A Prince Among Killers - By J. B. Redmond Page 0,48

did what was asked of him in Dyn Vagrat. Were I you, I’d reserve the force of your inner storms for those who commanded him.”

“And now?” Stormbreaker asked. “When he intends to lead dozens of children into hardship and death?”

Lord Baldric’s tone shifted again. “I’ll do what I can, Dun. What’s within my power—our power, as the Stone Guild. We are not oath-breakers here, in the literal sense or the figurative sense, either.”

Dari stirred from her stupor and sat up straighter. “Can you refuse Falconer? Can Thorn’s demands be turned down?”

“Were you listening?” Stormbreaker snapped as he gestured to Lord Baldric. “He’s telling us what options we have available to us as keepers of our own oaths. None!”

Aron saw each sharp word fall like a blow on Dari, and once more, he didn’t know what to do when Stormbreaker growled, “Come, boy. If you have no insights from your graal, I should return you to your training.”

Stormbreaker stalked toward the chamber doors, and Aron went after him, as much out of confusion and frustration as anything else. He glanced once over his shoulder as the door closed behind him, and was relieved to see Lord Baldric approaching Dari with a kind look on his face and an outstretched handkerchief.

As they clambered down the steps of the main keep, dozens of rebukes rose to Aron’s mind, but he voiced none of them. The edgy rumbles of thunder overhead kept putting him off, until he hated himself for his own cowardice, and hated Stormbreaker almost as much for bringing his weakness to the surface so easily.

Iko fell into step behind them as they swept onto Triune’s main byway, but Aron ignored the Sabor as thoroughly as he usually did. He could not, however, ignore Iko’s companion. Raaf tagged along at Iko’s elbow like a redheaded shadow, and the sight of him filled Aron with an entirely new dread.

Worry drove him to speak to Stormbreaker, despite the weather stirring above their heads. “Is Raaf considered an orphan, since you severed his ties with his family when you claimed him from his abusive father?”

Thunder rattled the clear sky as they passed the Judgment Arena.

Stormbreaker stopped and rubbed his hands across his face. More thunder exploded above them.

“Yes, Aron.” Stormbreaker sounded miserable and furious all at once. “Raaf is an orphan. Come the morning, if Lord Baldric finds us no path out of this madness, he’ll be taken to Thorn with all the rest.”

CHAPTER FORTY-FIVE

ARON

Aron almost grabbed Stormbreaker’s arm and would have, if respect hadn’t held him back. “This can’t be allowed! How will Stone stop this madness?”

Stormbreaker said nothing, but the thunder answered for him. The lines of his face remained tight as he started walking again, and his skin was as pale as the dust swirling above the mock battlefield. Aron could see groups sparring, wooden blades smashing against wooden shields and other blunted weapons, but for once, he had no wish to ask to join in and gain extra training time. Worry for Dari’s broken heart and Raaf’s safety claimed him for a few moments, followed by confusion over Stone’s stance against Thorn’s demands.

Stormbreaker even seemed angry with him, though Aron had no idea what he might have done to set off his training master.

Unless…

He almost stumbled with the force of his next thought.

“This is my fault.” He caught Stormbreaker’s gray sleeve and stopped him halfway between the archery and knife range and the main kitchen. “It’s because of me Thorn came here, isn’t it?”

Stormbreaker first glared at him, then seemed to wake to himself and finally regard Aron in a more familiar fashion. “We have no proof of that. You should not make such assumptions.”

“Stop.” Aron knew Stormbreaker’s partial denial was proof that he was correct. “Tell me why. No, don’t. Don’t say anything to me.”

Aron turned away from Stormbreaker, careful not to look in Raaf’s direction, or toward the Shrine of the Mother. He rested his eyes on the dirt of the byway and tried to stop grinding his teeth. Everything inside him hurt anew. When he did open his mouth, emotions burst out of him as violently as any of Stormbreaker’s lightning. “Why did you treat Dari so horribly? Don’t you understand she cares about you? Doesn’t it matter to you that she needs you?”

Stormbreaker glanced at Iko and Raaf, who remained a respectable distance away. Then his gaze shifted toward the main keep, as if he might be searching for Dari. A look of regret claimed his pale