00.1 - The Blood Price by Dan Abnett, Mike Lee - (ebook by Undead) Page A

your cruise.”
    The highborn shrugged. “I could have come back dragging Teclis by the hair
and it wouldn’t have mattered,” he said. “I’ll return to Hag Graef and start
plying the flesh houses again. Who knows? I might even start breeding nauglir.”
He regarded Silar thoughtfully. “I misjudged you, Silar. A poor knight you may
be, and too honest for your own damned good, but you served me well. I’ll
release you from your oath here and now if you wish. You needn’t accompany me
back to that den of vipers at the Hag.”
    Silar chuckled. “And miss the look on your father’s face? No, my lord. I’ll
accompany you.”
    Malus nodded, then turned to Lhunara. “You, on the other hand, never gave me
any oath. Gul is dead, and Amaleth was killed in the battle off Ulthuan. By law, Manticore is your ship now.”
    “True enough,” the first mate said, “but I’m done with sailing the seas. If
you’re still serious about taking me into your retinue, then I’ll give you my
oath.” She smiled. “But I expect to be well rewarded for my service.”
    “You may wind up with more than you bargained for,” the highborn answered
sardonically.
    “Speaking of bargains,” Silar interjected. “There’s still the matter of who
shot you on board that patrol ship off the Blighted Isle.”
    Malus frowned. “Ah, yes. Lurhan’s hidden assassin. That was Amaleth, I expect.
I saw him with a crossbow just before the battle.”
    “It was him, right enough,” Lhunara said. “I paid a couple of corsairs to
shadow him during the battle.” Her expression soured. “They weren’t supposed to
let him take a shot at you without my permission, though.”
    “Your permission ?” The highborn’s eyes went wide with
shock. “You knew Amaleth was Lurhan’s assassin the whole time?”
    “Of course. I kept him alive as insurance, just in case you had any treachery
of your own in mind,” Lhunara replied. “What, did you imagine I would take you at
your word?”
    For a moment, Malus was speechless, torn between murderous outrage and
grudging admiration. Silar leaned against the rail and chuckled softly, staring
out to sea.
    “We’ll be the death of you yet, my lord,” the young knight said.
     
     
    Scanning, formatting and
proofing by Undead.