Free The Lost Castle by Michael Pryor

In the dark, the A'ak travelled in armed groups. It was safest. Otherwise, they stayed around a fire.'
    Targesh snorted and thumped his tail on the ground. 'Need more wood.'
    Simangee shrugged. 'We're safe near the cave. Traiths don't like the fumes, and screets have to stay near water.'
    'Traiths? Screets? What are they?' Adalon asked. 'And what else does this book have to tell us?'
    Simangee tilted the book to get more light. 'There is no description of traiths and screets. I think we're supposed to know what they are. Just like the black lurkers the book mentions.'
    'Black lurkers?' Targesh grumbled. He looked at the trees around them with suspicion.
    'This is not altogether a happy valley, then?' Adalon said.
    'It was a refuge, a place of safety, especially once the Lost Castle was built. The beasts were a small price to pay.'
    Adalon studied the far-off towers. 'Let us get there as soon as we can.'

Fifteen
    The next morning, Adalon woke cold and stiff. He climbed out of his bedroll and while he stretched he looked out over the valley.
    Under the blue sky, the vista looked different. Between the mountains it was like a green sea, so thick were the woods. A break in the trees showed that a river did indeed wind its way through the centre of the valley.
    The Lost Castle stood in the middle of it all, grey stone built on grey stone.
    'Beautiful,' Targesh said, nodding a horn in the direction of the castle. He was sitting with his cloak wrapped around him. He had agreed to take the last watch for the night. Adalon guessed he regretted it.
    'A quiet night?' he asked as his friend stood and stretched, tilting his neck shield from side to side. He stamped his feet and thumped his tail on the ground.
    'No traiths, screets, black lurkers.'
    'You kept the fire going well.'
    Targesh snorted and ignored him.
    Simangee rolled over. 'Is it morning?'
    Adalon studied her face. She looked exhausted. 'Yes.'
    'We should go.'
    Despite his concern, Adalon agreed. He itched to be off; he was eager to be moving again, especially with a destination in sight.
    * * *
    It was midmorning when they reached the river.
    'Fresh,' Adalon said. He crouched and scooped up a handful of water. 'Cold, too, straight from the mountains.'
    Targesh stood well back from the river, as if he were worried it was about to reach out and carry him away. Simangee leaned listlessly against a tree, her head drooping.
    Adalon stood on the bank. From the size of the river, he doubted if the valley lacked for water, even in full summer. He could see ducks, cranes and darters happily at home on the river; fish would be plentiful.
    He looked around and saw that Simangee wasn't looking at the river life. She was scraping at a tangle of creeper with a toe-claw.
    'What have you found?' Adalon asked as he joined her.
    'A road.' Simangee knelt and dragged the creeper aside. She revealed flat, well-worked stone. As more creeper was torn away, more stone showed through. 'It leads to the castle.'
    'Your book reveals this, too?'
    Simangee stood. 'The road follows the river. If we keep to it we should find the travelling easier.'
    * * *
    Adalon was cheerful as he walked next to the road. The valley was a pleasant place and it felt good to have grass underfoot after the leagues of rock they had trudged through.
    The forest was rich with oak and beech. Game fled from their approach in numbers that meant the cooking pot would never be empty. Many saur could live here , Adalon thought as a pair of rabbits scampered over a knoll and disappeared. Hundreds .
    It could be a pleasant enough place, he decided. A place to settle, to stay, far away from the troubles of the world.
    He sighed. I can't forget my vow , he thought.
    It troubled him. As he walked, he wondered if he was driven to save Thraag, or to avenge his father. The two blurred. Doing one would achieve the other, but was it right? Were his noble aims just a pretence to cover his rage? He shook his head and wished for simpler