Free Arrows Of Change (Book 1) by Honor Raconteur Page A

to the wall, standing alongside the spellbound
trainees.
    Riana stood in profile to him, knees bent, bow in her left
hand. “Ready, Da?”
    “Ready!” So saying, he raised the bow and fired at her.
    He heard someone gasp on the far end but paid it no heed. He
knew the arrow would never land.
    Riana caught it handily, then she started moving, going at a
slow jog. She raised her bow and fired at him in turn, never stopping.
    Broden was in motion as well, running at the pace she’d set,
and he caught the arrow aimed at his chest with a quick snap of the hand.
Flipping it about in his fingers, he raised it again and fired back at her. As
soon as the arrow left his fingers, he tossed the bow into his opposite hand.
    Catching the arrow with her left hand this time, she flipped
it about and fired before tossing the bow from right to left.
    They did this two more times, firing at each other, catching
the arrow, and then tossing the bow into the opposite hand, fully displaying
that they could not only catch an enemy’s arrow in flight, but could fire with
either hand without a problem. Eventually, they ran out of room and stopped before
they could run into a wall. It was only then that Broden dared to look at his
audience.
    Ash seemed speechless, mouth hanging so low it nearly
scraped the ground. The trainees were gibbering to each other in nonsense, not even
able to form words. Bragdon had his hand under his chin, no doubt to keep it
from dropping open like Ash’s, his eyes narrowed in speculation.
    Only Ashlynn could manage any words. “You. Are. Both.
AMAZING.” She pointed to their bows and then threw her hands up, excitement radiating
from her. “I’ve never seen anyone that can do that. I’ve never even heard of anyone
that can do that! Bragdon. We’ve got to get them to teach your archers. They’d
be far better instructors than whichever slob is doing it now.”
    “That would be me,” Bragdon responded mildly. “But I agree.
Any spare minute that the two of you have, I want you here teaching my men. How
long will it take before their skills are developed to that point?”
    “Years,” Broden replied honestly. He felt flushed and light
with all this praise they were heaping upon him. If they did not quit soon, it’d
likely go straight to his head.
    From that look on Riana’s face, it’d already gone to hers.
    Ashlynn shook her head, a wide smile on her face. “Well. I
was going to suggest sparring for a good hour to get a feel for each other, but
it seems to me that if you two can see it, you can hit it. That’s enough
information for me right now. Broden, let’s go to work instead.”
    “Aye, lass, that be fine. Just give me a moment.” He turned
and started collecting the arrows he’d fired.
    Riana was right there with him, even as she asked Ash, “So,
straight to the wall?”
    “Yes,” he responded. “You’re welcome to fire arrows in a
line to keep me from building it crooked, too.”
    She gave him a wink. “Aye, that I will.”
    Broden stopped a moment and looked at that happy expression
on his daughter’s face. He’d rarely seen her like this—cheerful and glowing,
secure with the people about her. Normally she looked wary, on her guard, and
for good reason. Aye, following Ash down here to Estole was the right decision,
if only to have moments like this.
    Satisfied he’d made a good choice for them both, he put the
last arrow in his quiver and nodded to Ashlynn. “Ready.”
    “Good. Let’s go out into the city, then.”

Chapter Seven
    Ashlynn put her tracking mark on Broden before they left the
castle. She confided cheerily to him that the place was growing so fast even herhead spun from time to time, and she did not want to turn a complete novice
to the city loose without being able to find him again. Broden merely grunted
at her, but was secretly relieved to have the mark.
    The castle alone made his head spin.
    They went out the same door he’d come in, but took a
different path