Free The Balborite Curse (Book 4) by Kristian Alva

grabbed the old man by the shoulder. “You have brought this calamity upon yourself , old man. Know your place … traitor, ” Tallin spat the last word through gritted teeth.
    Endrell flinched as if he had been burned. The insult deflated him, and he sat down.
    “Is there anything else you want to tell me before I go?” asked Sela. Tallin had already opened the door so she could exit.
    “Please… there’s no way I can pay Druknor back. The money’s already spent. He’ll have a bounty on my head. Druknor’s bounty hunters will be waiting for me to pay it! If I don’t pay, they’ll kill my family, and then come after me.”
    “Druknor can’t harm you while you’re in our custody. And we will do our best to save your family.”
    The man gulped. “What happens now?”
    “Your punishment will be decided by the king. He’s not overly fond of traitors, though, so I doubt you’ll be enjoying your sentence. Your family is another matter. I took an oath, so we’ll search for them, but if Druknor’s as bad as you describe, they’re probably dead already. This interrogation is over. Thank you for your cooperation.” Sela tossed Endrell the pouch of smokeleaf, then turned and left.
    Endrell hung his head. He knew Sela was right. Tallin nodded at the guardsman, jerking his thumb at the door. The heavy curtains closed, and the silent guard returned to his post outside the door. As Sela and Tallin walked away, they heard the old man sobbing.
     

Shesha
    The following morning, Tallin found Sela on the rooftop, staring off into the desert. Except for the palace sentries, she was alone, sipping tea from her favorite mug. He walked over and stood beside her at the rampart ’s edge. The sky was an electric shade of pink. It had rained a little the night before, and the air was still moist, the early morning breeze blessedly cool. Sela’s brown hair was loose, twirling around her face like a veil.
    “You’re up early,” he said.
    Sela nodded, not taking her eyes off the horizon. “I woke before dawn to watch the sunrise. The air smells so clean. Look at all those colors—it’s so lovely out here.” As if on cue, a pair of amethyst-colored dragonflies flew past them, locked in a feverish embrace, a final mating before the summer months arrived. “I don’t get to enjoy the desert scenery as much I’d like to.”
    “Nor do I,” said Tallin quietly.
    Sela looked down at her cup. The tea had cooled, and she swirled it around absently. “Do you believe the prisoner?”
    “I’m not sure whether to believe him or not. His story is certainly plausible. Right now there’s no reason not to believe him—but then again, we shouldn’t forget that he’s a criminal.”
    “I agree. A certain amount of skepticism is good, but I suspect he’s telling the truth.” She paused before continuing. “Tallin, I must tell you... Brinsop and I discovered a blood raven in the desert.”
    “That’s an ill-fated omen. Was it carrying a scroll?”
    "Yes.” Sela nodded. “I captured it alive and decoded the message. There wasn’t much information on the scroll, but I discovered that there’s a bounty on your head. The kudu oil was meant for you and Duskeye, to poison you both.”
    “I see,” murmured Tallin. “This isn’t the first time someone has tried to kill me, and it won’t be the last.”
    “It was a Balborite messenger for sure. Their assassins have made several attempts on your life, so I’m not surprised that they would make another. But how is Druknor involved in this? Coupled with the prisoner’s confession, this all implicates him, but I can’t fathom why he would be involved. Is he targeting you specifically? What motive could Druknor possibly have to kill you? It doesn’t make any sense.”
    “Druknor wasn’t pleased when we closed down his labor camps,” said Tallin. “I was the one who notified him of the order. Maybe it’s petty revenge.”
    “Maybe,” she admitted. “When the king signed