Read Online The Quest (The Sons of Camelot Book 2) by Kim Dragoner - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Kim Dragoner
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bad idea because he is a skilled Knight of the Round Table, one who has raised this horse from it was a weanling; yet you want to return such a degree of control over the animal to him that he could easily escape? In addition, don’t you think he’s been tremendously cooperative up until now? Why do you suppose that is?”
“Why, I’d think he’s accepted the fact that he’s outnumbered.”
“I supposed so but if that were the case, wouldn’t he be most likely then to keep an eye out for the slightest opportunity to escape us?”
“I suppose that would also be true. Where exactly are you going with this?”
Before the answer could come from his brother’s lips, Dunmor heard the sound of Jofrit crying out from over his shoulder. He turned just in time to see the knight grab a firm hold of the reins and kick the horse into motion with one smooth movement.
Before Dunmor could even sound the alarm, Jofrit had laid flat against the stallion’s neck and Guerrero had reared up on his hind legs causing every man around him to scamper out of harm’s way. In a flash, both horse and rider were clambering up the valley wall toward the plain above in an effort to make a quick getaway from the band of brigands.
By the time Dunmor and three of his brothers were saddled up and riding after them, Jofrit and Guerrero were nowhere in sight.
***
Merlin’s story cast a spell of silence over them all. For a very long time, there was no sound, but those of the horses cropping grass and swatting flies, the birds and the squirrels. Each of them allowed their minds to wander off in a variety of directions as they soaked in the quiet peace of their surroundings and the mystical tale that Merlin had just spun for them. They ate their midday meal in Gretna Green and then packed up their things to continue their trek northward.
“Is there any word on my father?” John asked once they were mounted. He’d chosen to ride beside Merlin so that he could ask some questions, mostly. He also wanted to avoid any possible conflict with Alpina, though she’d been decent enough to him so far.
“I’ve heard nothing solid yet, but I have my suspicions,” Merlin responded.
“What do your suspicions tell you?” John pressed. The wizard could be a little bit evasive at times, but he could only ask and hope that he would get a straight answer.
“In this sort of situation, it is best not to get our hopes up or to make assumptions,” Merlin replied. “If we wander off on the wings of assumption, we might find ourselves well off the course.”
It was what John expected. “So, why are we going north? Aren’t we going on an assumption to do that?”
“On the contrary,” Merlin chuckled. “Heading toward his last known location will certainly help us narrow the search even provide some clues as to what has become of him. In that regard, it is a logical deduction rather than a mere assumption.”
Talking to Merlin sometimes made John’s brain hurt. He always seemed to talk about things that existed in an ethereal world. For John, those things which he could see, feel, smell, taste and hear were the things that he could understand. He’d seen amazing things while in the presence of the wizard and ought to have expanded his mind to all of the possibilities, but he was much more comfortable with his feet planted firmly on the ground or in the saddle with Ganador’s feet planted firmly on the ground.
After a few, silent moments, Merlin spoke again. “How about a bit of history?” He said it in a voice that all in the group could hear.
With everyone’s consent, though it probably hadn’t been a requirement, Merlin started into his history. “Miss Alpina told you about the wall back to our south, but there is another wall farther to the north, which most people don’t talk about or even know about.
“You see, the wall to our south was built when Hadrian was emperor of Rome, but another was built some 20 years later. The
“Why, I’d think he’s accepted the fact that he’s outnumbered.”
“I supposed so but if that were the case, wouldn’t he be most likely then to keep an eye out for the slightest opportunity to escape us?”
“I suppose that would also be true. Where exactly are you going with this?”
Before the answer could come from his brother’s lips, Dunmor heard the sound of Jofrit crying out from over his shoulder. He turned just in time to see the knight grab a firm hold of the reins and kick the horse into motion with one smooth movement.
Before Dunmor could even sound the alarm, Jofrit had laid flat against the stallion’s neck and Guerrero had reared up on his hind legs causing every man around him to scamper out of harm’s way. In a flash, both horse and rider were clambering up the valley wall toward the plain above in an effort to make a quick getaway from the band of brigands.
By the time Dunmor and three of his brothers were saddled up and riding after them, Jofrit and Guerrero were nowhere in sight.
***
Merlin’s story cast a spell of silence over them all. For a very long time, there was no sound, but those of the horses cropping grass and swatting flies, the birds and the squirrels. Each of them allowed their minds to wander off in a variety of directions as they soaked in the quiet peace of their surroundings and the mystical tale that Merlin had just spun for them. They ate their midday meal in Gretna Green and then packed up their things to continue their trek northward.
“Is there any word on my father?” John asked once they were mounted. He’d chosen to ride beside Merlin so that he could ask some questions, mostly. He also wanted to avoid any possible conflict with Alpina, though she’d been decent enough to him so far.
“I’ve heard nothing solid yet, but I have my suspicions,” Merlin responded.
“What do your suspicions tell you?” John pressed. The wizard could be a little bit evasive at times, but he could only ask and hope that he would get a straight answer.
“In this sort of situation, it is best not to get our hopes up or to make assumptions,” Merlin replied. “If we wander off on the wings of assumption, we might find ourselves well off the course.”
It was what John expected. “So, why are we going north? Aren’t we going on an assumption to do that?”
“On the contrary,” Merlin chuckled. “Heading toward his last known location will certainly help us narrow the search even provide some clues as to what has become of him. In that regard, it is a logical deduction rather than a mere assumption.”
Talking to Merlin sometimes made John’s brain hurt. He always seemed to talk about things that existed in an ethereal world. For John, those things which he could see, feel, smell, taste and hear were the things that he could understand. He’d seen amazing things while in the presence of the wizard and ought to have expanded his mind to all of the possibilities, but he was much more comfortable with his feet planted firmly on the ground or in the saddle with Ganador’s feet planted firmly on the ground.
After a few, silent moments, Merlin spoke again. “How about a bit of history?” He said it in a voice that all in the group could hear.
With everyone’s consent, though it probably hadn’t been a requirement, Merlin started into his history. “Miss Alpina told you about the wall back to our south, but there is another wall farther to the north, which most people don’t talk about or even know about.
“You see, the wall to our south was built when Hadrian was emperor of Rome, but another was built some 20 years later. The
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