By Vengeance Guided (The Lost Shrines Book 1) Read Online Free Page A
Author: Amberlyn Holland
drawn up almost the very moment I saw her at the naming ceremony of my cousin's daughter?"
"You have proof sorcery was used?" Maddyn asked calmly from where he stood in the shadows.
The reminder of the eldest Hound's presence made Daen blanch and take a step back before he recovered himself enough to stand his ground. Caer grimaced at the unintended slight against his best friend. It was a common reaction to any of the Hounds, considering their shared Attribute as harbingers of death.
"Obviously I have no proof. How could anyone have proof of something so ephemeral as sorcery?"
Madd rolled his eyes and shared an exasperated glance with his Lord. There was always proof of sorcery if one was smart enough to look for the signs. Unfortunately, Daen was too pampered, privileged and self-absorbed to look at anything outside his own desires.
"So she trapped you into a marriage contract because she wanted to be princess?"
"Yes. Once her sister had a daughter, she was out of the running in the odd matriarchal succession in their archaic little valley. My cousin's land borders theirs. When I met Liadan at the ceremony, she must have decided I was a good bet to move up in the world." Daen frowned, and, for a moment, his eyes cleared. "She is exquisite, though."
Just like that, the smitten look returned and Daen contradicted his claims from only a few minutes before.
From the corner of his eye, Caer caught Phelan and Ranulf exchanging smirks and bit back his own when the two younger Hounds disappeared into the shadows to hide their amusement.
"Now she has refused to marry you. Why?"
"She hasn't refused. She has demanded the traditional year of mourning after her sister's unexpected death. I fear, however, she will continue to find ways to postpone now that she is acting as regent for her niece."
"I'd think you'd be happy since she tricked you into the engagement to begin with?"
"Happy?" he repeated. "How can I be happy when I can think of nothing but being with her? Whether this is sorcery or my own treacherous heart, I must know the truth. If she has played with me in this matter, then I deserve justice."
Daen twisted and began to pace in jerky angry steps back and forth across the carpet in front of Caerwyn. His fingers curled and flexed at his side as if he crushed something invisible within his grasp.
Deciding he'd heard enough about Liadan and her valley, Caer asked the real question weighing on his mind.
"How does any of this involve Tresk?"
Daen paused in his pacing and blinked at Caerwyn. It was amazing to watch rationality slowly seep back into Daen's eyes. Something was definitely amiss, though whether it was sorcery or madness, he could not tell yet.
"I'm not sure that it does. But he is the one who will gain the most. Her brother-in-law is from the Warlord's lands. Our wedding would mean the valley would be attached to my kingdom through marriage. In an attempt to protect it, she may have turned to Tresk for help. Or they may have been working together the entire time, to give Tresk an excuse to invade Galwei."
The edginess drained from him and he seated himself in the well-worn but still comfortable chair across from Caerwyn.
"The Hara valley has been a buffer for generations between Tresk’s land, Galwei, and the Argine Republic. Tresk wants to expand Marnak but is not powerful enough to take me on alone. If he can convince the Republic I am threatening them by taking over the valley, they will likely band together to prevent me having it."
"What's in it for her? It sounds like, either way, she would still lose control of her land?"
"Tresk is capable of offering her anything. A promise of keeping Hara Dale free forever. Money, power. If she is indeed a sorceress, no doubt his pet sorcerer, Hafgan, could offer her a great deal of knowledge."
Caer stiffened at the mention of the evil wizard. Daen didn't notice his reaction but Madd stepped forward anyway. "What would you have my Lord do?"
"The same as
"You have proof sorcery was used?" Maddyn asked calmly from where he stood in the shadows.
The reminder of the eldest Hound's presence made Daen blanch and take a step back before he recovered himself enough to stand his ground. Caer grimaced at the unintended slight against his best friend. It was a common reaction to any of the Hounds, considering their shared Attribute as harbingers of death.
"Obviously I have no proof. How could anyone have proof of something so ephemeral as sorcery?"
Madd rolled his eyes and shared an exasperated glance with his Lord. There was always proof of sorcery if one was smart enough to look for the signs. Unfortunately, Daen was too pampered, privileged and self-absorbed to look at anything outside his own desires.
"So she trapped you into a marriage contract because she wanted to be princess?"
"Yes. Once her sister had a daughter, she was out of the running in the odd matriarchal succession in their archaic little valley. My cousin's land borders theirs. When I met Liadan at the ceremony, she must have decided I was a good bet to move up in the world." Daen frowned, and, for a moment, his eyes cleared. "She is exquisite, though."
Just like that, the smitten look returned and Daen contradicted his claims from only a few minutes before.
From the corner of his eye, Caer caught Phelan and Ranulf exchanging smirks and bit back his own when the two younger Hounds disappeared into the shadows to hide their amusement.
"Now she has refused to marry you. Why?"
"She hasn't refused. She has demanded the traditional year of mourning after her sister's unexpected death. I fear, however, she will continue to find ways to postpone now that she is acting as regent for her niece."
"I'd think you'd be happy since she tricked you into the engagement to begin with?"
"Happy?" he repeated. "How can I be happy when I can think of nothing but being with her? Whether this is sorcery or my own treacherous heart, I must know the truth. If she has played with me in this matter, then I deserve justice."
Daen twisted and began to pace in jerky angry steps back and forth across the carpet in front of Caerwyn. His fingers curled and flexed at his side as if he crushed something invisible within his grasp.
Deciding he'd heard enough about Liadan and her valley, Caer asked the real question weighing on his mind.
"How does any of this involve Tresk?"
Daen paused in his pacing and blinked at Caerwyn. It was amazing to watch rationality slowly seep back into Daen's eyes. Something was definitely amiss, though whether it was sorcery or madness, he could not tell yet.
"I'm not sure that it does. But he is the one who will gain the most. Her brother-in-law is from the Warlord's lands. Our wedding would mean the valley would be attached to my kingdom through marriage. In an attempt to protect it, she may have turned to Tresk for help. Or they may have been working together the entire time, to give Tresk an excuse to invade Galwei."
The edginess drained from him and he seated himself in the well-worn but still comfortable chair across from Caerwyn.
"The Hara valley has been a buffer for generations between Tresk’s land, Galwei, and the Argine Republic. Tresk wants to expand Marnak but is not powerful enough to take me on alone. If he can convince the Republic I am threatening them by taking over the valley, they will likely band together to prevent me having it."
"What's in it for her? It sounds like, either way, she would still lose control of her land?"
"Tresk is capable of offering her anything. A promise of keeping Hara Dale free forever. Money, power. If she is indeed a sorceress, no doubt his pet sorcerer, Hafgan, could offer her a great deal of knowledge."
Caer stiffened at the mention of the evil wizard. Daen didn't notice his reaction but Madd stepped forward anyway. "What would you have my Lord do?"
"The same as
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