Read Online Keeper of the Flame by Bianca D'Arc - Free Book Online

looking around, Hugh decided it would be inadvisable for him to use his flame up here. For one thing, it would alert every gryphon on the cliff to his presence. For another, it could very well start a raging inferno that might burn down half the city. No, this was a job that called for finesse.
    Hugh showed his claws to the assassin. They gleamed ebony in the dark night. Each one a foot long, razor-sharp instrument of pain and death.
    “Leave now and I’ll let you live.” The lady’s voice rang out from beneath Hugh’s right wing. Would the woman never stay where he left her?
    The assassin shook his head. “You know it does not work that way.” His voice was heavily accented in a way Hugh had never heard.
    “So be it.” Finally showing some sense, she ducked behind Hugh’s wing once again, allowing him to shield her as best he could.
    To his credit, the assassin held his position even as Hugh advanced. Closer now, Hugh saw the tattoos on the man’s hands. Eyes. Slitted snake eyes. He’d never seen anything like it before. He had the impression the marks were indications of both his profession and level of skill. Too bad Hugh didn’t know how to read the code. He’d make a point of learning more about it later, after he took care of this threat and got the lady to safety.
    The assassin made a move. A feint to the right though his weapon spun to the left. It was a dart of some kind. Poison, most likely. Hugh wasn’t concerned for his own safety. Unless the little darts had diamond-bladed tips, they would not penetrate dragon scale.
    First one and then two and then a flurry of the little darts flew at him, but they bounced off his hide like so many gnats. The assassin hadn’t counted on that. Hugh could read the anger on his face. Excellent. Anger made a warrior lose focus. An angry warrior was one who made mistakes.
    Sure enough, the assassin’s rage rose until he came at Hugh directly, a dully gleaming sword lashing through the dark sky toward Hugh’s snout. It would bounce off, of course, though if he got lucky and hit his eye he might do some damage.
    Hugh wouldn’t allow the man to get lucky. He was about to step forward and use his claws on the assassin when a dagger sprouted out of the man’s chest.
    Shock replaced the anger on his face as his sword clattered to the rooftop and his hands clutched at the knife in his chest. It had struck his heart, Hugh realized when the man pulled it out and blood gushed. He fell to the floor. Dead.
    Hugh looked around for the source of the dagger. He was a little amazed to see the lady standing at his side, a grim expression on her face as she watched the assassin. A matching dagger was in her hand. Hugh had no doubt she’d been the source of the amazingly accurate shot. At night. In the dark. With only human eyesight to aid her. Or so Hugh thought.
    Maybe she’d used magic to magnify her skill or make the dagger fly true. Hugh had never seen such a thing, but he’d heard stories about mages that could do just that. The question remained—was this woman capable of that kind of magic?
    Or was it possible she was more than human? He didn’t think so. Hugh felt certain he would have noticed if she’d had some other influence in her background. Maybe he was wrong. He’d been wrong before and probably would be again.
    “Nice throw.” He spoke directly into her mind, wondering if she would prove to be one of the rare females who could hear his thoughts when directed at her.
    She jumped a bit and looked at him. “Was that…? Did you…?” She looked uncertain of her own senses.
    “Did I talk in your mind? Yes.” He felt the connection now, a brief meeting of her mind to his. “Unlike your feathered friends, dragon vocal chords are not suited to verbal speech. We speak in this manner with our knights and the few others who can hear us. I’m glad you can. It will make our time together easier.”
    He was impressed. She’d just killed a man and she barely shook.