Free Knights: Legends of Ollanhar by Robert E. Keller Page A

sleeves. He
wore feathered earrings and a red-and-black Vulture feather in his hair. He
also wore a necklace of Vulture beaks and talons. His eyes were dark, his face
somber. He was armed with a long, bone-handled dagger and a bow, but wore no
armor. He nodded to the travelers. "Divine Knights, a long way from
home."
    Galandra was a stocky, red-haired girl with bright green
eyes. She wore extravagant leather armor and bore strange weapons for a
Ranger--a steel slingshot rather than a bow, a blowgun strapped to her back,
and a short steel spear with a guard over the tip that she carried like a
walking stick. "Pleased to meet you," she said. She smiled, but her
eyes were cold and dangerous.
    "Hiring you two cost us a lot of silver," said
Aldreya, "but we trust Saranna's judgment. What are your skills?"
    "I'm a good tracker," said Brakthas. He fell
silent.
    "He's much more than that," said Saranna.
"Brakthas is the best tracker alive, and his knowledge of wilderness
survival is unsurpassed."
    "Then we should be great friends," said Lothrin,
rising to shake Brakthas' hand. "Tracking and wilderness survival are
skills I possess as well."
    Aldreya gazed at Galandra. "What about you?"
    "I can hold my own in a fight," said Galandra.
"I'm all about stealth. I'm also skilled in the use of various
poisons."
    "An assassin?" said Prince Vannas, frowning.
    "I assassinate Goblins," she said. "Why
fight face to face when a single poison dart from the bushes can do the work
for me? But I can fight close range quite well when I need to. This spear isn't
for show."
    "I've heard of you two," said Jace, looking
amused. "We need not bother questioning your skills. Your reputations
extend far beyond this region." He turned to Aldreya. "These are
legendary Rangers--skilled at everything and extremely dangerous fighters. We
were quite lucky to cross paths with them. The price listed on the contracts is
actually a steal for us."
    "A steal?" said Brakthas, raising his eyebrows.
"Perhaps we should have asked for more." He laughed. "I like the
whole dangerous fighters thing though. It makes us sound scary. Are we
scary, Galandra?"
    "Scary as can be," she said, making a claw-like
gesture with her hand. "People quake in terror at the sight of us.
"Okay, maybe not."
    "You're from the Varros Clan, correct?" Jace
asked Brakthas. "You have the look and manner of a Varros warrior."
    Brakthas nodded. "I'm Varros." He nodded to
Galandra. "She's Tolopaz--the red-haired, pale-skinned clan from the Black
Hills." He smiled. "I added that in case you didn't notice her red
hair and pale skin. "We've known each other for a long time. We played
together as children."
    "I used to give you beatings," said Galandra,
winking at him.
    He nodded. "You were a mean little girl. You stole my
fur cloak and threw it in the river. I had to go in icy water to get it."
    She shrugged. "I'm still mean. I enjoy it."
    "So when do we leave?" asked Brakthas. "I'm
really hungry. That fish smells great. Do I have time for some?"
    "Eat your fill," said Aldreya. "But make it
quick. We have a long journey ahead of us."
    Galandra sat down across from Aldreya. "Tell us about
the journey. We already know it's going to be perilous, but give us some
details."
    "I'd like some details too," said Saranna,
sitting down.
    "Me too," said Brakthas. "And some
fish."
    They talked and ate for a while. They learned that the two
Rangers were employed by a rich merchant living nearby, with their main duty
being to guard his estate from bandits. The merchant had reluctantly agreed to
release them from their contracts--for the duration of their journey with the
Knights--out of respect for Dremlock Kingdom. Galandra and Brakthas seemed
simple and likable, with each having a good sense of humor, but there was
something grim or almost sinister about them lying just below the surface.
Their minds were cunning, their wits razor-sharp. Their keen eyes glimpsed
everything, and they knew far more than they revealed. These