Read Online Magic Astray (The Llandra Saga) by Gregory Mahan - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Gregory Mahan
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really look that young at all—she had nicely rounded hips, well proportioned with her waist and shoulders. Randall found himself mesmerized by the way they swayed back and forth, accented by the tight-fitting leather breeches that she wore. A slow grin tugged at the corners of his lips as he admired her features.
“You really are beautiful, you know,” he said, struck with the sudden realization.
Nia looked back over her shoulder, confused at the sudden statement, before breaking out into a grin of her own and giggling. Randall’s heart skipped a beat as the smile lit up her features. He didn’t understand how he could have ever seen her as a child. She was obviously a beautiful young woman, close to his own age. He found himself wondering if she had a boyfriend.
“I guess you can be glamoured after all,” she said with another giggle. “Come on, we’re almost out of town.”
Randall barely noticed the passage out of town. All he could think about was the girl in front of him. He was content to watch her walk as she led him down one street after another. Before he realized it, he found himself alone with Nia, deep in the forest.
“We can’t stop here,” she warned, tension straining her voice. “They’ll send hunters after us, for sure.”
“Sure, whatever you say,” Randall replied wistfully. “I never noticed those freckles on your nose before.”
“You need to snap out of it,” Nia barked as her right hand lashed out, rocking Randall’s head sideways.
Randall looked at Nia in shock as a slow anger lit a fire in his belly. As his rage grew, a growl escaped his lips and he reached for the ever-present connection to Llandra in his mind.
How dare she , he thought as he drew upon that connection to fill himself with magic. Doesn’t she know what I am? I am a Mage! I can call lightning from the sky and fire from my fingertips. I am the one who destroyed Aiden and broke the reign of terror that the Rooks held over all Tallia. I have changed the face of the world. And what is she? She is nothing! She’s just an insignificant little...
“You’re just a little girl,” Randall whispered hoarsely as the realization struck him. He clamped down on his connection with Llandra, and let the magic ebb. As always, he was filled with a deep melancholy as the power drained away, unused. The power euphoria had never taken him so strongly before, and his hand was shaking as he rubbed the side of his cheek where her blow had landed.
“I’m sorry about that,” Nia said, her voice cracking. “I wasn’t even sure it would work.”
“It’s all right,” Randall replied, his voice equally shaky. “It was...necessary.”
“We have to keep moving,” she pleaded. “I have no idea how long your shield held. They could be right behind us.”
“Right,” Randall said, checking himself over. He still had his elven dagger at his hip, and was comforted to feel the familiar weight of the healing talisman under his tunic. “You know this forest better than I do. Lead the way.”
Nia nodded and set off through a thick tangle of underbrush. It wasn’t the route that Randall would have chosen, as there was no path to follow at all, and the forest was so thick with vegetation that at times their movement was slowed to a crawl. But Randall had to trust that the elf girl knew what she was doing. She had lived in this forest all her life, and he was virtually a stranger to these woods.
After several hours of travel, Randall and Nia pushed into a small clearing. A small lean-to shelter was propped up near one edge, in front of the remains of a campfire that had clearly been cold for a very long time.
“This is my secret place,” Nia explained. “Nobody knows about it. I used to come here as a little girl when I wanted to get away and listen to the forest. We can take a bit of a rest and figure out what we’re going to do next. We’ll probably be safe here for a little while.”
Randall nodded and stepped over
“You really are beautiful, you know,” he said, struck with the sudden realization.
Nia looked back over her shoulder, confused at the sudden statement, before breaking out into a grin of her own and giggling. Randall’s heart skipped a beat as the smile lit up her features. He didn’t understand how he could have ever seen her as a child. She was obviously a beautiful young woman, close to his own age. He found himself wondering if she had a boyfriend.
“I guess you can be glamoured after all,” she said with another giggle. “Come on, we’re almost out of town.”
Randall barely noticed the passage out of town. All he could think about was the girl in front of him. He was content to watch her walk as she led him down one street after another. Before he realized it, he found himself alone with Nia, deep in the forest.
“We can’t stop here,” she warned, tension straining her voice. “They’ll send hunters after us, for sure.”
“Sure, whatever you say,” Randall replied wistfully. “I never noticed those freckles on your nose before.”
“You need to snap out of it,” Nia barked as her right hand lashed out, rocking Randall’s head sideways.
Randall looked at Nia in shock as a slow anger lit a fire in his belly. As his rage grew, a growl escaped his lips and he reached for the ever-present connection to Llandra in his mind.
How dare she , he thought as he drew upon that connection to fill himself with magic. Doesn’t she know what I am? I am a Mage! I can call lightning from the sky and fire from my fingertips. I am the one who destroyed Aiden and broke the reign of terror that the Rooks held over all Tallia. I have changed the face of the world. And what is she? She is nothing! She’s just an insignificant little...
“You’re just a little girl,” Randall whispered hoarsely as the realization struck him. He clamped down on his connection with Llandra, and let the magic ebb. As always, he was filled with a deep melancholy as the power drained away, unused. The power euphoria had never taken him so strongly before, and his hand was shaking as he rubbed the side of his cheek where her blow had landed.
“I’m sorry about that,” Nia said, her voice cracking. “I wasn’t even sure it would work.”
“It’s all right,” Randall replied, his voice equally shaky. “It was...necessary.”
“We have to keep moving,” she pleaded. “I have no idea how long your shield held. They could be right behind us.”
“Right,” Randall said, checking himself over. He still had his elven dagger at his hip, and was comforted to feel the familiar weight of the healing talisman under his tunic. “You know this forest better than I do. Lead the way.”
Nia nodded and set off through a thick tangle of underbrush. It wasn’t the route that Randall would have chosen, as there was no path to follow at all, and the forest was so thick with vegetation that at times their movement was slowed to a crawl. But Randall had to trust that the elf girl knew what she was doing. She had lived in this forest all her life, and he was virtually a stranger to these woods.
After several hours of travel, Randall and Nia pushed into a small clearing. A small lean-to shelter was propped up near one edge, in front of the remains of a campfire that had clearly been cold for a very long time.
“This is my secret place,” Nia explained. “Nobody knows about it. I used to come here as a little girl when I wanted to get away and listen to the forest. We can take a bit of a rest and figure out what we’re going to do next. We’ll probably be safe here for a little while.”
Randall nodded and stepped over
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