Secrets and Guardians: Devious Intentions by H. Chambers (summer beach reads txt) 📖
- Author: H. Chambers
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'Light,' said Penn.
The end of the staff lit up, filling the stairway with light. When Penn reached the bottom there was a long passage in front of him. Ahead there were six large solid oak doors, three on each side. To his right was another passage which went under the forest, the door at the end could not be seen from where Penn was standing. Over the last few weeks Penn had been bringing down the most valuable books and manuscripts for safety. Tonight it was time to take something out of one of the rooms. Approaching the third door on the right, Penn took the ancient ring of keys hanging from his belt. Putting one of the keys in the lock he touched the door with the staff. The key began to turn and the door opened. In the centre of the room stood a small table, against every wall, from floor to ceiling, were boxes and crates. Each was marked with numbers and symbols. Walking to the far end, he touched one of the crates with his staff. The crate began to wiggle itself free from the others. Once free, it floated onto a small table in the centre of the room. Penn carefully lifted the lid and took out the black pouch. Tying it to his belt, he walked back out of the room. The crate did not return to its place against the wall. What it had held for centuries would not been returned. Shrinking down, it began to glow, then in a bright flash of light and whiff of smoke, it disappeared.
After locking the door the same way he had opened it, Penn walked back to the bottom of the stone stairs. A low, hardly audible noise came from the corridor which was now to his left. He stopped and listened, nothing. He waited and waited, satisfied there was no immediate danger he headed back up into the library.
Penn was not a wizard, he was a shape shifter. He could not turn himself into anything as exciting as a dragon or a wolf. He could however change his own appearance when it had been necessary in the past. He had never been that adventurous, usually a change in age, hair colour, different shaped face and nose was enough. When Medrick, in Penn's opinion the greatest wizard that had ever lived, had asked him to become the 'Guardian of Knowledge' he had willingly accepted. Unfortunately he hadn't realised the wizards were about to tear a great hole in the fabric of nature and he was going to be left guarding loads of valuable stuff for centuries. There had been many times he felt like just walking away. The staff which Medrick had given him, kept him alive. It also performed any tasks Penn required to carry out his duties, other than that it remained unresponsive. Penn had long since given up trying to get it to change copper into gold or water into wine.
With the entrance to the stairway safely closed, he sat in the library and waited for morning. Apart from Eldin, no one else knew Penn's plans in the coming battle. Penn had spent so many years lying to cover his identity, he hadn't even noticed Eldin watching him. When Eldin confronted him, he had been fascinated to realise Eldin could just about detect every lie he spoke.
'I'm thirty seven.'
'No you’re not.'
'Thirty eight?'
'No.'
'Forty?'
'No.'
'Much older?' smiled Penn.
Eldin smiled back.
Penn told Eldin everything, it hadn't really been a risk as the staff had always been willing to make people forget. He hadn't made Eldin forget. Eldin was initially disappointed that the staff would not or could not simply destroy Kerdred's army. They had, however, come up with a plan, eventually.
Aharen tried to open his eyes. His eyelashes were caked in blood and he could only manage to see slightly through one of them. It was dark. As he became more conscious he tried to move. Pain engulfed him, his head threatened to explode. He could not feel every inch of his body but what he could feel screamed back at him. Lying still he calmed his mind, accepting the pain. Slowly he began to move his left arm, it was under at least one dead body. Edging it closer, he felt his own thigh. As he moved it up, he felt fur. The Nefkin, he remembered. It had been young, inexperienced and Aharen hadn't made any attempt to protect himself when he lunged straight at its chest. He remembered nothing after that. He wished he had died then, so much less painful than the way he was going to die now. He didn't like the thought of dying amongst all these dead bodies. Aharen smiled to himself, no matter what, he was going to make it to the large oak tree he had seen further down the hill and die there.
Chapter 28
The morning was cold. There was a certain psychological advantage to attacking, the predator verses the prey. Haystack was to the south side of the town, on Hugo. Darius was next to him on Clover. The largest horses were in the front lines ready to lead the charge directly into the enemy. Garth had been given Echo and was in charge of the rest. Archers lined the walls, Glint and Felspar were with them, the last of their fire rockets still in the boxes of straw to keep out the damp. The catapult was ready, a mound of large stones waiting next to it and next to that stood Will and Breaker. Hylaw was walking the parapet checking everyone and everything was ready. Ebblin and Ghale were in the trees with some of the other archers. Bella was in the library, medicines and bandages all laid out. Many of the townsfolk unable to fight had left the night before, those who had stayed armed themselves with anything they could find. Eldin, despite the early hour, was with Thomas heading south, drinking the last bottle of red wine he had brought from Landra. Ben Adhem and the others in the wagon had declined.
