Free Knights: Book 03 - The Heart of Shadows by Robert E. Keller Page B

failed, and that's all there is to it."
    "And
failed miserably ," said Shennen. "As it always will be."
    Thrake's
face darkened. "As it always will be? So you say, Birlote. But I still
have my life. This body is still strong and capable."
    "Yes,
for the moment," Shennen whispered. He winked at Lannon. His devilish,
bone-white face bore a wicked grin.
      Lannon summoned the Eye of Divinity. Lannon
feared Shennen, but he was also a well-trained Squire and would kill to save
himself if it came to that. Garrin Daggerblood had learned that truth the hard
way.
    "Is
something wrong, Master Shennen?" asked Lannon, though it was clear that
something was very wrong.
    "Nothing
that won't soon be taken care of," Shennen replied, his gaze focused on
Thrake.
    Thrake's
eyes widened and his hand tightened around his axe handle. "What are you
saying? Is that another..." His words trailed off, for Shennen's ghastly
face had already withdrawn from the tent.
    Thrake
waited in silence for a moment, then rose and left.
    ***
    Lannon
lay awake in the tent after everyone else had gone to sleep. He kept the
lantern lit, fearing the dark. Shennen's pale, grinning face kept flashing
through his mind. He wondered how the other Squires could sleep. The four boys
lay side by side and the two girls lay across from them. At one point, Lannon
sent the Eye of Divinity outside the tent to investigate and found to his
relief that Thrake and three other Knights were standing guard. However, he had
no idea when Thrake's shift would end and Shennen would take over.
    But
as the hours slipped past and Lannon checked again to find that the same four
Knights were still standing guard, he began to grow drowsy. He found himself
slipping in and out of sleep.
    Suddenly,
Lannon awoke to discover the interior of the tent in total darkness. Panic
surged through him and he tried to summon the Eye, but something was choking
off his power. He tried to move but found himself paralyzed. He couldn't even
cry out for help.
    And
then a dagger erupted into purple flames, to reveal the bearded face of Thrake
Wolfaxe, who stood over Lannon. Relief flooded through the Squire, for Lannon
was certain Thrake was in the process of rescuing him from some servant of the
Deep Shadow. But a cold shock tore through Lannon as he looked into Thrake's
eyes. The Red Knight's face was twisted with malice, his eyes bearing a purple
hue. His forehead and cheeks seemed scaly.
    "Relax,
Lannon," Thrake whispered. "No one knows I'm here. Three Knights lie
sleeping outside, and the other Squires are hopelessly asleep in here. They
won't awaken to save you. How do I know? Because I made them sleep." He
raised his free hand, which had dark claws protruding from the fingertips, and
a purple fog surrounded it. "I am the Dragon Knight, Lannon."
    Lannon
felt anger at himself along with his panic. He couldn't believe that once again
he was lying helpless in a tent, about to be assassinated. He also felt deep
sorrow and could barely believe Thrake was a puppet of Tharnin.
    "I
have a voice in my head," said Thrake, "that whispers its will. My
life has guidance now and a grand purpose. Oh, and I have the White Flamestone
as well, which I will take to the Blood Legion." Thrake held up the pouch
containing the gem, then tucked it into a pocket of his fur cloak. "But I
hate you so much, Lannon, that I cannot leave without killing you."
    Lannon
had been in this situation before, but this time the sorcery that held him was
too powerful to overcome. He simply couldn't connect to the Eye. The feeling of
helplessness was maddening, the realization that he could only lay there and
watch as Thrake finished him off.
    "This
will be a bitter end for you," said Thrake. He touched the burning blade
to Lannon's throat, and Lannon's skin erupted with agony. "I don't know
why I hate you so much. I hate you even more than that vile Birlote
Shennen."
    Suddenly,
Thrake cried out and stiffened, the dagger pulling away from Lannon's