Free The Skeleton King (The Silk & Steel Saga) by Karen Azinger Page A

over the
great room. Pine logs snapped and crackled, releasing a pungent scent. The king
kept his back to them all, facing the fireplace, casting a long shadow across the
room. “More questions?”
    A chorus of “no’s” rippled around
the table.
    “You have your orders. There’s no
time to waste. See that it’s done.”
    The captains stared at the king and
then nodded to the marshal. Wood scraped against stone as they pushed back from
the table and took their leave. Ulrich hesitated, staring at the king’s back,
but he turned without saying a word. Sir Lothar lingered the longest. Nodding
to the marshal, he followed the others.
    The marshal remained alone with his
king, the only sound the crackling of the hearth fire. “What troubles you, my
lord?”
    “I felt this coming, Osbourne, felt
it in my very bones, yet the warning did not come in time to save Lionel.”
    The king turned, a haunted look in
his eyes.
    “And now you feel it again?”
    The king nodded, “Something worse
comes. A great doom from the north.”
    “And the hammer blow will fall on Raven Pass?”
    “Even Griffin can see it. He sees it but he cannot
sense it.” The king’s voice sounded weary. “My sons tussle for a crown when so
much more is at stake…proving none are worthy.” The king stared at his marshal,
a strange mixture of grief and iron conviction writ upon his face. “We must
anticipate the attack, Osbourne, throwing the full weight of the maroon behind
a single bulwark. A desperate gamble…the gods help us if I’m wrong.”
    “You’re never wrong, sire, not when
it comes to war.” The marshal drew a slow breath. “Then we fight at Raven Pass.
And the fate of the southern kingdoms will turn on a single battle.”
    The king stared into the fire. “We gird
for war, Osbourne, and we dare not lose.”

6
    Katherine

 
    Kath added kindling to the campfire, needing to be sure the flames would
not die. The others slept, soft snores coming from their bedrolls. Duncan had already slipped
away, but she’d promised him a half turn of the hourglass before she followed. She
knew what to expect…or at least part of it. In the Deep Green she’d peppered Duncan with questions about
the customs of his people. Weddings were simple affairs, two people pledging
their lives before an old growth tree…and then they slipped away into the
forest, both coming to the wedding bower… naked .
Kath’s heart raced just thinking of the last part. A wild excitement engulfed
her but beneath it ran a current of fear. She knew she was being skittish but
she could not help it.
    Moonlight broke through the clouds, silvering the glade. Kath smiled,
taking it as a blessing from the gods. Deciding she’d waited long enough, she
took a deep breath and cast one last glance at her sleeping companions. Only the
wolf remained awake. Bryx grinned at her, making a soft chuffing sound, as if
he knew her intent. She bowed toward him, trusting the wolf to stand guard. Shrugging
her axes from shoulders, she decided to keep her sword. Kath blushed at the
thought, knowing a bride should never bring a weapon to her wedding, but the
sword was too much a part of her. Turning her back on the campfire, she stepped
toward the forest.
    Bright moonlight lit her way across the glade. Stepping past a curtain of
moss, she entered the forest. Her eyes adjusted to the gloom. A tangle of
branches shrouded the moon, leaving barely enough light to see by. Kath
shuffled forward, avoiding thick-trunked trees and low hanging shields, and
then she saw it. A single candle glowed in the forest. Duncan ! He could see in the gloom but he’d
brought a candle just for her, a beacon in the darkness. The simple gesture
melted her heart. She followed the candlelight and found him waiting by a
gnarled oak tree.
    “Beloved,” he held his hand toward her.
    He’d never called her that before. The single word shimmered in her soul.
Kath stepped into the candlelight and took his hand. At first