Page 34 of Lhora
The coach took a turn, allowing sunlight to flood the interior. Its rays glinted off of something on the seat in front of her, partially hidden underneath the bag she’d brought with her. Smiling, Lhora leaned over and withdrew her sword. A quick examination showed it had been freshly oiled and cleaned. Lifting the bag, she discovered her dagger and weapons belt. Duren had kept his word.
“But I already knew he would,” she murmured.
The coach hit a small rut in the road, jolting her. Lhora swore. “Plug this!” She hated riding inside these cramped and confined spaces. Always had and always would. Using the hilt of her sword, she banged on the ceiling. When the coach came to a stop, she exited the conveyance and looked up at the driver.
“Mind if I sit up there with you?”
The guy didn’t seem happy at her request, but shrugged anyway. Grabbing the seat, she hauled herself up onto it and buckled herself in. The driver noticed she was fully armed and reached for his own weapon. She hurried to reassure him.
“Don’t worry. I’m as anxious to get home as you are to be rid of me. I’m not going to do anything to jeopardize you getting us to Kotill. You know the way there. I don’t.”
The man grunted but didn’t say anything as his hand returned to the wheel.
The roads were busy with other traffic. The sides of the thoroughfares were equally congested with people walking to their destinations. Most of them paid no attention to the bright red conveyance passing them. Those who did glance up didn’t look twice. When she’d gone to the lav, she’d taken care to pull her hair back to where it covered her ears. No sense in advertising the fact that one of the enemy was in their midst.
As they continued on their way, she couldn’t help but notice that the driver seemed increasingly antagonistic toward her. A quick check of his feelings, and she was hit with a wall of disgust. Lhora waited until he looked her way before commenting. “Is there a reason why you hate me so much? Other than the fact that I’m Beinight?” She kept her voice even and low, so as not to make things any worse.
“I have several reasons to despise you. Being a Beinight is only one of them,” he almost growled. His hands gripped the wheel so tightly, his knuckles went white.
“If it’ll make you feel any better, go ahead and rage at me.”
He glanced at her from the corner of his eye, then dropped his gaze to her weapons belt a second time. He still believed she’d attack him.
“Would it help if I laid them at my feet?”
“What?”
“Just watch.” Slowly, she unclipped her sword and dagger, and laid them at her feet. They both knew that if she reached for them, he’d have enough time to draw his own to defend himself. She sat back and clasped her hands in her lap. “All right. Let me hear it. What have I done to you personally to earn your hate?” she questioned him. “You don’t know me. You don’t know why I’m here, or even why you’re having to take me to Kotill, do you? You’re just following the Sarpen’s orders.”
The man gritted his teeth. “If I could, I’d declare to everyone right here and now that you’re a Beinight, and I’d delight in watching them tear you to shreds.”
Lhora pursed her lips to keep from smiling. “Bet it’s hard, having to keep yourself from throttling me.”
“You have no idea.”
“Then tell me why you wish me dead.”
“Because if it weren’t for you, my brother wouldn’t be rotting away inside the Sarpi’s dungeon!”
She gave him a surprised look. “Your brother served under Vadris Lon?”
“On theTubrad.Yes. He was the pilot.”
She blinked. “Is your brother Pullid?”
The man started. “Yes. Pullid.” A second later, his face darkened with suppressed fury. “Because of you, he’ll never see the light of day again!”
“I did nothing wrong. Neither did the Vadris. That trial was a sham.” Lhora lifted her chin. “I have no idea why the Sarpi chose to lie to the High Council.”
“Because you and the Vadris colluded against the Sarpi!”
“And I’m telling you, that’s a lie!” She backed off. “Well, technically it’s not. Let me explain.”
“I want to hear nothing more from you, Beinight,” the man hissed between his teeth.
“Then speak with your brother! He’ll tell you the truth if you won’t listen to me.”
The driver waved a fist at her. “We are not allowed to see the prisoners. Not until they’re released, and we’re ordered to pick them up to take them home. And that will be when we claim their bodies.”
