The Vaetra Chronicles: Book 01 - Vaetra Unveiled Read Online Free

cleared his throat. "This man is local. He could be useful if he knows the surrounding area well."
    "No! This mission is too important to blindly trust someone we know nothing about and who has questionable ties to the very men we are hunting," she replied.
    "Look," I said with a little heat, "I never met this man before tonight, I know nothing about this item you seek, and all I was hired to do was locate his friend. I'm still willing to help with that part of it, and I don't give a damn what you do with this item, even if we do run across it."
    She narrowed her eyes at me and was silent for a few moments.
    She finally pursed her lips and nodded her head once. "Here's the deal," she said, "You stay where I can see you at all times, and you head straight back here if I tell you to leave. As soon as we locate the other man, your job is done, and you return here immediately."
    In the dim light, she probably couldn't see the color rise into my face as she spoke. I'm much more accustomed to giving orders than receiving them, and being treated like some kind of criminal or yokel was getting on my nerves. I really wanted to take this woman down a peg, but continuing to be confrontational wouldn't help me or my notorious client.
    I bit back the response I wanted to make and answered calmly. "That works for me. When do we start?"
    "Right now. Get what you need, and be quick about it," she said as she removed the bolt from her crossbow and eased the tension on the string.
    Her partner spoke up again, "Sulana...we've been sleeping in the saddle for two days. I think we could all use a decent night's rest."
    She looked up and glared at him as he started to speak. Before he finished, she opened her mouth to interrupt him, but then stopped herself, closed her eyes, and sighed heavily. "I guess you're right," she said, and then she squared her shoulders. "We'll spend the night in town and head out tomorrow morning just before dawn."
    She turned to Constable Berman and asked, "Would you be willing to keep this man locked up for us until we can return for him?"
    "I'll check with the Captain," he said with a nod, "but I'm sure that won't be a problem." He motioned to his partner to take Raleb into custody. The second guard sheathed his sword, handed his torch to Berman, and approached Agent Prost. The agent handed him the end of the rope that bound Raleb's hands. Raleb stared sullenly at Agent Delano.
    After watching the exchange, she turned back to me. "We'll meet you in the serving room of this inn about an hour before dawn tomorrow. Be ready to go, and don't get any ideas about heading out by yourself before then."
    Slowly shaking my head in frustration, I mumbled, "Yeah, I got it. I'll be ready."
    "Good. As long as we're clear." And with that, she turned and walked off, apparently certain her orders would be obeyed without hesitation.
    Her partner looked over at me, raised an eyebrow and snorted in amusement, and then followed quickly in the wake of his commander.
    I couldn't help wondering what, exactly, I had gotten myself into.

Chapter 3
    A gent Sulana Delano stepped out into the chilly twilight of the approaching dawn with Agent Daven Prost at her side. A good night's sleep and a satisfying hot breakfast helped erase the fatigue of two cold wet days in the saddle. She was impatient to continue her search for the remaining thief, but her mind and body appreciated the brief respite.
    Sulana and her team had spent the night at the local Sanctuary, a home known to be sorcerer-friendly. Agents Talon Destry and Barek Hunter, the other two members of her team, stayed at the house to prepare for the day's journey. The two men had been keeping watch at the front of the inn the night before and had missed all the excitement.
    "Are you sure we have time for this?" Daven asked Sulana as they walked through the mostly deserted streets toward the Governor's Complex.
    "I'm not going to take this man Jaylan Forester along with us until I know more