Read Online Dawn of Wonder (The Wakening Book 1) by Jonathan Renshaw - Free Book Online
Authors: Jonathan Renshaw
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taking
charge. The group swelled as more riders cantered up from the dark streets.
Nulty returned and called to Aedan. “Listen, my boy,
there’s something that I wanted to be clear about. You happened to mention an
odd detail – that Dresbourn was showing Quin his ancestral scroll when you
walked into his office. Are you sure about that?”
“I think so. I’ve seen it once before when Kalry
showed me.”
“Listen to me,” Nulty said, leaning forward. “If
what you suspect and what I suspect line up …” the little man gripped his whiskers
and his face turned bright red. “Try not to leave her alone, Aedan. Make sure
she stays safe.”
“Who? Kalry?”
“Yes, of course Kalry! Who else?”
“But –”
“No time now. Just stay with her, Aedan.”
With that he dashed into his store and, after a tremendous
commotion, re-emerged, armed with a representative of almost every conceivable
weapon strapped somewhere to his rotund form. He clinked with chain-mail,
blades, clubs, a bow, and even a great oval shield that hung on his back,
making him look like a large tottering tortoise. He had managed to find a pair
of boots but he still wore his night gown under the many belts and straps.
There were one or two smiles as he emerged
jingling with every step and heaved himself onto his horse. It took some of the
attention off Aedan who had been hovering, waiting for a moment when he could
scramble onto his pony’s back unobserved. He saw his chance, leapt at the
saddle, and clawed his way up.
Sheriff Lanor began to speak. He was a hard-looking
man with a loud voice that commanded instant silence. “Thank you all for joining
us. There is little more to be said than what you have already been told. The
slaver threat appears to be real this time, and the ploy is a devilishly
cunning one. If we are not quick, Badgerfields may be empty by the time we
arrive, every single person there bound for Lekran slave ports. Keep your
weapons at the ready; these are not principled men. If you intend to show mercy
then it would be better that you stayed at home.”
He rose in his stirrups and cast a fierce stare
over the gathered men. He meant what he said. Only Kalry looked away. Lanor
finished his inspection, satisfied. “If anyone lacks a weapon,” he concluded, “speak
to Nulty.”
Most of the men laughed as they moved off. The
party, now numbering about fifty, thundered through the gates that Beagan swung
open while staring with wide eyes. They left the town and began devouring the
miles to Badgerfields. The mist had risen slightly, so Lanor chose to keep to
the main road where he could set a bold pace.
Aedan rode at the back with Kalry and Nulty. In
spite of the painful thumping of the crossbow, his thoughts were elsewhere, turning
on possibilities as he tried to imagine various situations. The hasty meal had
done him much good and he felt stronger, yet there was an uncomfortable nagging
at the back of his thoughts.
What if he was wrong? Could he be wrong? Nulty had
obviously repeated the tale to the sheriff with a lot more certainty than was
due mere suspicions. The little man had taken a big risk trusting Aedan’s
conclusion. So had Kalry. Even Thomas and Dara would be headed for trouble if it
all turned out to be empty imaginings. Was he too young to interfere
with such matters? Should he rather have just silenced his “disrespectful”
thoughts?
Looking at the large party of men roused from
their homes, galloping towards Badgerfields all because of his suspicion, made
him realise just how far he had taken his ideas this time, how high up onto his
roof he had climbed.
And how long the fall.
Gradually, one or two of the horses less
accustomed to such sustained exertion dropped behind. Only a few miles
remained. Night began to fade and a dull grey morning drifted in on a brisk
wind.
They rounded the last bend. Badgerfields came into
view.
Aedan tried to control his runaway breathing and
gripped the pommel to
charge. The group swelled as more riders cantered up from the dark streets.
Nulty returned and called to Aedan. “Listen, my boy,
there’s something that I wanted to be clear about. You happened to mention an
odd detail – that Dresbourn was showing Quin his ancestral scroll when you
walked into his office. Are you sure about that?”
“I think so. I’ve seen it once before when Kalry
showed me.”
“Listen to me,” Nulty said, leaning forward. “If
what you suspect and what I suspect line up …” the little man gripped his whiskers
and his face turned bright red. “Try not to leave her alone, Aedan. Make sure
she stays safe.”
“Who? Kalry?”
“Yes, of course Kalry! Who else?”
“But –”
“No time now. Just stay with her, Aedan.”
With that he dashed into his store and, after a tremendous
commotion, re-emerged, armed with a representative of almost every conceivable
weapon strapped somewhere to his rotund form. He clinked with chain-mail,
blades, clubs, a bow, and even a great oval shield that hung on his back,
making him look like a large tottering tortoise. He had managed to find a pair
of boots but he still wore his night gown under the many belts and straps.
There were one or two smiles as he emerged
jingling with every step and heaved himself onto his horse. It took some of the
attention off Aedan who had been hovering, waiting for a moment when he could
scramble onto his pony’s back unobserved. He saw his chance, leapt at the
saddle, and clawed his way up.
Sheriff Lanor began to speak. He was a hard-looking
man with a loud voice that commanded instant silence. “Thank you all for joining
us. There is little more to be said than what you have already been told. The
slaver threat appears to be real this time, and the ploy is a devilishly
cunning one. If we are not quick, Badgerfields may be empty by the time we
arrive, every single person there bound for Lekran slave ports. Keep your
weapons at the ready; these are not principled men. If you intend to show mercy
then it would be better that you stayed at home.”
He rose in his stirrups and cast a fierce stare
over the gathered men. He meant what he said. Only Kalry looked away. Lanor
finished his inspection, satisfied. “If anyone lacks a weapon,” he concluded, “speak
to Nulty.”
Most of the men laughed as they moved off. The
party, now numbering about fifty, thundered through the gates that Beagan swung
open while staring with wide eyes. They left the town and began devouring the
miles to Badgerfields. The mist had risen slightly, so Lanor chose to keep to
the main road where he could set a bold pace.
Aedan rode at the back with Kalry and Nulty. In
spite of the painful thumping of the crossbow, his thoughts were elsewhere, turning
on possibilities as he tried to imagine various situations. The hasty meal had
done him much good and he felt stronger, yet there was an uncomfortable nagging
at the back of his thoughts.
What if he was wrong? Could he be wrong? Nulty had
obviously repeated the tale to the sheriff with a lot more certainty than was
due mere suspicions. The little man had taken a big risk trusting Aedan’s
conclusion. So had Kalry. Even Thomas and Dara would be headed for trouble if it
all turned out to be empty imaginings. Was he too young to interfere
with such matters? Should he rather have just silenced his “disrespectful”
thoughts?
Looking at the large party of men roused from
their homes, galloping towards Badgerfields all because of his suspicion, made
him realise just how far he had taken his ideas this time, how high up onto his
roof he had climbed.
And how long the fall.
Gradually, one or two of the horses less
accustomed to such sustained exertion dropped behind. Only a few miles
remained. Night began to fade and a dull grey morning drifted in on a brisk
wind.
They rounded the last bend. Badgerfields came into
view.
Aedan tried to control his runaway breathing and
gripped the pommel to
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