Renegade Heart Read Online Free

not surprised when the boy could think of nothing to say. He planted a heavy hand on Wolf’s shoulder. “I’ll tell you what I think, boy. I think you may well be the lad missing from the orphanage. Oh, yes, I know all about you. The Orphan Master will be glad to have you back.”
    Wolf doubted that very much, but he had no choice but to allow himself to be marched through the streets, under the curious glances of passers-by, until they reached the orphanage.
    Mistress Valistra opened the door and gave a weary sigh when she saw who stood on the step. Enola hovered close behind and Wolf flashed his bravest smile.
    “Told you I’d come back,” he said.

.3.
     
    I t was customary, once the children reached twelve turns, for them to leave the orphanage and take up apprenticeship with one of the city’s many trades’ people. There were two other orphans who turned twelve at the same time as Enola and Wolf. Poor Suzo, disfigured from the fire that killed her entire family, had been apprenticed to a kindly baker and big, robust Cornell was to go to the local blacksmith. Enola had been promised to a highly respected seamstress and she looked forward to starting her new life, despite worrying about Wolf. For him, largely uneducated, rebellious and uninterested in friendship with anyone other than Enola, there was only one option. With no one else prepared to take him, the Orphan Master had decreed Wolf must be apprenticed to the King’s Army.
    “Let them try and tame him,” he muttered as he scribed the message that would summon the Cadet Master to the orphanage.
    Since the day four turns ago, when he had beaten the boy unconscious, the Orphan Master had kept his distance. Valistra had taken responsibility for reprimanding Wolf when required, which was often, but the Orphan Master suspected she was too easy on the child and let him get away with more than he was punished for.
    On the night the Cadet Master was due to take Wolf into his care, the Orphan Master made a rare, nocturnal visit to the orphanage, determined to make sure the cursed boy was out of his life once and for all.
    “Why at night?” Valistra demanded angrily when she discovered the Cadet Master was due to arrive at any moment to take Wolf. “Why not in the day like any other child?”
    “Firstly,” the Orphan Master said coldly, addressing her as though she were a child herself. “We can never find him during the day. Wherever he goes, it is seldom to his lessons and never to prayers. Secondly, you know as well as I, he will create a fuss at being separated from the girl. Better to take him while she is not present.”
    “Seven turns!” Valistra said. “They have been like brother and sister for seven turns, and you would deny them a last farewell.”
    The Cadet Master duly arrived, an amiable middle aged man who insisted they call him Alganoor. The Orphan Master disapproved of such familiarity, but held his tongue. As Valistra had done before him, Alganoor queried the reason behind the late night visit, perhaps wondering just what he was letting himself in for, and was seemingly satisfied by the Orphan Master’s excuse of being too busy during the next few days for the hand over to take place at any other time.
    Valistra led the two Masters up the stairs to the boys’ dormitory. As she pushed open the door, the light from the lantern shone upon an empty bed and she groaned, inwardly kicking herself for not checking sooner that the boy was actually in his bed.
    “So where is he?” Alganoor asked.
    “I think I know where to look,” Valistra replied. She prayed she was wrong, but there was one obvious place to begin the search.
    Further along the corridor they entered the girls’ dormitory and found Enola’s bed was also empty.
    The Cadet Master was growing impatient. “Are you in the habit of misplacing children, Mistress Valistra?”
    She was about to usher the Masters from the room when a flicker of movement caught her eye. The Orphan