Read Online Rise of the Blood Masters (Book 5) by Kristian Alva - Free Book Online
Authors: Kristian Alva
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concentration broke, and he lost contact.
Tallin jumped out of the tree hollow and dashed back among the trees. He scanned the area. Hiding in one spot wouldn’t do him any good. They would find him eventually. If he avoided them long enough, maybe Duskeye could come and pick him up; but the safety of the eggs was the first priority. His only hope was to continue running, until he could get to a safer location. It wasn’t the best plan, but it was the only one he had.
He could see Amandila in his peripheral vision. She was closing in on him from the side. A pool of dark water, smooth like a river stone, appeared in the distance. Tallin sprinted for the water. He would have to get across.
It isn't that wide; could I possibly jump over it?
He wasn’t sure. He pushed off on the mucky shore and leapt. For a second, Tallin thought he was going to make it. Already planning his next steps, Tallin jerked his head down when he felt his feet brush the water. He had misjudged the distance.
He fell backwards into the pool, finding it deeper than he anticipated. The water rose up to his chest. He tried to swim up, but he couldn’t move his feet. Mud sucked at his boots and up his legs until it reached his knees. His legs were stuck, and the more he struggled, the more he sank. Tallin tilted his head back and dirty water rushed into his nose.
Carnesîr’s voice resonated in the distance. “Look over there! There he is!”
Tallin ducked down into the water, trying to pull his boots out of the mud, but his feet were stuck fast. He ducked under again, this time trying to remove his boots altogether, but it was already too late. When he came up to the surface for air, the elves were right behind him. Sucking deep breaths, he heard the elves’ footsteps as they approached. He was trapped like a fly in a spider’s web.
“Strike him down, Amandila. But don’t kill him.” Carnesîr’s voice was icy as he gave the order. Tallin tried to glance behind him, but a burst of searing light exploded in his face. Then something hard struck his temple. Red-hot fire erupted in his skull. His body stiffened, and Tallin collapsed into the brackish water.
His limbs felt hard and inflexible, like bars of iron that had been welded together. Tallin tried to speak, but only gurgling sounds came out. The only thing he could move was his eyes. When he looked up, he saw both elves standing over him. His head throbbed and it was painful even to breathe.
“I’ve got him,” Amandila said. “Do you think he was able to warn anyone?” She dragged Tallin out of the water by his hair.
“I certainly hope not,” Carnesîr replied. “But we’ll know soon enough.” He poked Tallin’s side with his foot. “Is he still breathing?”
“Of course he’s still breathing!” she said tartly. “What do you think? My aim is better than that.” She leaned over Tallin, touching him lightly on the forehead. “I only crippled him. It’s temporary, but I’ll have to carry him out.”
With that, Amandila picked Tallin up and flung him over her shoulder like a sack of turnips. Amandila was lithe and strong; she carried Tallin without assistance.
“Let’s go. I’ll question him back at our camp.” They were still talking when Carnesîr waved his hand over Tallin’s face. After that, the world went dark, and Tallin slept.
Skemtun and Kathir
In the vast caverns of Mount Velik, Skemtun trudged back to his cave, bowed and bent, his knuckles throbbing after a long day’s work. His back ached, and his mind felt like porridge. Sweat, gritty with dust, clung to his clothes and hair in a thick, uncomfortable layer of grime.
He was in a foul mood, and he hadn’t had dinner yet, which made everything feel even worse. He’d spent the entire week mining copper ore with other members of his clan, Marretaela.
On top of his mining job, Skemtun was also a clan leader. While working in the mines sapped his physical
Tallin jumped out of the tree hollow and dashed back among the trees. He scanned the area. Hiding in one spot wouldn’t do him any good. They would find him eventually. If he avoided them long enough, maybe Duskeye could come and pick him up; but the safety of the eggs was the first priority. His only hope was to continue running, until he could get to a safer location. It wasn’t the best plan, but it was the only one he had.
He could see Amandila in his peripheral vision. She was closing in on him from the side. A pool of dark water, smooth like a river stone, appeared in the distance. Tallin sprinted for the water. He would have to get across.
It isn't that wide; could I possibly jump over it?
He wasn’t sure. He pushed off on the mucky shore and leapt. For a second, Tallin thought he was going to make it. Already planning his next steps, Tallin jerked his head down when he felt his feet brush the water. He had misjudged the distance.
He fell backwards into the pool, finding it deeper than he anticipated. The water rose up to his chest. He tried to swim up, but he couldn’t move his feet. Mud sucked at his boots and up his legs until it reached his knees. His legs were stuck, and the more he struggled, the more he sank. Tallin tilted his head back and dirty water rushed into his nose.
Carnesîr’s voice resonated in the distance. “Look over there! There he is!”
Tallin ducked down into the water, trying to pull his boots out of the mud, but his feet were stuck fast. He ducked under again, this time trying to remove his boots altogether, but it was already too late. When he came up to the surface for air, the elves were right behind him. Sucking deep breaths, he heard the elves’ footsteps as they approached. He was trapped like a fly in a spider’s web.
“Strike him down, Amandila. But don’t kill him.” Carnesîr’s voice was icy as he gave the order. Tallin tried to glance behind him, but a burst of searing light exploded in his face. Then something hard struck his temple. Red-hot fire erupted in his skull. His body stiffened, and Tallin collapsed into the brackish water.
His limbs felt hard and inflexible, like bars of iron that had been welded together. Tallin tried to speak, but only gurgling sounds came out. The only thing he could move was his eyes. When he looked up, he saw both elves standing over him. His head throbbed and it was painful even to breathe.
“I’ve got him,” Amandila said. “Do you think he was able to warn anyone?” She dragged Tallin out of the water by his hair.
“I certainly hope not,” Carnesîr replied. “But we’ll know soon enough.” He poked Tallin’s side with his foot. “Is he still breathing?”
“Of course he’s still breathing!” she said tartly. “What do you think? My aim is better than that.” She leaned over Tallin, touching him lightly on the forehead. “I only crippled him. It’s temporary, but I’ll have to carry him out.”
With that, Amandila picked Tallin up and flung him over her shoulder like a sack of turnips. Amandila was lithe and strong; she carried Tallin without assistance.
“Let’s go. I’ll question him back at our camp.” They were still talking when Carnesîr waved his hand over Tallin’s face. After that, the world went dark, and Tallin slept.
Skemtun and Kathir
In the vast caverns of Mount Velik, Skemtun trudged back to his cave, bowed and bent, his knuckles throbbing after a long day’s work. His back ached, and his mind felt like porridge. Sweat, gritty with dust, clung to his clothes and hair in a thick, uncomfortable layer of grime.
He was in a foul mood, and he hadn’t had dinner yet, which made everything feel even worse. He’d spent the entire week mining copper ore with other members of his clan, Marretaela.
On top of his mining job, Skemtun was also a clan leader. While working in the mines sapped his physical
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