Read Online Broken World Book Three - A Land Without Law by T C Southwell - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: T C Southwell
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men
dismounted and strode towards Talsy.
"Stop."
The soft
command made the Arrad warriors halt and stare at the man who had
spoken. Chanter emerged from the gate, sweat sheening his skin.
Compared to the Mujar's wild beauty, the Trueman wizard's feathers
and berry juice-stained skin looked even more foolish and pathetic.
Chanter regarded him curiously as he stopped beside Talsy.
Emboldened by his presence, she jumped up and glared at the
wizard.
"Leave your
horses and go!"
The mage
stared at Chanter as if mesmerised, but shook himself from his
stupor at her words. Unlike Jesher and his people, he had no doubt
as to Chanter's race.
"Mujar!" he
shouted, his face twisted with hate.
"That's
right," Talsy snarled. "A real one!"
"He should be
in a Pit!"
"No, that's
where you should be, Lowman!"
"Do you think
he's going to help you, stupid girl?" The mage gave a cackle of
laughter. "Do you think you're safe now? I have four hundred
warriors at my back, and you have a useless Mujar! He's harmless!"
The man clutched his gut, overcome with laughter. "Everyone knows
that Mujar won't kill! He won't lift a finger to help you. He's
just come to watch!"
"I wouldn't
bet on it," Talsy warned. "He's already taken away your fire. Why
do you think he told your thugs to stop?"
The mage's
laughter died. "Rubbish! I just used it too much, that's all." He
glanced back at the Arrad. "We'll take him to a Pit!"
The men
growled and raised their weapons, but many looked doubtful as they
eyed Chanter. The scrawny mage gestured grandly, sidling away from
the Mujar. "Seize them!"
Several men
started forward, drew rusty weapons or hefted long spears. Chanter
raised his left arm and pointed to the ground before them. A line
of blue fire burst from the soil, cutting off the mage's retreat
and his warriors' advance. The wizard paled and stared at Chanter,
his face slack with dread.
Talsy smiled,
almost able to forget her burns as she cast a glad glance at her
impassive saviour. Kieran groaned and writhed.
The Mujar
looked down at him. "Sleep."
The wizard's
eyes bulged as the Prince relaxed. A knife appeared in his fist,
and he lunged at Talsy. Chanter grabbed her and yanked her back as
a burst of fire exploded in front of the mage. He staggered back,
dropped the knife and pawed at his face with a howl of pain.
Talsy shouted,
"Leave your horses and go, now!"
An Arrad
warrior threw a spear through the wall of flame, but only embers
fell at their feet. The men muttered and the mage backed away,
glancing at the fire that cut off his retreat. Stripped of his
strutting bravado by the real power that Chanter wielded, he
endeavoured to look cowed and servile, but his eyes glittered with
hatred. His act was wasted on Chanter, who cared nothing for
Trueman emotions.
"Let me go,"
he whined, attempting a placating smile.
The Mujar
gestured and the fire died. The mage straightened from his craven
stance and walked back to his men, clutching the tatters of his
dignity along with the remnants of his singed headdress. The Arrad
who had dismounted leapt aboard their horses, and the mage
approached a skinny grey mare.
Talsy stepped
forward. "I said leave the horses!"
The mage swung
into the saddle. "Make us!"
A warrior
threw a spear at the cringing Jorn, but the weapon burst into
flames at a gesture from Chanter, sprinkling the Aggapae with hot
ash. The wizard jerked on his horse's reins, yanking the animal's
head around as he dug sharp spurs into its flanks. Talsy looked at
the Mujar, who frowned.
"Chanter, help
them!" she cried.
The Mujar
tilted his head and closed his eyes. The horses sank to the ground,
their legs folding and heads drooping as if falling asleep. The
Arrad cursed and laid into the beasts with whip and spur, jerking
on cruel bits that bloodied the horses' mouths. Chanter's brows
drew together, and his eyes opened.
"Stop!"
