Free Knight's Valor by Ronald Coleborn Page B

rest of the horde was moving. Many rode horses, others pushed war machines. A multitude of torches were raised to light their path.
    â€œThere’s no way us four can manage that many enemies by ourselves,” said Ellerick, his voice cracking as he looked ahead at High Road.
    â€œNot a crippled rabbit’s chance in a wolf’s den,” added Sendin. “Looks like they’ve rounded up a lot of commonborn folk from the villages as well.”
    â€œYes, and sent their savages to plunder the lands they’ve left behind,” Jerreb said.
    â€œDoubtful they’re aware of that part,” Sendin replied.
    â€œWhat then?” asked Ellerick, when silence crept in.
    Ghendris pointed to the sky. “Look there.”
    The others raised their heads and were greeted by a fearful sight. Formations of winged lizards, Riders of the Dread Order saddled on their backs, were blotting out the stars. A dozen or more broke off from a formation and swooped down within the castle walls, as the others, perhaps thousands in all, continued on a straight path toward Storms Reach.
    â€œAre those dragons?” Ellerick asked.
    â€œNot by the looks of it,” Ghendris replied.
    â€œBut they are lizard things, to be sure,” said Jerreb.
    When the other three men fell silent again, Ellerick said, “So what’s our plan?”
    â€œWe retreat,” said Jerreb.
    â€œAye,” said Sendin.
    â€œA fine idea,” said Ghendris. “A better one would be to seek out the boy who dreams. See what he has to say of all this.”
    All eyes turned to Jerreb as he considered Ghendris’s request. At length he said, “So much for trailing our scent with Ivull dogs. It seems they had other plans all along. Let’s be off, before we’re spotted. We’ll seek the boy.” Then he set his horse south and sprinted down High Road, the others following close behind.

S apient Breen and Princess Redora trudged northwest through the snow toward the dragon star cluster known to the realm as the ascended Ancient Mertrixia. The ground was dimly illuminated by the moon’s glow, but a steady wind threw up swirling curtains of loose snow in front of them, obscuring their vision. Only Mertrixia’s fixed position kept them on course. They had walked since early morning, throughout the afternoon, and into the early part of night, and still they had some miles to go before they would come to the realm’s northern edge. Redora had raised no complaints, but the night frost that settled over them was a trial difficult to bear.
    â€œI’m freezing,” she said, her lips quivering. She had her arms wrapped over her chest, but it did nothing to stave off the cold. “Is there nothing you can do?”
    Sapient Breen had been lost in thought, his mind filled with scenes of battle and contemplation of the conspiracy against the crown, and he had not noticed the chill until Redora broke into his deep reverie. He stopped walking, cleared his mind, and turned to face her. “My apologies, your grace. Such is the way of treachery. It leaves no time to prepare, elst we would have dressed for the weather and packed a nighttime snack.”
    â€œSo then, there is, indeed, nothing you can do.”
    â€œThere is, perhaps, one thing,” he said.
    Redora eyed him warily. “Shadow crafts,” she whispered.
    â€œIndeed,” replied Sapient Breen. He reached out a hand and beckoned her forward. She hesitated a moment, but when a gust of wind sent fresh shivers down her spine, she nodded and stepped toward him. He set his hand on her back, and they began to walk. He waved his free hand, and a translucent bubble enveloped them. The atmosphere inside was warm and quiet, and it kept out the wind.
    â€œIt may be that I will become used to your shadow crafts, Sapient Breen,” Redora said. “I wonder if you might whisk us to the wharf with a conjured spell.”
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