Free Final Kingdom by Gilbert L. Morris

palomino, a light cream.
    But there their similarity to horses ended. Rising out of the front quarters of each one, instead of the arching neck and fine head of a horse, was the body of a man. All were deeply muscled, the kind of development she had seen in weight lifters and acrobats back in Oldworld. Every muscle stood out clearly. Most had long hair that whipped back in the breeze. They carried powerful bows and wore quivers of arrows over their backs. Their faces were stern and noble.
    The leader was the strongest-looking of all. The horse part of him was cream colored, and his hair was a rich auburn, slightly curly and tied in the back with a leather thong. His voice boomed, “Who are you, and what is your business in the Land of the Centaurs?”
    The centaurs surrounded the travelers and nocked arrows to their bowstrings.
    Reb stared about and said, “I feel like we’re in the covered-wagon days and the Comanches are surrounding us. Boy, I never seen anything like this!”
    â€œYou ought to like it, Reb,” Dave murmured. “You always loved horses. This is what you should have been—one of these fellas.”
    Glori was holding up both hands in a sign of peace. “Hold your hands up, everyone!” she directed the Sleepers. “We come in peace,” she cried to the centaurs. “These are the Sleepers, sent by Goél to speak with Aramore, your chief.”
    The centaur leader released his bowstring and replaced the arrow in his quiver. He trotted forward and examined them with clear gray eyes. There was a kind of nobility about him as he said, “My name isMoonwise. I am captain of the Armies of the Centaurs. We have heard of the Sleepers. You are the Seven?”
    â€œThe dwarf and I are merely guides,” Glori answered. “These are five of the Sleepers.”
    â€œWhere are the other two?” Moonwise demanded.
    Glori answered slowly, “They have been lost on the way. Victims of the Dark Lord.”
    Moonwise considered her words, then looked into the faces of the newcomers. He moved about slowly, so that he could stare at each one, and each felt the impact of his powerful scrutiny.
    He paused last by Sarah, and his gaze seemed to reach down into her very depths. He said nothing, but Sarah knew that somehow he was aware of her grief.
    Moonwise nodded slowly. “I welcome you to our land. I will take you to Aramore, our chief.”
    â€œMost of us are tired,” Glori said. “Some have been wounded.”
    â€œYou shall not walk,” Moonwise said. He turned to Sarah. “Come, get on my back, and I will bear your burden.”
    Sarah swallowed hard, but determination came to her. She moved to the huge horse-man and looked up at him. He replaced the bow over his shoulder, then bent over to pick her up as if she had no weight at all. He swung her around and onto his wide, strong back, saying gently, “Hold onto me so that you will not fall off. We will not go fast, however.”
    â€œYes, Moonwise,” Sarah whispered. She put her arms around the powerful body and held on tightly.
    The others were selected by the remaining centauri. When one of the black-bodied horse-men came to Beorn, the dwarf shook his head. “Dwarfs do not ride.”
    â€œYou will ride this time,” the centaur said. And he reached down and picked up Beorn. The dwarf seemedshocked at the ease with which the centaur placed him in the center of his back.
    â€œHang on,” the centaur said. “Dwarfs take orders from the centauri in this land.” His blue eyes gleamed. “When I come underground to your home below the earth, then
you
may give the orders. What is your name?”
    â€œBeorn.”
    â€œMy name is Skyfill. Welcome to our country.”
    All were mounted by now, and Reb, who rode a centaur named Clemore, was delighted. “I rode lots of horses,” he said, “but I never had anything like this