When the men
continued to beat their mounts, Mujar stepped forward and raised
his left hand. His fingers moved to
dismounted and strode towards Talsy.
"Stop."
The soft
command made the Arrad warriors halt and stare at the man who had
spoken. Chanter emerged from the gate, sweat sheening his skin.
Compared to the Mujar's wild beauty, the Trueman wizard's feathers
and berry juice-stained skin looked even more foolish and pathetic.
Chanter regarded him curiously as he stopped beside Talsy.
Emboldened by his presence, she jumped up and glared at the
wizard.
"Leave your
horses and go!"
The mage
stared at Chanter as if mesmerised, but shook himself from his
stupor at her words. Unlike Jesher and his people, he had no doubt
as to Chanter's race.
"Mujar!" he
shouted, his face twisted with hate.
"That's
right," Talsy snarled. "A real one!"
"He should be
in a Pit!"
"No, that's
where you should be, Lowman!"
"Do you think
he's going to help you, stupid girl?" The mage gave a cackle of
laughter. "Do you think you're safe now? I have four hundred
warriors at my back, and you have a useless Mujar! He's harmless!"
The man clutched his gut, overcome with laughter. "Everyone knows
that Mujar won't kill! He won't lift a finger to help you. He's
just come to watch!"
"I wouldn't
bet on it," Talsy warned. "He's already taken away your fire. Why
do you think he told your thugs to stop?"
The mage's
laughter died. "Rubbish! I just used it too much, that's all." He
glanced back at the Arrad. "We'll take him to a Pit!"
The men
growled and raised their weapons, but many looked doubtful as they
eyed Chanter. The scrawny mage gestured grandly, sidling away from
the Mujar. "Seize them!"
Several men
started forward, drew rusty weapons or hefted long spears. Chanter
raised his left arm and pointed to the ground before them. A line
of blue fire burst from the soil, cutting off the mage's retreat
and his warriors' advance. The wizard paled and stared at Chanter,
his face slack with dread.
Talsy smiled,
almost able to forget her burns as she cast a glad glance at her
impassive saviour. Kieran groaned and writhed.
The Mujar
looked down at him. "Sleep."
The wizard's
eyes bulged as the Prince relaxed. A knife appeared in his fist,
and he lunged at Talsy. Chanter grabbed her and yanked her back as
a burst of fire exploded in front of the mage. He staggered back,
dropped the knife and pawed at his face with a howl of pain.
Talsy shouted,
"Leave your horses and go, now!"
An Arrad
warrior threw a spear through the wall of flame, but only embers
fell at their feet. The men muttered and the mage backed away,
glancing at the fire that cut off his retreat. Stripped of his
strutting bravado by the real power that Chanter wielded, he
endeavoured to look cowed and servile, but his eyes glittered with
hatred. His act was wasted on Chanter, who cared nothing for
Trueman emotions.
"Let me go,"
he whined, attempting a placating smile.
The Mujar
gestured and the fire died. The mage straightened from his craven
stance and walked back to his men, clutching the tatters of his
dignity along with the remnants of his singed headdress. The Arrad
who had dismounted leapt aboard their horses, and the mage
approached a skinny grey mare.
Talsy stepped
forward. "I said leave the horses!"
The mage swung
into the saddle. "Make us!"
A warrior
threw a spear at the cringing Jorn, but the weapon burst into
flames at a gesture from Chanter, sprinkling the Aggapae with hot
ash. The wizard jerked on his horse's reins, yanking the animal's
head around as he dug sharp spurs into its flanks. Talsy looked at
the Mujar, who frowned.
"Chanter, help
them!" she cried.
The Mujar
tilted his head and closed his eyes. The horses sank to the ground,
their legs folding and heads drooping as if falling asleep. The
Arrad cursed and laid into the beasts with whip and spur, jerking
on cruel bits that bloodied the horses' mouths. Chanter's brows
drew together, and his eyes opened.
"Stop!"
When the men
continued to beat their mounts, Mujar stepped forward and raised
his left hand. His fingers moved to
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