    Emariya put her hand over her heart solemnly. “No fooling.”
    “But how can I protect you if I’m not with you? I promised my father I’d help protect you.”
    “You’ll be protecting my interests, and helping me secure the peace we’ve been striving for.”
    Rink bit his lip and tears spilled over. “I need to tell you something, Milady.”
    “Only if you want to,” Emariya said.
    “I’ve wanted to for a long while, Milady, but I made a promise. But if I’m to be your voice, I think you deserve to know that my loyalties are to you, not to my father or anyone else.”
    “It can be hard when we feel like our loyalties are split, it is true.”
    A wretched sob broke from Rink’s tiny body and he darted forward, flinging his arms around her waist. Emariya hugged him tight.
    “My father was there. He killed your mother,” Rink wailed.
    Emariya pulled away and knelt down in front of the boy. She put her hands firmly on his shoulders. “No, Rink. Your father was there when Russell killed my mother, but he didn’t kill her.
    And he saved my life by not revealing my presence. Don’t forget that, because I haven’t.”
    Rink gasped. “But how’d you know? I never told no one.”
    “Sometimes it is helpful to have spirits whispering in your ears. Carah told me. She was there, watching over my mother and she saw...” Emariya trailed off, not wanting to think about her mother.
    Rink straightened himself up, stretching as tall as his knobby legs would allow. “Raina likes an extra handful of grain. And she hates carrots, just like me,” he said seriously. “You’ll take good care of her, right?”
    “I promise,” Emariya said. “I’ll take good care of her. And don’t you worry, she and I will both see you soon.”

CHAPTER FOUR
Crossing Lines
    Exhausted, Emariya trudged back from the bluff. Remembering her earlier conversation with