Read Online The Calling (Book 7 of The Blood & Brotherhood Saga) (The Blood and Brotherhood Saga) by Jeremy Laszlo - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Jeremy Laszlo
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keep’s reservoir, or poison it.”
Almost as if they had reached the same conclusion at the same time, Borrik turned to look at Seth, who now looked at him as well. Seth grinned knowingly as Borrik split his maw in a canine smile. They had access to the keep. All they needed to do now was arm the men, supply them, and see for themselves just how much of a fight those defending Drakenhurst would put up.
Chapter Six
Even upon the backs of the world’s finest mounts, it took Garret and his companions a full day to reach the edge of the forest. Weary of riding, with tired and hungry mounts, he led his comrades to the very brink of the forest’s edge and dismounted. Ahead the wide trail vanished beneath the ancient trees that cast a million shadows upon the ground, creating darkness where the sun would never penetrate. Here and there could be heard the flitting of birds amongst the boughs above, and occasionally the scampering of small feet would cause Garret to jerk his head in one direction or another in hopes of catching a glimpse of what it was that dared venture near.
Deciding to make camp at the forest’s edge, just as they had done the first time the three of them had visited, Garret and Zorbin began erecting their tents while Ashton gathered some wood and prepared a fire. Pounding the last stake into the soft, spongy soil, Garret nodded to his dwarven friend who released the tension he held upon the rope and watched as the tent settled into place. Finished with the task, Garret looked again into the deepening gloom of the forest beyond. It was ancient, immense. The reports Zorbin had been given simply said druids in the forest. They had no idea where to locate the encampment, or even where to begin. Their only option was to sweep the forest from one side to the other and hope they stumbled upon the supposed site of this atrocity sooner rather than later. Garret wanted to see for himself what truth the rumors held. Could it be possible that human women’s bellies were filled with the seed of monsters and they now gave birth to the twisted offspring of the beasts?
Rising from the ground, he wiped his hands together and began to shed his armor. If any of Seth’s beasts remained in the forest, he didn’t want to tip them off with the creaking and clanking his every movement made.
As the sun’s final rays were lost beyond the horizon, the edge of the forest became like another world. Insects in a multitude of varieties took to the air, some of them pulsing with light as they sought whatever it was that insects sought. Birds and bats alike took wing, flying in dazzling arrays between the boughs, devouring the insects in near silence. From deeper within the forest, the growls of predators and screams of prey broke the silence from time to time, and Garret realized that he was warmer now than he had been the entire day.
Though winter’s chill had come to bite his realm, making the grass crunch and dusting the ground in snow on more than one occasion, here, beneath the trees, it was as if their tightly woven branches held in the heat. Even the ground seemed oddly warm, blanketed in moss and decaying leaves. Looking towards the darkness beyond the edge of the forest, Garret wondered if it grew warmer still the further you went beneath the ancient trees. Tomorrow, he supposed, would provide him with the answer.
Joining both Ashton and Zorbin near the small fire, Garret seated himself upon the ground, pulling some salted pork and cheese from his pack. Though the healer and the dwarf carried a conversation, Garret heard not their words. Instead, his mind wandered to home. Something about the musty smell of the decaying forest floor reminded him of the crypts, and the cool air on his back spoke of the cool stagnant air down below the earth in Valdadore. He tried to change the direction of his imagination, but he couldn’t help but wonder what Linaya was doing without him. Was she resting? Singing? Did she long for
Almost as if they had reached the same conclusion at the same time, Borrik turned to look at Seth, who now looked at him as well. Seth grinned knowingly as Borrik split his maw in a canine smile. They had access to the keep. All they needed to do now was arm the men, supply them, and see for themselves just how much of a fight those defending Drakenhurst would put up.
Chapter Six
Even upon the backs of the world’s finest mounts, it took Garret and his companions a full day to reach the edge of the forest. Weary of riding, with tired and hungry mounts, he led his comrades to the very brink of the forest’s edge and dismounted. Ahead the wide trail vanished beneath the ancient trees that cast a million shadows upon the ground, creating darkness where the sun would never penetrate. Here and there could be heard the flitting of birds amongst the boughs above, and occasionally the scampering of small feet would cause Garret to jerk his head in one direction or another in hopes of catching a glimpse of what it was that dared venture near.
Deciding to make camp at the forest’s edge, just as they had done the first time the three of them had visited, Garret and Zorbin began erecting their tents while Ashton gathered some wood and prepared a fire. Pounding the last stake into the soft, spongy soil, Garret nodded to his dwarven friend who released the tension he held upon the rope and watched as the tent settled into place. Finished with the task, Garret looked again into the deepening gloom of the forest beyond. It was ancient, immense. The reports Zorbin had been given simply said druids in the forest. They had no idea where to locate the encampment, or even where to begin. Their only option was to sweep the forest from one side to the other and hope they stumbled upon the supposed site of this atrocity sooner rather than later. Garret wanted to see for himself what truth the rumors held. Could it be possible that human women’s bellies were filled with the seed of monsters and they now gave birth to the twisted offspring of the beasts?
Rising from the ground, he wiped his hands together and began to shed his armor. If any of Seth’s beasts remained in the forest, he didn’t want to tip them off with the creaking and clanking his every movement made.
As the sun’s final rays were lost beyond the horizon, the edge of the forest became like another world. Insects in a multitude of varieties took to the air, some of them pulsing with light as they sought whatever it was that insects sought. Birds and bats alike took wing, flying in dazzling arrays between the boughs, devouring the insects in near silence. From deeper within the forest, the growls of predators and screams of prey broke the silence from time to time, and Garret realized that he was warmer now than he had been the entire day.
Though winter’s chill had come to bite his realm, making the grass crunch and dusting the ground in snow on more than one occasion, here, beneath the trees, it was as if their tightly woven branches held in the heat. Even the ground seemed oddly warm, blanketed in moss and decaying leaves. Looking towards the darkness beyond the edge of the forest, Garret wondered if it grew warmer still the further you went beneath the ancient trees. Tomorrow, he supposed, would provide him with the answer.
Joining both Ashton and Zorbin near the small fire, Garret seated himself upon the ground, pulling some salted pork and cheese from his pack. Though the healer and the dwarf carried a conversation, Garret heard not their words. Instead, his mind wandered to home. Something about the musty smell of the decaying forest floor reminded him of the crypts, and the cool air on his back spoke of the cool stagnant air down below the earth in Valdadore. He tried to change the direction of his imagination, but he couldn’t help but wonder what Linaya was doing without him. Was she resting? Singing? Did she long for
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