Read Online A Shadow Flame (Book 7) by Jordan Baker - Free Book Online
Authors: Jordan Baker
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day began to fade into darkness.
CHAPTER THREE
The great falls of Rivergate that plunged from the high mountain cliffs loomed up toward the starry night sky overhead as the Maramyrian soldiers filed silently into the dark tunnels. The rushing sound of the waterfall covered the clank of metal and the creak of leather and, with the dragons to guide them in the dark, several hundred, led by Kaleb, made their way from the edge of the forest, then up through the stone passage that led to the city atop the cliffs. The larger force, under Nathas' command, waited in the trees at the base of the stone steps that led up the cliff itself, ready to ascend, with shields at the front of their ranks, prepared for whatever the enemy might throw at them. Once everyone was in position, Storm, and the three young dragons, with Keira and Margo mounted on two of them, flew out over the forest, then up over the cliffs and perched themselves on the mountain ridges above the city, awaiting the signal to attack.
With Ariana atop Borrican's powerful shoulders, he flew as quietly as he could, approaching the city from the east, using the dark, rocky cliffs to obscure his passage, his black scales a shadow against the stars. The guards that stood at the gates and upon the walls only heard a gust of wind as he passed silently overhead, and he flew onward, over the city, toward an inn with a trail of smoke coming from its chimney. Borrican flared his wings, coming almost to a stop, then he shifted his form and the both of them dropped to the ground in the dark stable yard. Horses neighed and stamped at the strange sound but Borrican was careful to silence his predatory dragon thoughts, and within a few moments the beasts were calm once more. With the hoods of their cloaks pulled low around their faces, they walked around to the front of the inn and pushed open the door.
Inside, the tavern was dark, with only a few patrons, sitting quietly in dark corners. Standing at the end of the bar was a guard, whose pale eyes stared at Ariana and Borrican as they walked over to a table and sat down. A few moments later, a woman who Ariana recognized appeared from the kitchen, carrying a plate of food and a mug of ale, which she delivered to a patron at one of the tables. Noticing the new arrivals, she walked over to where they sat, their faces turned away from the glow of an oil lamp that hung nearby, and instead of the lively greeting that Ariana remembered, Milli simply sighed and stared straight ahead when she spoke.
"It's a might bit late," she said, repeating words she had said countless times before. "Will you be eatin' or drinkin' or both? I suppose you would like a room as well."
"I am Edward, and this is my wife, Katie," Borrican said, giving the woman the names Ariana had told him. "Is it true that you run a discreet business?"
Milli looked confused for a moment, then her eyes lit up with excitement. She leaned forward and took a closer look at Borrican, and her face fell with disappointment when she found that she did not recognize him.
"Is there something wrong?" Borrican asked.
"No, no," Milli said glumly. "I thought you was someone else, is all."
"Who might you think we would be?" Ariana asked, leaning forward, looking up at the innkeeper from underneath the hood of her cloak.
Milli's eyes went wide, and she smiled but she quickly dropped her grin when Ariana put her fingers to her lips.
"I run a very discreet establishment," she said, doing her best to hide her excitement. "And it isn't easy with them foul soldiers everywhere, stinkin' up the place, at the bar, at the top of the stairs, and even one in the cellar, if you can believe that."
Ariana cursed inwardly that the only passages she knew were all guarded, for they had hoped to get as many of their soldiers into the city as they could before the alarm was raised.
"That is truly unfortunate," Borrican said.
"You're tellin' me," Milli said. "And they stink to the heavens. I'm
CHAPTER THREE
The great falls of Rivergate that plunged from the high mountain cliffs loomed up toward the starry night sky overhead as the Maramyrian soldiers filed silently into the dark tunnels. The rushing sound of the waterfall covered the clank of metal and the creak of leather and, with the dragons to guide them in the dark, several hundred, led by Kaleb, made their way from the edge of the forest, then up through the stone passage that led to the city atop the cliffs. The larger force, under Nathas' command, waited in the trees at the base of the stone steps that led up the cliff itself, ready to ascend, with shields at the front of their ranks, prepared for whatever the enemy might throw at them. Once everyone was in position, Storm, and the three young dragons, with Keira and Margo mounted on two of them, flew out over the forest, then up over the cliffs and perched themselves on the mountain ridges above the city, awaiting the signal to attack.
With Ariana atop Borrican's powerful shoulders, he flew as quietly as he could, approaching the city from the east, using the dark, rocky cliffs to obscure his passage, his black scales a shadow against the stars. The guards that stood at the gates and upon the walls only heard a gust of wind as he passed silently overhead, and he flew onward, over the city, toward an inn with a trail of smoke coming from its chimney. Borrican flared his wings, coming almost to a stop, then he shifted his form and the both of them dropped to the ground in the dark stable yard. Horses neighed and stamped at the strange sound but Borrican was careful to silence his predatory dragon thoughts, and within a few moments the beasts were calm once more. With the hoods of their cloaks pulled low around their faces, they walked around to the front of the inn and pushed open the door.
Inside, the tavern was dark, with only a few patrons, sitting quietly in dark corners. Standing at the end of the bar was a guard, whose pale eyes stared at Ariana and Borrican as they walked over to a table and sat down. A few moments later, a woman who Ariana recognized appeared from the kitchen, carrying a plate of food and a mug of ale, which she delivered to a patron at one of the tables. Noticing the new arrivals, she walked over to where they sat, their faces turned away from the glow of an oil lamp that hung nearby, and instead of the lively greeting that Ariana remembered, Milli simply sighed and stared straight ahead when she spoke.
"It's a might bit late," she said, repeating words she had said countless times before. "Will you be eatin' or drinkin' or both? I suppose you would like a room as well."
"I am Edward, and this is my wife, Katie," Borrican said, giving the woman the names Ariana had told him. "Is it true that you run a discreet business?"
Milli looked confused for a moment, then her eyes lit up with excitement. She leaned forward and took a closer look at Borrican, and her face fell with disappointment when she found that she did not recognize him.
"Is there something wrong?" Borrican asked.
"No, no," Milli said glumly. "I thought you was someone else, is all."
"Who might you think we would be?" Ariana asked, leaning forward, looking up at the innkeeper from underneath the hood of her cloak.
Milli's eyes went wide, and she smiled but she quickly dropped her grin when Ariana put her fingers to her lips.
"I run a very discreet establishment," she said, doing her best to hide her excitement. "And it isn't easy with them foul soldiers everywhere, stinkin' up the place, at the bar, at the top of the stairs, and even one in the cellar, if you can believe that."
Ariana cursed inwardly that the only passages she knew were all guarded, for they had hoped to get as many of their soldiers into the city as they could before the alarm was raised.
"That is truly unfortunate," Borrican said.
"You're tellin' me," Milli said. "And they stink to the heavens. I'm
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