Fallen Ward (Deepwoods Saga Book 3) Read Online Free

know that!”
    “If by ‘this’ you refer to me not having the same training as you in strategy, aye, I’ll agree!” Siobhan snapped back. She had to strangle the urge to grab him by the shoulders and shake sense into him. It wouldn’t do an ounce of good trying, and it would make her look like a child trying to budge a mountain.
    “THEN WHY DID YOU VOLUNTEER TO LEAD ANYONE?!” he thundered.
    It set her ears to ringing, the volume was so intense. Instinct almost sent her taking a step back, but she dug in her heels and stayed her ground, although it was hard to do so. “Because it doesn’t take a head for strategy for this! Hyun Woo will tell me exactly what to do, or Ryu Jin Ho will, and even if they didn’t, it’s a simple thing! Go in, block the canal, protect it and the workers from any attacks in the city. When the reinforcements arrive, retreat. Did I miss something?!”
    Wolf jabbed a finger at her. “It’s simple, I’m not arguing that, I’m saying you shouldn’t be the one to go.”
    Siobhan had never felt more insulted by someone in her own guild before. The urge to shake him returned two fold and she had to dig her nails into her palms to keep herself from acting on it. Either that or kick him hard in the shins. He honestly didn’t think she could handle it, did he? Was his opinion of her skills really that low? The anger abruptly transmuted, leaving her shaking and cold with rage.
    The silence that fell between them was hard, hard enough to forge into steel. Wolf’s eyes went wide as he realized that he had pushed her past anger. Splaying a hand out, he pleaded, “Wait, Siobhan. Wait. That didn’t come out right.”
    “Oh, I think it did,” she breathed, tone soft and icy.
    “No, really, it didn’t,” he negated desperately. “I’m not saying that someone else is a better leader than you. I just don’t think you should go.”
    The words flowed over without touching her. She felt impervious to his words, like a stone in the middle of a river was impervious to the fish that swam around it. Her eyes went blind to his very presence as she walked past him, heading for the door. “We’re done here.”
    At that moment, the door opened and Hyun Woo stepped through. He came in cautiously, like a man that knew he was stepping into a place where angels feared to tread. His eyes went from her face to Wolf’s and back again. “Is all well here?”
    “Fight’s over,” Siobhan assured him, her mouth creaking up into something that might charitably be called a smile. “I’m going.”
    “Siobhan,” Wolf pleaded, worry and desperation clear in the way he spoke her name.
    Hyun Woo might have come up to mediate, but facing the icy rage in her face and the desperate fear in Wolf’s, he wasn’t quite sure what to say. Whatever scene he’d expected to find, this wasn’t it. “I think it best we sit and discuss this.”
    “Discussion’s over. I’m going. You can deploy him wherever you deem fit.”
    Trying for a gentle tone, the strategist said, “He argues against this because he is worried about you.”
    Lip curling into a snarl, she grabbed the door and yanked it back open. “He should have said that, then.” Siobhan cleared the door in one stride before slamming it behind her. She threw it with such force that it actually bounced back and vibrated, slowly swinging back open. Not caring, she stalked for the stairs.
    As she went, she heard Hyun Woo say, “I fear you have hurt her pride, Wolf-gui.”
    “I did more than that,” Wolf groaned, sounding miserable.
    Yes, you certainly did, she fumed. Almost, she turned back to rip a strand off his hide, but…no. Words said in anger were always regretted later. She’d regret this fight enough as it was, no need to add more to it.
    Getting to the base of the stairs, Siobhan realized in some surprise that everyone was gone. Only Markl was still there, and he was leaning against the edge of one table, legs crossed casually at the ankle,