Storm Surge Read Online Free Page A

to have Honey follow Ferethian. Without knowing where Maiten had taken him, he didn’t dare break his word to his Guardian. If he returned to camp, he’d only be in the way. He was too tired to dance around busy mercenaries reacting to the threat to the camp.
    Honey trembled beneath him, and ignoring the ache in his hand, he stroked her neck. While the mare was smart, equal to Ferethian in many ways, he hadn’t taken the time to train her as he should have. He hadn’t wanted to ruin her sweet temperament by forcing her to live with Ferethian’s relentless wariness. In his desire to protect the mare, he had left her—and himself—woefully ill-equipped to handle his blindness.
    Muttering curses at his stupidity, he gave the mare one of the few commands he had taught her. “Guard.”
    Honey stiffened beneath him, and he relaxed at the change in her stance. All he could do, as always, was put his trust in his horse.
    She would take care of the rest without his interference.

Chapter Two
     
     
    While Breton had expected someone to fetch him when the quake started, the appearance of the Crimson Eye’s captain startled him. The man slipped into the tent, a frown on his lips and deep lines creasing his brow. Breton tensed and waited for the Mithrian to announce the bad news.
    “Morinvale is gone,” Captain Silvereye said in an emotionless voice.
    Breton decided it was best to treat the mercenary in the same way he treated the Rift King during ill-tidings; with respect and a healthy dose of paranoia. “What do you mean, sir?”
    “It’s gone. There’s nothing left but a smoking crater. A smoking crater, I should mention, that is filled with black… things.”
    Breton’s eyebrows rose. “Things?”
    “One of my scouts reported that it appears to be a moving cesspool, Guardian.”
    Breton frowned. The first thing he could think of was the black ichor in the cellar beneath Morinvale two weeks prior. It had proved volatile enough, eating through a steel blade in a matter of moments, but to devour the entire town ? He shuddered at the thought. “So this cesspool has taken up residence in the town?” While Morinvale wasn’t quite large enough to rank as city, well over a thousand people lived within its walls.
    “From my understanding, Guardian, there is no longer a town, just a crater.”
    “How long ago?”
    “I’m guessing the ground shake is due to whatever is happening where Morinvale used to be. My scout rode here as fast as he could. Unfortunately, he was only able to give me a partial report before the healers kicked me out so they could treat him.”
    Breton considered how long it took to ride the distance between their camp and Morinvale. “So he left the town about an hour ago?”
    Silvereye lifted his palms up in a helpless, unknowing gesture. “It’s as good of a guess as any. We’re leaving. Be ready to move out in thirty minutes. Pack only what you need and leave the rest.”
    After the past two weeks of careful movement and observations of the rival mercenary company and the Danarites, the captain’s move worried him. At an hour’s ride away, the Crimson Eye should have been safe from whatever had destroyed Morinvale. Breton narrowed his eyes, nodding in acknowledgment of the order. “What of the Wolf Blades?”
    The mercenary grimaced. “We’ll have to track them after we’ve moved our camp. I’ve no news of them.”
    “With all due respect, sir, unless I know what we’re up against, we won’t know how to prepare for it.” Breton made certain to keep his eyes lowered. The simple trick often worked to keep the Rift King’s temper in check—mostly. With luck, it’d work on the Mithrian.
    “That’s part of the problem, Guardian. I have no idea what we’re up against. I sent two scouts; one returned. The one who did make it back wasn’t entirely coherent. The healers are trying to learn more from him. All I know is that whatever is in Morinvale is on the move and coming this way.