Read Online Island Shifters: Book 03 - An Oath of the Children by Valerie Zambito - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Valerie Zambito
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King’s Horses Stable. The harassed looking stable owner appeared as soon as they rode into his yard, waving his hands, and insisting to Gregor that he was full and could not accept any more horses. When the Saber told him who the request was for, the owner’s face blanched and he bellowed out for his two young grooms. After a bit of juggling in the stalls, room was made available for their mounts and the anxious owner steadfastly refused payment of any kind.
On foot now, Maks drew in close to his side and Kellan ran his fingers through the white fur. Blue eyes, identical to his own, peered up at him.
I know you do not like the crowds, Prince.
No. Most earthshifters do not.
Let us see what these Ellvinians are about then and leave as quickly as we can.
My thoughts exactly.
Kirby Nash, accompanied by Mayor Lars Kingsley and a dozen Iserlohn soldiers, reached them just before the docks. Kellan had met the mayor several times in the past, and he seemed to grow a bit wider with every visit, the vest around his ample belly hard pressed to stay buttoned.
Kellan nodded to the mayor in greeting. “Mayor Kingsley.”
The man wrung a black hat in his hands nervously as he knelt. “Your Graces. Thank you for coming so quickly.
“Of course. Please rise.”
Lars lurched to his feet and began to ramble anxiously. “I didn’t know what else to do, Your Grace. I couldn’t find any bodyshifters to get word to you faster, so I sent a messenger and then my own son on horse. I have not given permission for the ships to dock, but I have my doubts now that it was the proper thing to do. I—”
Kellan held up a hand. “Mayor Kingsley. As mayor of Northfort, you have received many ships to the island, and I am sure you followed the correct protocol. What has you so anxious about the Ellvinians?”
“I will let you decide for yourself, Your Grace,” the mayor said and motioned to their group. He led them down another side street and then back to the main cobblestone road that offered an unobstructed view of the endless blue of the Arounda Ocean. “What do you think, Your Grace?”
Kellan’s fist tightened in Maks’ fur coat.
Kane slid into place beside him. “I’m thinking that three hundred soldiers are not going to be enough.”
As usual, Kellan had to agree. He had expected to see two ships, possibly even three, but it was an entire fleet. At least a dozen, three-masted warships that looked as though they could easily hold one hundred men or more on each. Twelve hundred Ellvinians. Over a thousand strangers of whom Kellan knew very little about. His thoughts naturally ran to the fact that if the Ellvinians were here to cause harm, now would be the perfect opportunity with the Savitars off the island.
The mayor scratched his head. “How strange. I seem to remember now inviting the Ellvinians to return to Massa for a visit this week, but cannot for the life of me remember why I would do such a thing.”
Curious now to see these mysterious visitors for himself, Kellan crossed the street and walked up onto the same platform where he stood and saw his parents off less than a week ago.
The ships waited several hundred yards off shore waiting for a signal from the Massans for permission to come ashore. Kellan glanced at the large nautical flag still in its holder on the piling next to him and paused. But, why? His parents were at this moment on their way to the island of Ellvin. An ambassador for the Ellvinians had already been received with positive response, and the mayor himself admitted to inviting the Ellvinians back for this visit. So, why was he hesitating? There was nothing in the actions of the Ellvinians to assume they in any way had ill intentions.
There were just too many of them, Kellan decided, and he could not shake the notion that if waved that flag, he would be inviting an enemy into their midst.
His fingers twitched toward the flag and he wrapped his hand around the pole. Then, a sudden swirling
On foot now, Maks drew in close to his side and Kellan ran his fingers through the white fur. Blue eyes, identical to his own, peered up at him.
I know you do not like the crowds, Prince.
No. Most earthshifters do not.
Let us see what these Ellvinians are about then and leave as quickly as we can.
My thoughts exactly.
Kirby Nash, accompanied by Mayor Lars Kingsley and a dozen Iserlohn soldiers, reached them just before the docks. Kellan had met the mayor several times in the past, and he seemed to grow a bit wider with every visit, the vest around his ample belly hard pressed to stay buttoned.
Kellan nodded to the mayor in greeting. “Mayor Kingsley.”
The man wrung a black hat in his hands nervously as he knelt. “Your Graces. Thank you for coming so quickly.
“Of course. Please rise.”
Lars lurched to his feet and began to ramble anxiously. “I didn’t know what else to do, Your Grace. I couldn’t find any bodyshifters to get word to you faster, so I sent a messenger and then my own son on horse. I have not given permission for the ships to dock, but I have my doubts now that it was the proper thing to do. I—”
Kellan held up a hand. “Mayor Kingsley. As mayor of Northfort, you have received many ships to the island, and I am sure you followed the correct protocol. What has you so anxious about the Ellvinians?”
“I will let you decide for yourself, Your Grace,” the mayor said and motioned to their group. He led them down another side street and then back to the main cobblestone road that offered an unobstructed view of the endless blue of the Arounda Ocean. “What do you think, Your Grace?”
Kellan’s fist tightened in Maks’ fur coat.
Kane slid into place beside him. “I’m thinking that three hundred soldiers are not going to be enough.”
As usual, Kellan had to agree. He had expected to see two ships, possibly even three, but it was an entire fleet. At least a dozen, three-masted warships that looked as though they could easily hold one hundred men or more on each. Twelve hundred Ellvinians. Over a thousand strangers of whom Kellan knew very little about. His thoughts naturally ran to the fact that if the Ellvinians were here to cause harm, now would be the perfect opportunity with the Savitars off the island.
The mayor scratched his head. “How strange. I seem to remember now inviting the Ellvinians to return to Massa for a visit this week, but cannot for the life of me remember why I would do such a thing.”
Curious now to see these mysterious visitors for himself, Kellan crossed the street and walked up onto the same platform where he stood and saw his parents off less than a week ago.
The ships waited several hundred yards off shore waiting for a signal from the Massans for permission to come ashore. Kellan glanced at the large nautical flag still in its holder on the piling next to him and paused. But, why? His parents were at this moment on their way to the island of Ellvin. An ambassador for the Ellvinians had already been received with positive response, and the mayor himself admitted to inviting the Ellvinians back for this visit. So, why was he hesitating? There was nothing in the actions of the Ellvinians to assume they in any way had ill intentions.
There were just too many of them, Kellan decided, and he could not shake the notion that if waved that flag, he would be inviting an enemy into their midst.
His fingers twitched toward the flag and he wrapped his hand around the pole. Then, a sudden swirling
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