Read Online Armies of the Silver Mage by Christian Freed - Free Book Online
Authors: Christian Freed
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finished his ale and left his companions with their heads on the table.
Keeping far enough away to stay hidden, Tarren followed the dark stranger down the hall. She didn’t like him or what he was doing here. He’d attracted the worst people in town and they all took a shining to him. Her every instinct told him he was dangerous.
Tarren couldn’t put her finger on it, but Tolis Scarn had a foul air about him. He was evil. All of her senses screamed it. The longer he stayed here the more danger the people of Fel Darrins were in. Tarren stayed in the shadows until she saw the candle light flicker under his door. She eased forward to peak through the key hole.
Scarn stood in the center of the room, his back to the door. A large assortment of knives, swords and daggers lay on the table, confirming her father’s suspicions. She’d been taught not to judge people, but Gilley was right. No honest trader carried so many different weapons. She covered her mouth when he removed his shirt, showing her a body covered by scars both old and new. Tarren decided she’d seen enough and snuck back to the common room to clean up for the night. She didn’t notice the door ease open and Scarn stick his head into the hall. Tolis Scarn smiled and closed the door.
* * *
A dozen thoughts crammed into her head, none of them were good. Her heart cried out so loud Tarren found it impossible to ignore. She was convinced Delin and Fennic were in peril. Trembling, she packed her bag. Tarren knew the stranger would be leaving in the dark before the dawn to hunt down her friends. She’d decided to follow him until he got close enough and rush in to give them warning before it was too late. She loathed the thought of leaving home like a thief in the night. Her parents wouldn’t understand. They’d been upset when Delin and Fennic left. This would set them over the top. Tarren silently prayed her father didn’t do something brash, like follow her. He was the last man she wanted to see hurt.
But the task had to be done. Her friends, her love, were in danger and she was the only one not blinded by Scarn’s charm to realize it. No monster of ill favored man was enough to keep her from the man she loved. She would rescue Delin. Finally done, Tarren went and saddled the pony her father bought her a few years back. She waited for Scarn on the outskirts of town. She didn’t have to wait long. The lanky man eased into the stables and left a few minutes later. Dawn was still far enough off to give him at least a league before anyone noticed him missing.
Scarn was near impossible to see in the perfect darkness. She barely saw him when he rode by. Tarren clicked her pony forward. It was all she could do to keep him in her line of sight. She’d never followed anyone before. Sleep wormed through her. She already wanted to go back to bed. But her loyalties went too deep. She loved Delin almost as much as her father and was willing to sacrifice everything for his safety. She drew a heavy sigh, took a backward glance at her town she’d grown up in and followed Tolis Scarn off into the night and whatever adventures lay beyond. She prayed they didn’t last long.
NINE
Row upon row of wooden houses comprised the majority of Alloenis. There were markets and shops and an overabundance of people crowding the streets. Neither Delin nor Fennic had ever seen the like. It was like stepping into another world. Swindlers and conmen worked the crowds while countless pick pockets bumped into the innocent not savvy enough to know better. Alloenis was the major trade center for western Averon. On a normal day one could see Dwarves bartering with Men, Gnomes and the occasional Elf. Today, however, they found dozens of soldiers in the livery of the king.
That in itself wasn’t surprising. Convoys of supply wagons and mounted companies heading east were a constant sight on the main roads. War was coming and King Maelor wanted to be ready for the long winter. Since
Keeping far enough away to stay hidden, Tarren followed the dark stranger down the hall. She didn’t like him or what he was doing here. He’d attracted the worst people in town and they all took a shining to him. Her every instinct told him he was dangerous.
Tarren couldn’t put her finger on it, but Tolis Scarn had a foul air about him. He was evil. All of her senses screamed it. The longer he stayed here the more danger the people of Fel Darrins were in. Tarren stayed in the shadows until she saw the candle light flicker under his door. She eased forward to peak through the key hole.
Scarn stood in the center of the room, his back to the door. A large assortment of knives, swords and daggers lay on the table, confirming her father’s suspicions. She’d been taught not to judge people, but Gilley was right. No honest trader carried so many different weapons. She covered her mouth when he removed his shirt, showing her a body covered by scars both old and new. Tarren decided she’d seen enough and snuck back to the common room to clean up for the night. She didn’t notice the door ease open and Scarn stick his head into the hall. Tolis Scarn smiled and closed the door.
* * *
A dozen thoughts crammed into her head, none of them were good. Her heart cried out so loud Tarren found it impossible to ignore. She was convinced Delin and Fennic were in peril. Trembling, she packed her bag. Tarren knew the stranger would be leaving in the dark before the dawn to hunt down her friends. She’d decided to follow him until he got close enough and rush in to give them warning before it was too late. She loathed the thought of leaving home like a thief in the night. Her parents wouldn’t understand. They’d been upset when Delin and Fennic left. This would set them over the top. Tarren silently prayed her father didn’t do something brash, like follow her. He was the last man she wanted to see hurt.
But the task had to be done. Her friends, her love, were in danger and she was the only one not blinded by Scarn’s charm to realize it. No monster of ill favored man was enough to keep her from the man she loved. She would rescue Delin. Finally done, Tarren went and saddled the pony her father bought her a few years back. She waited for Scarn on the outskirts of town. She didn’t have to wait long. The lanky man eased into the stables and left a few minutes later. Dawn was still far enough off to give him at least a league before anyone noticed him missing.
Scarn was near impossible to see in the perfect darkness. She barely saw him when he rode by. Tarren clicked her pony forward. It was all she could do to keep him in her line of sight. She’d never followed anyone before. Sleep wormed through her. She already wanted to go back to bed. But her loyalties went too deep. She loved Delin almost as much as her father and was willing to sacrifice everything for his safety. She drew a heavy sigh, took a backward glance at her town she’d grown up in and followed Tolis Scarn off into the night and whatever adventures lay beyond. She prayed they didn’t last long.
NINE
Row upon row of wooden houses comprised the majority of Alloenis. There were markets and shops and an overabundance of people crowding the streets. Neither Delin nor Fennic had ever seen the like. It was like stepping into another world. Swindlers and conmen worked the crowds while countless pick pockets bumped into the innocent not savvy enough to know better. Alloenis was the major trade center for western Averon. On a normal day one could see Dwarves bartering with Men, Gnomes and the occasional Elf. Today, however, they found dozens of soldiers in the livery of the king.
That in itself wasn’t surprising. Convoys of supply wagons and mounted companies heading east were a constant sight on the main roads. War was coming and King Maelor wanted to be ready for the long winter. Since
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