Book: Forest of Ruin
Quotes of Book: Forest of Ruin
She dreamed she was back in that cell, fighting off the guard-Halmond-pulling back the knife to stab him. Only in the dream, he wrested it from her fingers and slammed it into her gut, and she gasped, her eyes closing and then opening to see, not Halmond holding the blade, but Gavril.Moria shot upright, screaming, still feeling the agony of the blade buried in her gut, and then she saw Gavril, right there, his hands on her shoulders, saying her name. She fought wildly, half asleep, seeing Gavril's face in both dream and reality, his cold and empty expression as he plunged the blade in deeper, and then the other Gavril, his eyes wide with alarm, her name on his lips, his hand over her mouth to stifle her cries."It's all right," he said. "It's me. I'm here."She kicked and clawed, biting his hand and struggling with everything she had while he fought to restrain her, muttering, "Not the right thing to say, apparently. book-quoteThis is not one of the bandits," she said.
Gavril looked closer at the shadow-stalker-abandoned corpse. "You are correct," he said, as if with some surprise.
She gave him a look. "Thank you. So it seems we are stuck in the middle-sorry, the edge of the steppes-with no horses and a useless wagon and a landscape populated by shadow stalkers. If they are indeed raised by some confederate of your father's, then we should be safe enough. We simply need to find this sorcerer and turn ourselves in to him to be returned to your father and resume our original mission. However, the fact that it"-Moria waved at the shadow stalker-"attempted to attack you suggests we are not safe at all. What is going on here, Kitsune?"
"I . . . I'm thinking."
"If you do it aloud, perhaps I can help. Unless you still think me a dull-witted Northerner."
"I only said that to needle you."
"You also did it in front of your father."
"As I said, it was to convince him you were not intellectually capable . . ." He stopped and scowled at her. "You're needling me now, Keeper. Playing on my guilt to make me share my thoughts."
"I do not believe I am intellectually capable of such cunning-"
"Enough. book-quoteThey caught the sound of footfalls at the same moment, and both stood as a tall figure ran toward them, his blade in hand."Stop there, traitor," Sabre said, raising her sling. "Or I'll fell you before you take another step.""The advantage of a missile weapon," Moria said."Exactly. And it appears he has enough experience with yours to respect mine.""No, he'll only pretend he's listening, as he talks and distracts, and then creeps close enough to use his sword.""I can hear you," Gavril called."Good," Moria said. "Then you can hear that I'm not under any duress, and you can presume that if our visitor was helping me escape, we'd be gone by now, not chatting like girls at a tea ceremony. Since I know you'll not stay where you are, you may approach half the distance, then lay down your sword and come closer.""May I?""Only if you behave. And keep quiet. Otherwise, stay where you are.""I think you forget who is-""-in charge here? No, Kitsune, I do not. I am in charge, because if you do not return with me, you will pay the price. That is why you've accommodated me so far and it's why you'll continue to do so now."Sabre chuckled. Gavril stalked closer. book-quote