Read Online Heirs of the Fallen: Book 03 - Shadow and Steel by James A. West - Free Book Online
Authors: James A. West
Tags: epic fantasy
Ads: Link
sea-wolf stiffened, resoluteness replacing the panic in his stare. “I’ll never tell, you accursed—”
Rallin’s retort became a short scream when Ulmek thrust the dagger under his kneecap. When he stopped digging, Rallin’s head dropped back. “You cannot break me,” he panted.
“You mistake me,” Ulmek said; Leitos had never heard or seen the man look so serene. “I do not want to ‘break’ you. I want to rescue my men. Surely you understand?”
The sea-wolf held silent, and Ulmek worked the blade deeper into the joint, steel grinding through gristle and sinew. The sound set Leitos’s teeth on edge.
Sweat sprang from the slaver’s pores, and a stink of terror wafted from his skin, an odor Leitos knew all too well from the mines of his childhood. He felt no pity, for men like this had chained his people and countless others, all without a care that most would suffer horribly and eventually die in the hands of Alon’mahk’lar.
When Ulmek canted the blade, prying up Rallin’s kneecap, the man lost control of his bladder. Ulmek’s nose wrinkled in distaste, but he did not relent.
“Tell me how to take the Night Blade , and I will leave you with the ability to walk. Hold your tongue, and….” Ulmek levered the dagger. A hissing screech burst through Rallin’s teeth.
“I do not think my dagger will loosen his tongue,” Ulmek said, and withdrew the blade.
The sea-wolf lay gasping. His rolling eyes found Leitos. “Kill this inbred bastard for me, free those above, and I’ll see that you are safe among my people for the remaining days of your life.”
A shiver of revulsion passed over Leitos’s skin. “You think I would betray my own for the promise of becoming one of you?”
“The Faceless One rewards his followers,” Rallin said.
“The Faceless One seeks to destroy all humankind,” Leitos answered hollowly.
“Lies, boy! Exaggerations and blasphemies, spread by fools. I tell you, we have lives worth living. We serve him, and in return, he rewards us, allows us to sail and take plunder of his enemies—our enemies. Stay with these men, and you’ll be hunted all your days. The Brothers of the Crimson Shield are the true betrayers. Stay with them, and you’ll die by the sword or wither in chains. Side with us, and reap the blessings of our master.”
Leitos said nothing, but he noticed Ulmek’s scrutiny.
“Well, little brother, what will it be?” Ulmek asked. Leitos frowned at the question, spoken as if there was actually a choice. Ulmek dropped his gaze to Leitos’s hand. He had unknowingly drawn his sword. “Will you cut me down and free him?”
“No. Never,” Leitos said. “I … I meant to end his drivel.”
“Then why not do it?”
“Would you stop me?”
“No.” Ulmek stood away with an inviting gesture. “Kill him. He and those like him have preyed upon your people long years, much as they have preyed upon mine. He deserves death. Take your vengeance.”
Rallin looked between them. “Don’t listen, boy. To kill a servant of the Faceless One is a grievous crime.”
Leitos gripped the hilt of his sword, knuckles going white. He stepped forward, eyeing Rallin’s pulse throbbing in his neck. That was where the blade would fall, stilling the Kelren’s lies. In an instant, it would be over. The sword swung above his head, his muscles went tight and hard. In a blink, he could destroy this lying, hateful beast. A blink….
Leitos abruptly lowered the sword, settled back on the soles of his feet. “We need to learn his secrets. Killing him serves nothing.”
“You are learning, little brother,” Ulmek said solemnly.
“A test?” Leitos asked in disbelief.
Ulmek nodded. “Each new day is filled with challenges and obstacles. We learn from them, surmount them, or we do not. To be a Brother of the Crimson Shield is to overcome more often than you fail … and to survive, of course.”
While Leitos considered that, Ulmek reached into the sack at his belt, and
Rallin’s retort became a short scream when Ulmek thrust the dagger under his kneecap. When he stopped digging, Rallin’s head dropped back. “You cannot break me,” he panted.
“You mistake me,” Ulmek said; Leitos had never heard or seen the man look so serene. “I do not want to ‘break’ you. I want to rescue my men. Surely you understand?”
The sea-wolf held silent, and Ulmek worked the blade deeper into the joint, steel grinding through gristle and sinew. The sound set Leitos’s teeth on edge.
Sweat sprang from the slaver’s pores, and a stink of terror wafted from his skin, an odor Leitos knew all too well from the mines of his childhood. He felt no pity, for men like this had chained his people and countless others, all without a care that most would suffer horribly and eventually die in the hands of Alon’mahk’lar.
When Ulmek canted the blade, prying up Rallin’s kneecap, the man lost control of his bladder. Ulmek’s nose wrinkled in distaste, but he did not relent.
“Tell me how to take the Night Blade , and I will leave you with the ability to walk. Hold your tongue, and….” Ulmek levered the dagger. A hissing screech burst through Rallin’s teeth.
“I do not think my dagger will loosen his tongue,” Ulmek said, and withdrew the blade.
The sea-wolf lay gasping. His rolling eyes found Leitos. “Kill this inbred bastard for me, free those above, and I’ll see that you are safe among my people for the remaining days of your life.”
A shiver of revulsion passed over Leitos’s skin. “You think I would betray my own for the promise of becoming one of you?”
“The Faceless One rewards his followers,” Rallin said.
“The Faceless One seeks to destroy all humankind,” Leitos answered hollowly.
“Lies, boy! Exaggerations and blasphemies, spread by fools. I tell you, we have lives worth living. We serve him, and in return, he rewards us, allows us to sail and take plunder of his enemies—our enemies. Stay with these men, and you’ll be hunted all your days. The Brothers of the Crimson Shield are the true betrayers. Stay with them, and you’ll die by the sword or wither in chains. Side with us, and reap the blessings of our master.”
Leitos said nothing, but he noticed Ulmek’s scrutiny.
“Well, little brother, what will it be?” Ulmek asked. Leitos frowned at the question, spoken as if there was actually a choice. Ulmek dropped his gaze to Leitos’s hand. He had unknowingly drawn his sword. “Will you cut me down and free him?”
“No. Never,” Leitos said. “I … I meant to end his drivel.”
“Then why not do it?”
“Would you stop me?”
“No.” Ulmek stood away with an inviting gesture. “Kill him. He and those like him have preyed upon your people long years, much as they have preyed upon mine. He deserves death. Take your vengeance.”
Rallin looked between them. “Don’t listen, boy. To kill a servant of the Faceless One is a grievous crime.”
Leitos gripped the hilt of his sword, knuckles going white. He stepped forward, eyeing Rallin’s pulse throbbing in his neck. That was where the blade would fall, stilling the Kelren’s lies. In an instant, it would be over. The sword swung above his head, his muscles went tight and hard. In a blink, he could destroy this lying, hateful beast. A blink….
Leitos abruptly lowered the sword, settled back on the soles of his feet. “We need to learn his secrets. Killing him serves nothing.”
“You are learning, little brother,” Ulmek said solemnly.
“A test?” Leitos asked in disbelief.
Ulmek nodded. “Each new day is filled with challenges and obstacles. We learn from them, surmount them, or we do not. To be a Brother of the Crimson Shield is to overcome more often than you fail … and to survive, of course.”
While Leitos considered that, Ulmek reached into the sack at his belt, and
Similar Books
