Read Thorn for Free Online Page A

would she? I lick my lips. “A woman came to my room and spoke to me, but I don’t remember her words. It could have been a dream.”
    “A woman?”
    “Yes. She was—I thought she was a sorceress, but …”
    “You don’t remember what she said?” Mother leans forward in her chair, intent.
    “No,” I say firmly, hating the lie. “But she … didn’t seem quite human. I can’t imagine how she got there. It seemed like a piece of a dream.”
    Mother sits back, thoughtful. “Perhaps. Or perhaps Menaiya has enemies we don’t know of. If she is real, and is what you say, then no soldier could have protected you. This is a riddle indeed.”
    I look down at the carpet. The soldiers were assigned to protect me from my brother; it was only by chance that they heard the shutters break—or was it? And why had it taken so long for the soldier to enter? I remember clearly how long I stood facing the Lady, how she had spoken to both the man and myself; it had been much longer than the time it takes for a soldier to raise an alarm and open a door.
    “If she is real, what will I do?”
    “You will have to be careful. If this sorceress is an enemy of Menaiya, then she will want you to betray the royal Family to her somehow. Beware of her. This alliance hinges on you, Alyrra. If you betray it, you betray our land and put us at risk of war. If Menaiya attacks,” Mother shrugs elegantly, “we have no hope of victory. You know that.”
    I nod.
    “Do you remember nothing else?”
    I shake my head. Having said this much, I cannot tell her about the man, a sorcerer himself and from Menaiya. It would tell her nothing more than that, indeed, the Lady is an enemy; but it would bring to light my own dishonesty. It isn’t dishonesty, I tell myself tightly. It is that I do not trust Mother. How can I tell her everything?
    Mother sighs. “Jerash tells me you’ve ordered new tack for your horse; you won’t need it. Your brother has brought you a new horse.”
      “I know, but I’m taking Fleet Wind as well.”
    “No, you’re not,” she replies placidly. “If you want to push the matter, I’ll send the horse to the knacker to make meat for the dogs. Do you understand?”
    I nod, my hands curling into fists, buried within the folds of my skirts.
    “Good. As for your companion on the journey there, I have spoken with my Council of Lords. We have settled on Valka.”
    “Mother! Not Valka—”
    “Enough. She will be your companion until you reach Tarinon, at which point you can decide what you wish with her. You are not to send her back.”
    “But what would I do with her? You know what lies between us. How could Daerilin agree?” Even I can hear the desperation in my voice.
    My mother closes her eyes in long-suffering frustration, her voice laden with disgust. “Find her a husband, Alyrra. She must marry among peers and you destroyed such hopes here. It is up to you to get rid of her.”
    “Can no one else come?”
    “No.” Mother frowns. “As for the woman you dreamed of, come to me tomorrow morning. I may have some help for you.”
    She nods towards the door, dismissing me.
    I make my way to my room quickly, the steady tread of boots behind me no longer any comfort. I try to imagine what help she could give me as I undress, Jilna muttering about the late hour and my early departure tomorrow. What could my mother possibly offer against the Lady with her empty eyes and finger-flicked light? I lie down on my side, staring at the shuttered window. Sleep eludes me. I am unused to the new room Mother assigned me, the size befitting a princess who will one day be queen, the barred window assuring my safety. This, in addition to my quads and a speedy departure for Menaiya, are all compromises to appease the king’s concerns: I will winter in Tarinon, and in spring be wed.
    I do not remember falling asleep, but when I open my eyes the shutters are open. An owl, pearly white in the darkness, perches between the bars, its