Read Online Knight's End (The Knight Trilogy) by Jami Montgomery - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Jami Montgomery
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if she wanted to return. Jade wished something would appear to her, some sign telling her where to go. She turned around to look for the wolves that had been chasing her and was surprised at what she found.
The majority of the wolf pack had disappeared. Only one was left, quickly catching up to her as Bella started to tire. Jade took a deep breath before screaming as loud as she could. “Somebody help!” She received no reply, but she hadn’t expected to. As Bella slow ed , Jade crashed into a clearing, an almost perfect circle of the forest where all of the trees had been roughly chopped away. She caught sight of a man standing u p as the wolf trailing her jump ed into the clearing behind her.
She entered the forest again on the opposite side of the clearing and started to slow Bella as she realized the wolf was no longer following her. Jade turned Bella around and went back toward the clearing, forcing her horse into a trot. She stopped at the edge of the trees, staying hidden in the shadows.
The man she had seen was standing about fifteen feet away from the wolf. A silver blade shone in the moonlight in his left hand as he circled the grey creature. The wolf had his mouth slightly open, his teeth bared as he contemplated attacking the man. His decision made, the wolf pounced. Jade screamed but realized her fear was misplaced. The wolf ran straight onto the man’s blade, red staining the ground. It was over as quickly as it had started. The man knelt down, wiping his blade clean on the grass, and then stood, staring off into the forest.
After another moment of gazing into the trees, his head lowered and he turned in her direction . Jade hopped down from Bella and cocked her head to the side, studying the man. The trees thinned over the clearing, leaving a n almost perfect circle for the moonlight to filter through. The man before her was tall, muscular, and weary looking. He had a week’s growth of beard on his face and his hair was a tangled mess. His eyes had flashed cobalt blue in the moonlight .
A howl ripped through the quiet of the night and Jade shivered, wondering if the wolves were still after her. She looked at Bella, noticing the way the mare’s eyes widened in fear at the sound. Jade needed someone to look after her, to protect her. Maybe the man before her was the sign she had been waiting for.
With a sigh and a quick straightening of her dress, Jade strode into the clearing.
* *
Aston stared at the woman he’d saved as she walked toward him. She was a petite woman, her head stopping just under his chin. She wore a yellow dress that was torn at the hem, probably from riding through the forest. Her hair was partly up and partly down, tangled with sticks and leaves. Aston would have laughed at her appearance were he sure he didn’t look just as haggard. He stood staring at her, waiting for something to happen, for her to speak or to leave.
Neither human spoke, though their horses seemed relaxed. Sterling, tied to a tree at the far end of the clearing, perked his ears at the appearance of the mare. Bella, in turn, whinnied a hello to the grey stallion. When Aston was sur e the woman wouldn’t speak first, he decided to introduce himself.
“My lady, may I ask what you are doing in the forest at this time of night?” he began. Better to find out who she was before revealing his identity. If she’d heard of his misdeeds, she would run screaming from the clearing and most likely bring him nothing but trouble.
“You may ask , but that does not guarantee I will answer,” she replied , her tone curt.
“I suppose it doesn’t. Very well, be on your way. I won’t stop you.” Aston sat back down on his stump , wanting nothing more than to be left in peace. Richie would be coming the next day , and he intended to wait on his stump until the boy appeared. Having the woman around would only complicate things.
“I ran awa y from my life. Satisfied?” the woman answered, walking her horse further
The majority of the wolf pack had disappeared. Only one was left, quickly catching up to her as Bella started to tire. Jade took a deep breath before screaming as loud as she could. “Somebody help!” She received no reply, but she hadn’t expected to. As Bella slow ed , Jade crashed into a clearing, an almost perfect circle of the forest where all of the trees had been roughly chopped away. She caught sight of a man standing u p as the wolf trailing her jump ed into the clearing behind her.
She entered the forest again on the opposite side of the clearing and started to slow Bella as she realized the wolf was no longer following her. Jade turned Bella around and went back toward the clearing, forcing her horse into a trot. She stopped at the edge of the trees, staying hidden in the shadows.
The man she had seen was standing about fifteen feet away from the wolf. A silver blade shone in the moonlight in his left hand as he circled the grey creature. The wolf had his mouth slightly open, his teeth bared as he contemplated attacking the man. His decision made, the wolf pounced. Jade screamed but realized her fear was misplaced. The wolf ran straight onto the man’s blade, red staining the ground. It was over as quickly as it had started. The man knelt down, wiping his blade clean on the grass, and then stood, staring off into the forest.
After another moment of gazing into the trees, his head lowered and he turned in her direction . Jade hopped down from Bella and cocked her head to the side, studying the man. The trees thinned over the clearing, leaving a n almost perfect circle for the moonlight to filter through. The man before her was tall, muscular, and weary looking. He had a week’s growth of beard on his face and his hair was a tangled mess. His eyes had flashed cobalt blue in the moonlight .
A howl ripped through the quiet of the night and Jade shivered, wondering if the wolves were still after her. She looked at Bella, noticing the way the mare’s eyes widened in fear at the sound. Jade needed someone to look after her, to protect her. Maybe the man before her was the sign she had been waiting for.
With a sigh and a quick straightening of her dress, Jade strode into the clearing.
* *
Aston stared at the woman he’d saved as she walked toward him. She was a petite woman, her head stopping just under his chin. She wore a yellow dress that was torn at the hem, probably from riding through the forest. Her hair was partly up and partly down, tangled with sticks and leaves. Aston would have laughed at her appearance were he sure he didn’t look just as haggard. He stood staring at her, waiting for something to happen, for her to speak or to leave.
Neither human spoke, though their horses seemed relaxed. Sterling, tied to a tree at the far end of the clearing, perked his ears at the appearance of the mare. Bella, in turn, whinnied a hello to the grey stallion. When Aston was sur e the woman wouldn’t speak first, he decided to introduce himself.
“My lady, may I ask what you are doing in the forest at this time of night?” he began. Better to find out who she was before revealing his identity. If she’d heard of his misdeeds, she would run screaming from the clearing and most likely bring him nothing but trouble.
“You may ask , but that does not guarantee I will answer,” she replied , her tone curt.
“I suppose it doesn’t. Very well, be on your way. I won’t stop you.” Aston sat back down on his stump , wanting nothing more than to be left in peace. Richie would be coming the next day , and he intended to wait on his stump until the boy appeared. Having the woman around would only complicate things.
“I ran awa y from my life. Satisfied?” the woman answered, walking her horse further
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