Demon Within Read Online Free
Author: Julie Nicholls
they touched heads. ‘You’re my friend and leader, I’d follow you to the ends of the earth and die defending you; you know that, right?’
‘I know you would.’ Kai snorted. ‘You just have to pray I don’t ask you to do it.’ His lips widened into a grin.
Kai pushed Sabe away and slapped his arm. ‘Come on, sit down, I’m still hungry and that cake needs finishing.’ A brief silence was broken by Kai’s quiet voice. ‘Do you think she’ll like me?’
‘What’s not to like? You’re a constant delight!’
Kai snorted; spraying wine over the table he started coughing. Hitting his chest while still laughing, he finally managed to speak.
‘Seriously, does she get to choose, or does it all rest on my decision?’
‘Her father wants this marriage, and I doubt she has any say in the matter. She’s a princess Kai, and forgive me for being blunt, but she’s an asset as far as her fathers concerned. I’m surprised it hasn’t happened sooner. I can only suppose the King’s been weighing up the alternatives for a stronger ally.’
Taking a long drink, Kai thought about the other side of the arrangement; he knew it had benefits. His people would welcome the extra food supplied from Middenland, which in itself was a weight off his shoulders. His warriors could defeat any opposing threat, and he never feared invasion.
Their lunch continued into the afternoon as the discussed the meeting. Kai expected an ambush or some form of trickery; he had trust issues, among many others. If a person prepared for the worst, then they couldn’t ever be disappointed.
It’s how he’d lived his life, always expecting less.
Chapter 2
Eloise hissed when the wheels of the carriage hit another pothole. Sitting opposite her, Nissa’s face grimaced against the constant buffeting. Trying to steady herself, Eloise braced her arms to the sides of the carriage, and cursed when she fell forward with a sudden jerk.
‘There’s not a bone in my body that doesn’t ache, I’m going to soak in the bath for a full day when we get home. They’ll have to drag me out of it.’
Eloise leaned back her head, only to have it knocked forward. ‘I’d give anything to be home right now.’
Nissa giggled at the thought of Eloise being dragged from the bath, as she kicked and screamed. Eloise scowled until Nissa conveyed the image to her, then she started laughing.
‘It’s no laughing matter!’ Eloise tried not to laugh, but even she saw the humor in the description.
‘I swear I’m going to kill Roulan for lying. He said we’d be stopping shortly.’
‘Your brother enjoys tormenting you.’ Nissa’s voice had a bitter tone. Hiding her dislike for Roulan was difficult.
‘I think you always see the bad in him, but this time, I agree.’
In the early hours of that morning, they’d left Brightstone. It was now late afternoon, and they’d only stopped briefly to have lunch. Eloise had never been this far from home. Her whole life she’d kept within the boundaries of their lands, as ordered by her brother and father, King Garlan. Advised two days previously, to prepare for a journey, her first reaction had been excitement. She’d dreamed of traveling to one of the neighboring kingdoms, and smiled so wide her face ached. It disappeared as quickly as it arrived, when the reason became unveiled.
From as young as she could remember, Eloise’s brother, a year older than her, had said their father blamed her for the loss of their mother. A difficult birth lead to her death; which Roulan learned from his father when he was old enough to understand. Eloise was gifted, like her mother, able to control the elements; making snow or hail, forming rain clouds or bringing wind. It was a rare gift from her mother’s line going back generations. Roulan had pressured her to keep the growing powers from their father; insistent it upset him to see her use them, because they reminded him of his beloved wife.
If Eloise could have wished
‘I know you would.’ Kai snorted. ‘You just have to pray I don’t ask you to do it.’ His lips widened into a grin.
Kai pushed Sabe away and slapped his arm. ‘Come on, sit down, I’m still hungry and that cake needs finishing.’ A brief silence was broken by Kai’s quiet voice. ‘Do you think she’ll like me?’
‘What’s not to like? You’re a constant delight!’
Kai snorted; spraying wine over the table he started coughing. Hitting his chest while still laughing, he finally managed to speak.
‘Seriously, does she get to choose, or does it all rest on my decision?’
‘Her father wants this marriage, and I doubt she has any say in the matter. She’s a princess Kai, and forgive me for being blunt, but she’s an asset as far as her fathers concerned. I’m surprised it hasn’t happened sooner. I can only suppose the King’s been weighing up the alternatives for a stronger ally.’
Taking a long drink, Kai thought about the other side of the arrangement; he knew it had benefits. His people would welcome the extra food supplied from Middenland, which in itself was a weight off his shoulders. His warriors could defeat any opposing threat, and he never feared invasion.
Their lunch continued into the afternoon as the discussed the meeting. Kai expected an ambush or some form of trickery; he had trust issues, among many others. If a person prepared for the worst, then they couldn’t ever be disappointed.
It’s how he’d lived his life, always expecting less.
Chapter 2
Eloise hissed when the wheels of the carriage hit another pothole. Sitting opposite her, Nissa’s face grimaced against the constant buffeting. Trying to steady herself, Eloise braced her arms to the sides of the carriage, and cursed when she fell forward with a sudden jerk.
‘There’s not a bone in my body that doesn’t ache, I’m going to soak in the bath for a full day when we get home. They’ll have to drag me out of it.’
Eloise leaned back her head, only to have it knocked forward. ‘I’d give anything to be home right now.’
Nissa giggled at the thought of Eloise being dragged from the bath, as she kicked and screamed. Eloise scowled until Nissa conveyed the image to her, then she started laughing.
‘It’s no laughing matter!’ Eloise tried not to laugh, but even she saw the humor in the description.
‘I swear I’m going to kill Roulan for lying. He said we’d be stopping shortly.’
‘Your brother enjoys tormenting you.’ Nissa’s voice had a bitter tone. Hiding her dislike for Roulan was difficult.
‘I think you always see the bad in him, but this time, I agree.’
In the early hours of that morning, they’d left Brightstone. It was now late afternoon, and they’d only stopped briefly to have lunch. Eloise had never been this far from home. Her whole life she’d kept within the boundaries of their lands, as ordered by her brother and father, King Garlan. Advised two days previously, to prepare for a journey, her first reaction had been excitement. She’d dreamed of traveling to one of the neighboring kingdoms, and smiled so wide her face ached. It disappeared as quickly as it arrived, when the reason became unveiled.
From as young as she could remember, Eloise’s brother, a year older than her, had said their father blamed her for the loss of their mother. A difficult birth lead to her death; which Roulan learned from his father when he was old enough to understand. Eloise was gifted, like her mother, able to control the elements; making snow or hail, forming rain clouds or bringing wind. It was a rare gift from her mother’s line going back generations. Roulan had pressured her to keep the growing powers from their father; insistent it upset him to see her use them, because they reminded him of his beloved wife.
If Eloise could have wished
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