Read Online Legon Awakening: Book One in the Legon Series by Nicholas Taylor - Free Book Online Page B

deal?”
Keither said in a defiant voice.
    “Are you sure there’s no one here? Did you look
around before you walked across the field? No, I don’t think so.
Legon and I walked straight to our targets and moved them. You were
walking along the row of targets. What if you got hit?”
    “Blah blah blah. You worry too much. Nothing could
have happened.” Keither waved his arms lazily.
    It was true. The field was still empty, but Kovos’
anger was warranted because Keither never took the time to think
about what he was doing. Once he had walked onto the field while
others were shooting and a stray arrow had only been missed him by
a hair’s breadth.
    “Well, look before you do that again, ok?” Kovos said
imploringly.
    Keither didn’t answer him but gave a “Harrumph.”
    * * * * *
    Legon shook his head and took his place next to
Sasha. They all pulled back their strings and shot another volley.
The arrows hissed down the field again and this time they only
heard Sasha’s hit the target. Both Legon’s and Kovos’ arrows hit
their mark, but they were too far away to hear. Legon spoke to
Kovos as he knocked his next arrow.
    “So do you still think you want to leave town with
me?” After saying this he fired again, hitting the target in the
center.
    “I’m not sure. It’s a big decision, and I know I’ll
have to leave Salmont, but I’m not sure if I know enough yet, you
know?” said Kovos after a shot.
    “Yeah, I know what you mean, but you’re pretty good.
You know enough to make a go on your own.”
    “Yeah I’m sure I’ll end up going, but I don’t much
feel like leaving and striking out on my own. I wish there was
enough in Salmont to support two blacksmiths.”
    “And two butchers,” said Legon flatly.
    “Why can’t you both stay here?” asked Keither,
puzzled. Kovos lowered his bow and stared incredulously at him.
    Legon responded in a patient voice, “Because we have
to pay taxes and feed ourselves.”
    “Yeah well, why don’t you just say you can’t afford
the taxes?”
    Legon shook his head. “Because they make you a slave
then, Keither. Have you not been living here your whole life?”
    Kovos turned toward Keither and said, knocking an
arrow, “I’m going to shoot him. It’s better we put him out of his
misery now.”
    “Kovos!” Sasha said loudly.
    “No Sash, it’s better this way, trust me,” Kovos
said, giving Sasha a sideward glance.
    “Ha ha, very funny. Can we go home now?” asked
Keither.
    “Go home?” Legon said, surprised. “We’ve shot three
arrows! No, we can’t go home. Come on, Kovos.”
    They continued shooting the targets for awhile, and
after an hour or so they decided to go home. They would have stayed
a bit longer, but Keither had managed to lose most of the arrows
they brought, and Legon and Kovos were forced to walk down the
field to get their arrows every five or six shots. The arrows
Keither shot were gone forever. They were on the field somewhere,
but the field was large and people were starting to show up to
practice, and Legon and Kovos were not excited about becoming a
human quiver while trying to find the arrows.
    They made it back to Kovos’ house in time for lunch
and they spent much of the afternoon there talking and having a
good time. After a few hours Legon and Sasha decided to start for
home. They walked out of the house and headed toward the edge of
town. They would often skirt around the town to take more time
getting home and to give them a chance to talk. It felt good to
walk after sitting on a wood bench all afternoon. The sun was
starting to set and the sky was beginning to turn a variety of
colors, the grey clouds taking on hues of pink and lavender. The
valley was soon covered in shadows and they could hear crickets
starting to chirp. Legon noticed that Sasha wasn’t talking
much.
    “Why so quiet, sis?”
    “I don’t know. I guess there’s a lot on my mind,” she
said softly.
    “Well, like what?”
    “Like, what’s