Read Online Broken World Book Three - A Land Without Law by T C Southwell - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: T C Southwell
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the Starsword, almost falling
face-first into the dirt when it did not budge. He scowled and
tugged at the hilt, grunting and grimacing. His men peered at him,
some standing in their stirrups to see what was preventing their
mage from lifting the weapon. The wizard straightened, shooting a
glare at Talsy, and gestured to one of his men.
"Come and take
this thing."
A man jumped
down from his horse and strode over to try to pick up the sword,
with identical results. The mage looked thoughtful and turned to
Talsy. "It's cursed, right?"
"It can't be
wielded by any other!"
"Ah, well,
then it's useless to me." The mage raised his arms, muttered his
guttural chant and flung his fire at the sword. An explosion
engulfed the weapon, throwing up burning soil that stung Talsy's
skin where it hit her, making her hiss. The blast's heat made her
skin prickle, and ice trickled through her veins again. The
Starsword lay unharmed in a crater of scorched earth, and the
wizard scratched his head, adjusting the crested headdress. He
muttered a curse and turned to Talsy.
"Stand aside,
girl. If I can't destroy the weapon, then killing its wielder will
suffice."
"No!" She
crouched over Kieran. "Leave him be!"
"If you refuse
to move, I'll have to move you. I wouldn't harm a pretty girl, my
men will enjoy you better in one piece. But I'm afraid your lover
must die."
"Chanter!"
Talsy bellowed.
The mage
glanced around, then grinned. "To bad, no one else to play with.
Now get away from him."
"No! Touch me
and you die! Chanter! I need you!"
The mage
laughed and imitated her, calling Chanter's name in a high-pitched
voice. "No one's coming, silly girl, now get away from him!"
Talsy tried to
drag Kieran towards the gate, making him groan. The mage sighed and
rolled his eyes, aping a girlish flounce. Raising a finger, he
giggled and flicked it at her with a hissing whisper. Talsy yelped
as a flash of fire burnt her shoulder, dropped Kieran and clutched
the wound.
The mage
wagged his finger at her. "I told you to leave him. I can kill you
or just make it hurt, what's it to be?"
She renewed
her grip on the Prince. "Try to kill me then!"
The wizard
shook his head with a long-suffering air. "No, no, I can't do that
to a pretty girl. More pain then, eh?"
He raised a
finger again, wagging it as he waggled his painted brows.
The air filled
with the screaming inferno of Crayash. The mage shrieked and leapt
into the air, beating at his clothes. The manifestation of Fire
winked out. The wizard glanced around with a frown, then regained
his composure with an embarrassed cough, straightening his
headdress. Talsy relaxed with a smile, her eyes stinging with tears
of relief. The Arrad controlled their frightened mounts, some
scowling at the mage. They had all assumed that the mage's magic
had gone wrong, it seemed. The wizard glared at Talsy.
"You try my
patience, girl. Even my magic grows impatient."
Talsy's smile
broadened. "Your magic?"
"Of course! Do
you see any other wizards around here?"
"I don't see
any, no."
"Well then."
The mage's eyes darted around again. "At the risk of another such
show of power, I order you to move away from the warrior, now!"
Talsy giggled,
blinking away her tears. "Do your damndest, wizard!"
The man's
painted face mottled with anger. "Well then you'll get burnt, but I
daresay my men will manage. Last chance!"
She shook her
head, and he shouted the guttural words again, making a sweeping
gesture towards Kieran.
Nothing
happened. Talsy's smile widened as the magician gasped, staring at
his hands in disbelief. He glanced around at the Arrad, his eyes
bulging, then tried again. The mage's face went slack with horror
and disbelief. He stared at his hands, shaking his head. Drawing
himself up for a supreme effort, he shouted and waved his arms in
the throwing gesture. His eyes widened in panic, and he made a
mewling sound as he swung to face his followers.
"Seize the
girl! I'll not waste my magic on her!"
Several
face-first into the dirt when it did not budge. He scowled and
tugged at the hilt, grunting and grimacing. His men peered at him,
some standing in their stirrups to see what was preventing their
mage from lifting the weapon. The wizard straightened, shooting a
glare at Talsy, and gestured to one of his men.
"Come and take
this thing."
A man jumped
down from his horse and strode over to try to pick up the sword,
with identical results. The mage looked thoughtful and turned to
Talsy. "It's cursed, right?"
"It can't be
wielded by any other!"
"Ah, well,
then it's useless to me." The mage raised his arms, muttered his
guttural chant and flung his fire at the sword. An explosion
engulfed the weapon, throwing up burning soil that stung Talsy's
skin where it hit her, making her hiss. The blast's heat made her
skin prickle, and ice trickled through her veins again. The
Starsword lay unharmed in a crater of scorched earth, and the
wizard scratched his head, adjusting the crested headdress. He
muttered a curse and turned to Talsy.
"Stand aside,
girl. If I can't destroy the weapon, then killing its wielder will
suffice."
"No!" She
crouched over Kieran. "Leave him be!"
"If you refuse
to move, I'll have to move you. I wouldn't harm a pretty girl, my
men will enjoy you better in one piece. But I'm afraid your lover
must die."
"Chanter!"
Talsy bellowed.
The mage
glanced around, then grinned. "To bad, no one else to play with.
Now get away from him."
"No! Touch me
and you die! Chanter! I need you!"
The mage
laughed and imitated her, calling Chanter's name in a high-pitched
voice. "No one's coming, silly girl, now get away from him!"
Talsy tried to
drag Kieran towards the gate, making him groan. The mage sighed and
rolled his eyes, aping a girlish flounce. Raising a finger, he
giggled and flicked it at her with a hissing whisper. Talsy yelped
as a flash of fire burnt her shoulder, dropped Kieran and clutched
the wound.
The mage
wagged his finger at her. "I told you to leave him. I can kill you
or just make it hurt, what's it to be?"
She renewed
her grip on the Prince. "Try to kill me then!"
The wizard
shook his head with a long-suffering air. "No, no, I can't do that
to a pretty girl. More pain then, eh?"
He raised a
finger again, wagging it as he waggled his painted brows.
The air filled
with the screaming inferno of Crayash. The mage shrieked and leapt
into the air, beating at his clothes. The manifestation of Fire
winked out. The wizard glanced around with a frown, then regained
his composure with an embarrassed cough, straightening his
headdress. Talsy relaxed with a smile, her eyes stinging with tears
of relief. The Arrad controlled their frightened mounts, some
scowling at the mage. They had all assumed that the mage's magic
had gone wrong, it seemed. The wizard glared at Talsy.
"You try my
patience, girl. Even my magic grows impatient."
Talsy's smile
broadened. "Your magic?"
"Of course! Do
you see any other wizards around here?"
"I don't see
any, no."
"Well then."
The mage's eyes darted around again. "At the risk of another such
show of power, I order you to move away from the warrior, now!"
Talsy giggled,
blinking away her tears. "Do your damndest, wizard!"
The man's
painted face mottled with anger. "Well then you'll get burnt, but I
daresay my men will manage. Last chance!"
She shook her
head, and he shouted the guttural words again, making a sweeping
gesture towards Kieran.
Nothing
happened. Talsy's smile widened as the magician gasped, staring at
his hands in disbelief. He glanced around at the Arrad, his eyes
bulging, then tried again. The mage's face went slack with horror
and disbelief. He stared at his hands, shaking his head. Drawing
himself up for a supreme effort, he shouted and waved his arms in
the throwing gesture. His eyes widened in panic, and he made a
mewling sound as he swung to face his followers.
"Seize the
girl! I'll not waste my magic on her!"
Several
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