'Has anyone seen Princess Amicia this morning?' asked Eldin.
'She's probably riding with the women,' suggested Ben Adhem.
Eldin sat back and was just about to take another sip of wine when he had a terrible thought.
'We need to check, if she's gone back she could ruin everything.'
Hylaw watched as Kerdred's army came into view. He had expected them to come thundering down towards the town in one mass deadly attack. A signal was sent to Darius. They waited. Kerdred's army marched ever closer and closer. Where the road opened out the advancing army began to spread out. Darius could see them clearly now, he could see Kerdred on his prize horse. Haystack also had his attention fixed on Kerdred, he knew Shade would be watching him too. Haystack hadn't seen her since last night, but imagined her on the wall with an arrow just waiting for Kerdred to come in range.
He was wrong, she was not even in Riftdale; she was helping Rona reach a hiding place near the edge of the forest. Gadolin was following Rona's instructions, to remain hidden and protect her from anyone except Kerdred. From his position he could see the backs of the archers hidden in the trees, but very little of the open ground ahead of them.
Kerdred halted the advance and surveyed his enemy, casually leaning forward and stroking the neck of his horse. Next to him was his General, Kilgor; a more ugly man would be hard to find. A scar went from his forehead, under a patch where his left eye had once been and down across his cheek. Another scar on the right had healed badly, the skin was taught around it, pulling the side of his mouth down. He had few teeth and most of them were broken. There were many more unseen scars on his body and his left hand was missing two fingers. Kilgor had been good looking in his youth, it was his years of loyalty to Kerdred that had left him like this.
'How many men are in the forest?' asked Kerdred.
'Forty.'
Kilgor's mouth twitched as he replied. There were very few things that frightened him; tree demons was one of them. He had sent the men into the forest with dogs and more importantly torches. They were under strict instructions, anything that moved that was not made of flesh and blood was to be set on fire. Kilgor had wanted the torches already lit, but eventually conceded that would probably be a bit hazardous.
Kerdred smiled across at him.
'I think I'm going to enjoy this.'
Kilgor half smiled back. He still thought Kerdred was wrong not to use the Nefkins to get into Riftdale. His obsession to have Shade and the old hag captured alive was affecting his judgement. It was true that once over the walls the Nefkins would kill anyone and everyone regardless of whether they were old, young, male, female, armed, unarmed, but it would be so much quicker. To be on the safe side Kilgor had told his men not to kill any women.
Haystack sat looking relaxed on Hugo. Hugo had his head down and was munching on some grass.
'I wish he'd hurry up,' said Darius who's nerves were beginning to get the better of him.
A single arrow rose into the sky landing harmlessly in front of the gates. Kerdred's men attacked.
Hylaw watched as hundreds of mounted soldiers charged down towards the town. Turning to Glint and Felspar he held his hand up.
'Wait.'
Arrows began reaching the walls. They would soon be in range of Darius.
'Now!' shouted Hylaw.
Glint and Felspar lit the three fire rockets. The rockets shot across over the heads of the oncoming riders and exploded into the second wave of mounted riders waiting to charge. Will and Breaker began loading and firing the catapult as quickly as they could, the rocks crashing into the panicked men and horses below. Without looking to see how much damage they had caused Hylaw signalled to the archers on the wall. Ghale and Ebblin and the other archers hidden in the trees did the same.
'Knock. Aim. Loose,' screamed Hylaw.
Arrows filled the sky raining down on the first wave of Kerdred’s men.
Darius and Haystack led the charge of three hundred men. Curving around and cutting behind the now doomed soldiers. Garth's men, on the smaller faster horses held their ground, killing any who made it that far. The shock from the explosions had given them an advantage. Many of the second wave of fighters had been killed or badly injured. But that advantage wouldn't last long. Darius and half of the men were now hacking their way through any of those that had survived the explosions. Haystack and the other half of the men focused on those corralled in front of the wall.
It was not long before Haystack joined forces again with Darius. More of Kerdred's men were now pushing forward in a third wave, Kerdred was amongst them. Haystack noticed Darius was desperately trying to reach Kerdred. Kerdred could see what was happening, personally removing Darius's head from his shoulders would give him great pleasure. Kicking Mace into action, he headed directly for the white horse. Haystack saw Darius reach Kerdred, their horses dancing around each other as they fought. Darius's sword skills were superb. The horse he was riding had strength, agility and confidence. They worked well together. But Kerdred and Mace were equal to everything Darius threw at him.
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