Read Online Royal Outlaw: (Royal Outlaw, Book 1) by Kayla Hudson - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Kayla Hudson
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Like the good friend she was, Iyela turned without any sort of command from Mariel. Aracklin’s familiar weight felt good in the girl’s hand as she took in the sight of their attackers.
Large, muscular creatures blocked the road the way they had come. They were at least seven feet tall, with skin the color and texture of pine tree bark. A growling sound issued from their throats in threat as they tightly gripped large clubs.
Darren and Mariel generally believed in the fight technique, but in this particular case with only the two of them against seven full grown, angry ogres, Mariel thought flight would be more appropriate.
“Run!” she cried and Iyela spun back around toward the direction they had been going.
The option for flight disappeared as two more growling ogres stepped out of the forest and onto the trail. The biggest ogre had a red stripe down his left arm to mark him as the leader. Mariel’s ever-observant mind noted that the leader had a strange growl, one that was broken. She realized with growing horror that he was laughing.
Mariel gripped her sword tighter and repositioned herself in the saddle so that she had the best possible balance. Darren backed his horse up until he was level with his daughter, even though they were facing opposite directions.
“Our goal is to make an opening,” he said softly, never taking his eyes off of the ogres. “The moment you see an opening, take advantage of it, I’ll be right behind you.”
“Or in front of me,” she hissed.
Darren did not respond, but braced himself in the saddle and cried, “Charge!”
Iyela jumped toward the two ogres blocking the trail. The unicorn reared up on her hind legs and repeatedly kicked one of the ogres. Mariel held onto the saddle with her free hand, while she wielded Aracklin with the other. The ogre-leader blocked with his club, but the sword took a chunk out of the wood. Mariel’s next swing hacked out another piece of club. The ogre-leader shifted his weight and tried to attack her, but being on a rearing unicorn put Mariel at the same height as the creature.
Iyela continued to pound the other ogre with her powerful, flailing front hooves. Mariel used her sword like an axe, chopping into the wood, as the ogre-leader swung or tried to block her. Each time she struck with her sharp weapon, a large chunk of wood flew off the club.
Behind her, Mariel heard a sharp, pained whinny followed by a loud thud and a cry of anger from Darren, but she could not look over her shoulder to see what had happened. Iyela sent an image of her hooves breaking the other ogre’s thick skull. Mariel shifted her balance and gripped Aracklin with both her hands. As the unicorn came down onto her front legs, Mariel took advantage of the movement and slammed her sword into the ogre-leader’s club with all the force she could muster.
The weakened club snapped in half as Aracklin struck it. The top half spun off and slammed into the ogre-leader’s face. He roared. While the ogre-leader was distracted with the club striking his face, Mariel brought back the sword and struck again.
The sharp edge of the blade drove halfway into the ogre’s thick neck before sticking fast. The ogre howled just before Throvim, the death god, pulled him into his realm. The body tipped backward with Aracklin lodged in the neck. Mariel was thrown off balance and by the time she released the sword it was too late.
As she fell from the saddle, she tucked her chin to her chest and ducked into a rolling position. The moment her body hit the ground she used inertia to keep rolling until her feet were beneath her and she jumped into a standing position. Mariel was not upright for long, as a large fist smashed into her face. She heard the cartilage snap in her nose and felt the pain around her eyes that foreshadowed bruising.
She tumbled off of the trail and into a thorny bush, which tore her clothes and skin. A female ogre towered above Mariel with her club held above her
Large, muscular creatures blocked the road the way they had come. They were at least seven feet tall, with skin the color and texture of pine tree bark. A growling sound issued from their throats in threat as they tightly gripped large clubs.
Darren and Mariel generally believed in the fight technique, but in this particular case with only the two of them against seven full grown, angry ogres, Mariel thought flight would be more appropriate.
“Run!” she cried and Iyela spun back around toward the direction they had been going.
The option for flight disappeared as two more growling ogres stepped out of the forest and onto the trail. The biggest ogre had a red stripe down his left arm to mark him as the leader. Mariel’s ever-observant mind noted that the leader had a strange growl, one that was broken. She realized with growing horror that he was laughing.
Mariel gripped her sword tighter and repositioned herself in the saddle so that she had the best possible balance. Darren backed his horse up until he was level with his daughter, even though they were facing opposite directions.
“Our goal is to make an opening,” he said softly, never taking his eyes off of the ogres. “The moment you see an opening, take advantage of it, I’ll be right behind you.”
“Or in front of me,” she hissed.
Darren did not respond, but braced himself in the saddle and cried, “Charge!”
Iyela jumped toward the two ogres blocking the trail. The unicorn reared up on her hind legs and repeatedly kicked one of the ogres. Mariel held onto the saddle with her free hand, while she wielded Aracklin with the other. The ogre-leader blocked with his club, but the sword took a chunk out of the wood. Mariel’s next swing hacked out another piece of club. The ogre-leader shifted his weight and tried to attack her, but being on a rearing unicorn put Mariel at the same height as the creature.
Iyela continued to pound the other ogre with her powerful, flailing front hooves. Mariel used her sword like an axe, chopping into the wood, as the ogre-leader swung or tried to block her. Each time she struck with her sharp weapon, a large chunk of wood flew off the club.
Behind her, Mariel heard a sharp, pained whinny followed by a loud thud and a cry of anger from Darren, but she could not look over her shoulder to see what had happened. Iyela sent an image of her hooves breaking the other ogre’s thick skull. Mariel shifted her balance and gripped Aracklin with both her hands. As the unicorn came down onto her front legs, Mariel took advantage of the movement and slammed her sword into the ogre-leader’s club with all the force she could muster.
The weakened club snapped in half as Aracklin struck it. The top half spun off and slammed into the ogre-leader’s face. He roared. While the ogre-leader was distracted with the club striking his face, Mariel brought back the sword and struck again.
The sharp edge of the blade drove halfway into the ogre’s thick neck before sticking fast. The ogre howled just before Throvim, the death god, pulled him into his realm. The body tipped backward with Aracklin lodged in the neck. Mariel was thrown off balance and by the time she released the sword it was too late.
As she fell from the saddle, she tucked her chin to her chest and ducked into a rolling position. The moment her body hit the ground she used inertia to keep rolling until her feet were beneath her and she jumped into a standing position. Mariel was not upright for long, as a large fist smashed into her face. She heard the cartilage snap in her nose and felt the pain around her eyes that foreshadowed bruising.
She tumbled off of the trail and into a thorny bush, which tore her clothes and skin. A female ogre towered above Mariel with her club held above her
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