Read Online The Guardians (Book 2) by Dan O'Sullivan - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Dan O'Sullivan
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several hunting knives in sheaths attached to a leather belt.
‘ Thank you,’ Dale called up quietly and Enri’s head appeared again.
‘ No trouble, Dale,’ said Enri. ‘I suppose it wouldn’t have done for anyone to see you sneaking out armed and with a pack on your back. Aren’t you riding? Where’s Crocodile?’ he asked, referring to Dale’s impossibly protective horse.
‘ He’s down in the stables next to the city gates.’
‘ Dale, I should come with you,’ said Enri uneasily, glancing around the bushes. He stood still for a moment, staring into the trees and then a look of recognition came over his face. ‘Never mind,’ he said abruptly. ‘I’ll see you when you get back.’
Dale gave a wave and disappeared into the early morning gloom. The sky was beginning to lighten as he slipped between the abandoned buildings, making his way towards the city gates. He stopped not far from the stables and listened intently. He could hear and see nothing unusual, but he walked around to the side of the stable, where he was hidden from sight and climbed in the window. His horse was standing quietly in the corner as Dale dropped to the floor.
‘ How are you doing Leon?’ Dale asked quietly, as he rubbed the horse’s neck. Leon gave a little snicker as Dale patted him, and then waited patiently. Dale used his finger to open the horse’s mouth, slipping the bit into position, and then he eased the bridle over each ear. He hesitated for a few seconds as nervousness made him feel like he was being watched. He pushed the uncomfortable feeling aside and turned back to Leon. He checked the cheek straps were sitting comfortably and moved to Leon’s left to buckle the throat lash. He listened again for a moment but could hear nothing unusual. His saddle cloth and saddle were placed exactly where he had left them, so he unhurriedly saddled Leon, then he led him to the back door of the stable, across the road and through the city gates.
As soon as he was through the city gates h e mounted and left the road, disappearing into the southern bush land. The sun rose as he made his way through the trees. He continued steadily south for several miles before stopping. He had come to the place where, months before, he had found a path leading into a very well hidden valley, when King Dannicus had asked him to investigate the possibility of traitors within the Castle garrison. He dismounted and led Leon up the path.
T he path ended unexpectedly and he felt distinctly uneasy as he gazed around at the unfamiliar landscape. To his shock, he heard movement. As quietly as possible he led Leon from the path into the bushes, moving up the side of the valley and taking shelter behind a mound of exposed granite. He settled himself uncomfortably in a crevice and waited. Within minutes a group of people passed. Their white skin was sunburned and their pale eyes squinted as they peered around. They were not moving particularly quickly, but by their smooth strides Dale felt sure they could move a lot faster if they wished to. Each one of them wore the brown leather skirt which had been described by Evan. They wore no clothing on their upper bodies and no shoes on their feet. They passed by without noticing him and he wondered how long he should wait until he followed them, or if he should go further into the valley and investigate where they came from. He sat contemplating this decision for a moment then decided to move further into the valley. He knew Danil was trying to be prepared for an attack at any time, but Dale wanted very much to find out how many of these invaders there were and exactly where they had their base, or as Callian had put it, their nest.
He led Leon from the rocky hillside and moved further into the valley. It was only an hour off sunset when he found the nest. He had almost given up hope and was beginning to look around for a suitable place where he could hide and make cold camp, when he stumbled on a clear set of
‘ Thank you,’ Dale called up quietly and Enri’s head appeared again.
‘ No trouble, Dale,’ said Enri. ‘I suppose it wouldn’t have done for anyone to see you sneaking out armed and with a pack on your back. Aren’t you riding? Where’s Crocodile?’ he asked, referring to Dale’s impossibly protective horse.
‘ He’s down in the stables next to the city gates.’
‘ Dale, I should come with you,’ said Enri uneasily, glancing around the bushes. He stood still for a moment, staring into the trees and then a look of recognition came over his face. ‘Never mind,’ he said abruptly. ‘I’ll see you when you get back.’
Dale gave a wave and disappeared into the early morning gloom. The sky was beginning to lighten as he slipped between the abandoned buildings, making his way towards the city gates. He stopped not far from the stables and listened intently. He could hear and see nothing unusual, but he walked around to the side of the stable, where he was hidden from sight and climbed in the window. His horse was standing quietly in the corner as Dale dropped to the floor.
‘ How are you doing Leon?’ Dale asked quietly, as he rubbed the horse’s neck. Leon gave a little snicker as Dale patted him, and then waited patiently. Dale used his finger to open the horse’s mouth, slipping the bit into position, and then he eased the bridle over each ear. He hesitated for a few seconds as nervousness made him feel like he was being watched. He pushed the uncomfortable feeling aside and turned back to Leon. He checked the cheek straps were sitting comfortably and moved to Leon’s left to buckle the throat lash. He listened again for a moment but could hear nothing unusual. His saddle cloth and saddle were placed exactly where he had left them, so he unhurriedly saddled Leon, then he led him to the back door of the stable, across the road and through the city gates.
As soon as he was through the city gates h e mounted and left the road, disappearing into the southern bush land. The sun rose as he made his way through the trees. He continued steadily south for several miles before stopping. He had come to the place where, months before, he had found a path leading into a very well hidden valley, when King Dannicus had asked him to investigate the possibility of traitors within the Castle garrison. He dismounted and led Leon up the path.
T he path ended unexpectedly and he felt distinctly uneasy as he gazed around at the unfamiliar landscape. To his shock, he heard movement. As quietly as possible he led Leon from the path into the bushes, moving up the side of the valley and taking shelter behind a mound of exposed granite. He settled himself uncomfortably in a crevice and waited. Within minutes a group of people passed. Their white skin was sunburned and their pale eyes squinted as they peered around. They were not moving particularly quickly, but by their smooth strides Dale felt sure they could move a lot faster if they wished to. Each one of them wore the brown leather skirt which had been described by Evan. They wore no clothing on their upper bodies and no shoes on their feet. They passed by without noticing him and he wondered how long he should wait until he followed them, or if he should go further into the valley and investigate where they came from. He sat contemplating this decision for a moment then decided to move further into the valley. He knew Danil was trying to be prepared for an attack at any time, but Dale wanted very much to find out how many of these invaders there were and exactly where they had their base, or as Callian had put it, their nest.
He led Leon from the rocky hillside and moved further into the valley. It was only an hour off sunset when he found the nest. He had almost given up hope and was beginning to look around for a suitable place where he could hide and make cold camp, when he stumbled on a clear set of
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