Read Drenai Saga 01 - Legend for Free Online

he said. “And what brings you to Graven Forest, Virae?”
    “None of your damned business,” she snapped.
    “I thought we were starting afresh,” he said.
    “I’m sorry. Really! Look, it’s not easy being friendly—I don’t like you very much.”
    “How can you say that? We’ve only said about ten words to each other. A bit early for character assessment, isn’t it?”
    “I know your kind,” she said. Taking two platters, she deftly flipped the bacon from the pan and handed him a plate. “Arrogant. Think you’re the gods’ gift to the world. Footloose.”
    “And what’s wrong with that?” he asked. “Nobody’s perfect. I enjoy my life; it’s the only one I’ve got.”
    “It’s people like you who have wrecked this country,” she told him. “People who don’t care, people who live for today. The greedy and the selfish. We used to be great.”
    “Rubbish. We used to be warriors, conquering everybody, stamping Drenai rules on the world. A pox on it!”
    “There was nothing wrong with that! The people we conquered prospered, didn’t they? We built schools, hospitals, roads. We encouraged trade and gave the world Drenai law.”
    “Then you shouldn’t be too upset,” he told her, “that the world is changing. Now it will be Nadir law. The only reason the Drenai conquered was that the outlying nations had had their day. They were fat and lazy, full of selfish, greedy people who didn’t care. All nations fall that way.”
    “Oh, so you’re a philosopher, are you?” she said. “Well, I consider your opinions to be as worthless as you are.”
    “Oh, now I’m worthless? What do you know of ‘worthless,’ prancing around dressed as a man? You’re an imitation warrior. If you’re so eager to uphold Drenai values, why don’t you get off to Dros Delnoch with the other fools and wave your pretty little sword at the Nadir?”
    “I’ve just come from there, and I’m going back as soon as I have accomplished what I set out to do,” she said icily.
    “Then you’re an idiot,” he said lamely.
    “You were a soldier, weren’t you?” she said.
    “What’s that to you?”
    “Why did you leave the army?”
    “None of your damned business.” He paused, then, to break the awkward silence, went on: “We should be at Glen Frenae by this afternoon; it’s only a small village, but they do sell horses.”
    They finished their meal without speaking, Rek feeling angry and uncomfortable yet lacking the skill to pierce the gap between them. She cleared the platters and cleaned out the pan, awkward in her mail shirt.
    Virae was furious with herself. She had not meant to quarrel with him. For hours as he slept she had crept about the cabin so as not to disturb him. At first when she woke she had been angry and embarrassed by what he had done, but she knew enough about frostbite and exposure to realize he had saved her life. And he had not taken advantage. If he had done so, she would have killed him without regret or hesitation. She had studied him as he slept. In a strange way he was handsome, she thought, then decided that although he was good-looking after a fashion, it was some indefinable quality that made him attractive—a gentleness, perhaps? A certain sensitivity? It was hard to pinpoint.
    Why should he be so attractive? It angered her; she had no time now for romance. Then a bitter thought struck her: She had never had time for romance. Or was it that romance had never had time for her? She was clumsy as a woman, unsure of herself in the company of men, unless in combat or comradeship. His words came again in her mind: “What do you know of ‘worthless,’ prancing around dressed as a man?”
    Twice he had saved her life. Why had she said she disliked him? Because she was frightened?
    She heard him walk from the hut and then heard a strange voice.
    “Regnak, my dear! Is it true you have a woman inside?”
    She reached for her sword.

4
    T he abbot placed his hands on the head of the