Free The Treason Blade (Battle for Alsaar Book 1) by Jenny Rebecca Keech Page B

they can prove their loyalty.”
    Davaris
smiled. “You spoke of this to Ishar? I begin to see where an argument arose. I
assume Ishar responded, asking you to prove our loyalty to her people, and you,
due to your sense of honor, became outraged at her words.”
    Traevyn
sighed. “At the time, yes. Later, once I calmed down,
I thought about what she said and realized her line of reasoning was not without
its truths.”
    “That is the
trouble when once enemies attempt to become allies,” Davaris stated wryly. “No
one will trust the other and everyone is looking for the other side to betray
them at the first possible moment.”
    “Then she is
right. How do we prove we are trustworthy?” Traevyn stated this in
exasperation.
    Davaris
motioned to Jaya for a refill. He turned and studied Traevyn for a moment. “It
takes time. And no matter what people do, there will always be those who will
never go along with it and try to ruin it for everyone else.”
    “What if we
do not have time?” Traevyn put his hand over his cup and Jaya only filled
Davaris’ cup. Traevyn stared back at his friend. “The Tourna will come and
soon. We are running out of time. We need what allies we can make and we need
them now.”
    Davaris was
silent for a moment. “I had no idea, when you walked up to me and Gavin
exchanging sword blows at practice and told him to go away, of your irritation
with Ishar.” He chuckled. “I wish I had known. What did you do when she made
you angry? Did you search me out personally or was I the first person you saw
who you knew could match you?”
    “I picked her
up and shoved her against a wall,” Traevyn muttered.”
    Davaris
blinked. “You picked her up and shoved her against a wall,” he repeated.
    “You picked
who up and shoved who against a wall?” Gavin asked as he dropped down on the
bench beside Davaris. He already had a drink in his hand. He turned to stare at
Traevyn, “And why were you trying to kill Davaris this afternoon? You fought
unlike yourself.”
    “Ishar,”
Davaris said starkly.
    Gavin
frowned. “You were fighting Davaris for Ishar. Does she know that?”
    Davaris
smiled. “No, I was answering your first question, Gavin.”
    Gavin’s frown
deepened. “You picked Ishar up and shoved her against a wall? That is also
unlike you.”
    “So is
fighting angry,” Davaris added. “But apparently he is trying many things new.”
    “Would both
of you just be quiet,” Traevyn said frustrated. “I have to figure something out
and neither of you are helping.”
    “Figure out
what?” Glyndwr asked grimly as he sat to Davaris right. He held his left arm
gingerly to his side.
    Gavin smiled.
“Fought Ber did you?” Glyndwr glowered so Gavin continued, “Traevyn is trying
to figure out why he picked up and shoved Ishar against a wall and then picked
a fight with Davaris.”
    Glyndwr
blinked. He looked toward Traevyn. “That does not sound like you.”
    Davaris held
up both hands and laughed.
    Traevyn
groaned into his hands. A second later, he looked up thoughtful. “Gavin,
Glyndwr, you have some free time in the morning?”
    They glanced
at one another. Both nodded. Gavin added, “What has come up?”
    Traevyn
tapped his fingers on the table. “I just decided I will ride with Ishar in the morning,”
he said slowly. “I figured we could hunt while we were out.”
    “And?” Glyndwr asked.
    Traevyn
shrugged. “We cannot make a decision about the Haaldyn if we avoid her. Like I
told Davaris, time is running out. We must make a decision of whether we can
accept the Haaldyn as our allies so we can advise Varyk when he returns. Coming
to understand Ishar, who represents her people, is the only way to make that
decision. To do that, it would help if we spent some time with her. I have
decided tomorrow would be a good time.”
    “Yes,”
Glyndwr nodded in agreement with a smile, “And if she tries to kill you, we
will be along to stop her.”
    “I would be
more concerned about