Free Dark King Of The North (Book 3) by Ty Johnston Page A

use to subdue one of her captors. Nothing came to view.
    She sat up, immediately wishing she had not as new pain stabbed at her forehead. She brought her hands to her skull and felt a fresh scar, dried blood crusted around it.
    Voices drifted to her through the open doorway to the left of the bed but they were low and she could not make out what was being said.
    Adara dropped her feet over the side of the mattress and stood. Unable to walk, she could still move her feet slightly, and managed to edge inch by inch nearer the opening. She halted before going around the frame, so as not to be seen.
    “What of Karitha?” Fortisquo was asking.
    “We’ll have her buried,” Belgad said, “or whatever the Kobalans do for the dead.”
    Adara shrank from the door. Belgad’s wizard was dead. Adara wasn’t glad to learn of this, but at least it meant she had one less adversary with whom to deal.
    “What do we do?” Fortisquo asked.
    Belgad grunted. “We do as he wants. We go after Markwood and Darkbow. It doesn’t interfere with any plans of our own. Besides, I still owe Darkbow for what he did to me in Bond.”
    “What then? It doesn’t sound as if Verkain is going to allow us to simply leave.”
    “We will wait and see,” Belgad said. “Whatever he has planned, it has something to do with his healer son, and it sounds important. Our situation could change.”
    “What about the story Adara told you?” another voice asked, one of Belgad’s personal guards.
    “That was mere conjecture on her part,” Belgad continued, “but it’s not impossible she guessed correctly. Whatever Verkain is doing, it is none of our business, except it could give us a potential for profit.”
    “Or wind up dead like the wizard,” another man’s voice said.
    “I don’t think so,” Belgad said. “Verkain might not need us, but we still can be of aid to him. Who in Kobalos knows Darkbow and Markwood better?”
    Silence was the answer.
    “What of Adara?” Fortisquo eventually asked.
    “While I consider it a waste of her talent, and of a beautiful woman,” Belgad said, “I see no reason to fight Verkain on the issue.”
    “It is a shame,” Fortisquo said. “When?”
    The sound of wood scraping stone, likely a chair on the floor, rang in Adara’s ears. “We should finish with it now, tonight,” Belgad said.
    The woman jumped back from the door and scooted along the floor until she was next to the bed again. She dropped like a stone, closing her eyes.
    “Be careful with that one,” one of the guards’ voices came from the doorway. “She can surprise you.”
    “Yes, too bad Karitha is no longer here with another sleep spell.” Belgad’s voice grew louder as the big man entered the bedroom. “Considering she’s been awake for several minutes, I’m sure she’s heard enough to want to put up quite a fight.”
    Adara’s eyes popped open.
    She stared up at Belgad.
    The big man’s hands enveloped her mouth. “My apologies, but the more you struggle, the more you will suffer.
     
    ***
     
    Adara did not fight. There was little reason to give Belgad justification in abusing her. Whatever would be her fate, she would try to meet it with some dignity. She did not need to remind herself she had been born nobility.
    The bald Dartague tugged the woman along, nearly dragging her down a flight of stairs, through a long hall of dark stone and eventually into the open. Each of the big man’s steps was purposeful, but also reluctant, as if he did not enjoy his current task.
    Adara stared at the last of the dying sun on the horizon, noting the daylight would not linger another ten minutes.
    “Move!” One of Belgad’s men shoved her from behind.
    Adara could barely keep on her feet with Belgad pulling her along so quickly and forcefully.
    The woman and the Dartague, along with Fortisquo and Belgad’s four guards, meandered their way through a maze of streets. With buildings blocking sight of the castle, Adara quickly lost her