Pixilated Read Online Free Page A

eyes. He did not feel drunk. At least not
drunk enough, and whoever was pounding on his door had just pulled
stable duty for the next three cycles.
    He raised his head. "GO AWAY." The stabbing
pain that followed reminded him once again why he did not
bellow.
    The sound of his voice renewed the
offender’s hope.
    BOOM. BOOM. BOOM.
    Make that six cycles of stable duty.
    He lurched to his feet. The room made a
crazy tilt and he caught himself on the edge of the desk. Maybe he
was drunk. Taking a more-or-less direct route to the door, he
closed his eyes and paused with his hand resting on the knob. The fort had better be burning down around my ears. He
yanked open the door.
    Davi stood in the hallway, soaking wet.
Something terrible had happened or this boy would not be here
risking his wrath. Kree’s chest started hurting. He thought he
might sick up his whiskey. "Where’s Katie?"
    "I don’t know, My Captain."
    I don’t know. Funny, how three little words
sobered up a man. I don’t know . Kree envisioned every sort
of disaster. In his mind’s eye, Kayseri bled out her life at the
bottom of some gully. The vision made him weak-kneed. The simple
act of drawing in enough breath for speech was beyond him.
    The cadet filled the silence with
explanation. "She seemed like a good rider, My Captain. We were
having a fine time. I told her it was coming on dark and we ought
to head back, but she said pixies see just fine in the dark. Then
something spooked the horses. I don’t know what. I didn’t see
anything. But that sand colored she-demon you gave the lady—Wow! It
can run. Anyway, the thing is…my horse threw me. By the time I
caught my mount, I couldn’t find Miss Kayseri anywhere." The boy
gulped. "Do you suppose her father will turn me into a toad?"
    Kree’s head cleared. "Where and when did
this happen?"
    "On the north river road, My Captain, not a
half-hour ago."
    Kree opened the door and ordered the young
cadet stationed there to fetch coffee, hot comfort brought to his
world by his patroness in Elhar. At the dry sink, he emptied a full
pitcher of cold water over his head and came up sputtering. "Go to
the stable, Davi. Have Storm saddled. Then get yourself out of
those wet clothes, and get something hot in your stomach." Kree
stripped off his shirt and struggled into another one. When his
head popped through the neck, his senior cadet had not moved.
    Kree had been just six and ten when he
assumed captaincy of the garrison younger than the boy shivering in
his doorway was. He had needed all the experience available to him
back then, and for that reason, he did not stand upon military
protocol. To this day, his senior officers were quick to give him
large pieces of their minds when they felt the occasion merited,
but when he gave an order to a cadet, he expected instant
obedience.
    "Is there something else?"
    The cadet drew himself to attention. "Sir,
it is my duty to inform My Captain he is deep in his cups and in no
fit condition to ride out."
    Kree’s voice was a dangerous flat whisper.
"Has there been a coup?"
    Misery filled the cadet’s eyes, and Kree
regretted his temper. If something had happened to Katie, it was
not this cadet’s fault. He had promised to take Katie
riding. She’d be tucked up safe at home if he weren’t scared to
death of a little girl. Except Kayseri wasn't a little girl
anymore, and that's what had him hiding his his quarters. Her
father's words mocked him. Pixies and horses don’t mix. Kree
glanced at the ceiling then back at the cadet. Coffee arrived,
sweet and heavily creamed, the way he liked it. He waited until the
younger cadet withdrew before addressing his insubordinate
senior.
    "Your concern is duly noted, Davi. You may
rest assured your captain has ridden to combat in worse condition.
I’ll admit it has been awhile, but I ought to be able to handle a
slow ride up a smooth road." He took a gulp of the steaming
beverage, burned his tongue, and cursed roundly. His