Read Online The Sword of Shannara, Part 1: In the Shadow of the Warlock Lord by Terry Brooks - Free Book Online
Authors: Terry Brooks
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who had returned to his evening meal.
“He wants to know where we’ve been hiding,” laughed Shea. “He wants us to come see him as soon as we can.”
“Oh, sure,” muttered Flick. “He’s probably in trouble and needs someone to blame it on. Why don’t we just jump off the nearest cliff? You remember what happened the last time Menion Leah invited us to visit? We were lost in the Black Oaks for days and nearly devoured by wolves! I’ll never forget that little adventure. The Shades will get me before I accept another invitation from him!”
His brother laughed and clapped an arm around Flick’s broad shoulders.
“You are envious because Menion is the son of kings and able to live any way he chooses.”
“A kingdom the size of a puddle,” was the quick retort. “And royal blood is cheap stuff these days. Look at your own …”
He caught himself and clamped his mouth shut quickly. Both shot hurried glances at their father, but he apparently hadn’t heard and was still absorbed in eating. Flick shrugged apologetically, and Shea smiled at his brother encouragingly.
“There’s a man in the inn looking for you, Shea,” Curzad Ohmsford announced suddenly, looking up at him. “He mentioned that tall stranger that was here several weeks back when he asked for you. Never seen him before in the Vale. He’s out in the main lounge now.”
Flick stood up slowly, fear gripping at him. Shea was momentarily caught off balance by the message, but motioned hurriedly to his brother, who was about to speak. If this new stranger were an enemy, he had to find out quickly. He clutched at his shirt pocket, reassuring himself that the Elfstones were still there.
“What does the man look like?” he asked quickly, unable to think of any other way of finding out about the Skull mark.
“Can’t really say, son,” was the muffled reply as his father continued to chew on his dinner, face bent to the plate. “He’s wrapped in a long green forest cloak. Just rode in this afternoon—beautifulhorse. He was very anxious to find you. Better go see what he wants right away.”
“Did you see any markings?” asked the exasperated Flick.
His father stopped chewing and looked up with a puzzled frown.
“What are you talking about? Would you be satisfied if I presented you with a chalk drawing? What’s wrong with you anyway?”
“It’s nothing, really,” interjected Shea quickly. “Flick was just wondering if… if the man looked anything like Allanon … You remember?”
“Oh, yes,” his father smiled knowingly, as Flick suppressed a swallow of relief. “No, I didn’t notice any real similarity, though this man is big, too. I did see a long scar running down the right cheek—probably from a knife cut.”
Shea nodded his thanks and quickly pulled Flick after him as he moved out to the hallway and started for the main lounge. They hurried to the wide double doors and halted breathlessly. Cautiously, Shea pushed one door open a crack and peered into the crowded lounge area. For a moment he saw nothing but the ordinary faces of the usual customers and average Vale travelers, but a moment later he started back, and let the door swing shut as he faced the anxious Flick.
“He’s out there, near the front corner by the fireplace. I can’t tell who he is or what he looks like from here; he’s wrapped in the green cloak, just as Father said. We’ve got to get closer.”
“Out there?” gasped Flick. “Have you lost your mind? He would spot you in a second if he knows who he’s looking for.”
“Then you go,” Shea ordered firmly. “Make some pretense of putting logs on the fire and get a quick look at him. See if he bears the markings of a Skull.”
Flick’s eyes went wide, and he turned to escape, but Shea caught his arm and pulled him back, forcibly shoving him through thedoors into the lounge and quickly ducking back out of sight. A moment later he opened one door a crack and peeped out to see what was
“He wants to know where we’ve been hiding,” laughed Shea. “He wants us to come see him as soon as we can.”
“Oh, sure,” muttered Flick. “He’s probably in trouble and needs someone to blame it on. Why don’t we just jump off the nearest cliff? You remember what happened the last time Menion Leah invited us to visit? We were lost in the Black Oaks for days and nearly devoured by wolves! I’ll never forget that little adventure. The Shades will get me before I accept another invitation from him!”
His brother laughed and clapped an arm around Flick’s broad shoulders.
“You are envious because Menion is the son of kings and able to live any way he chooses.”
“A kingdom the size of a puddle,” was the quick retort. “And royal blood is cheap stuff these days. Look at your own …”
He caught himself and clamped his mouth shut quickly. Both shot hurried glances at their father, but he apparently hadn’t heard and was still absorbed in eating. Flick shrugged apologetically, and Shea smiled at his brother encouragingly.
“There’s a man in the inn looking for you, Shea,” Curzad Ohmsford announced suddenly, looking up at him. “He mentioned that tall stranger that was here several weeks back when he asked for you. Never seen him before in the Vale. He’s out in the main lounge now.”
Flick stood up slowly, fear gripping at him. Shea was momentarily caught off balance by the message, but motioned hurriedly to his brother, who was about to speak. If this new stranger were an enemy, he had to find out quickly. He clutched at his shirt pocket, reassuring himself that the Elfstones were still there.
“What does the man look like?” he asked quickly, unable to think of any other way of finding out about the Skull mark.
“Can’t really say, son,” was the muffled reply as his father continued to chew on his dinner, face bent to the plate. “He’s wrapped in a long green forest cloak. Just rode in this afternoon—beautifulhorse. He was very anxious to find you. Better go see what he wants right away.”
“Did you see any markings?” asked the exasperated Flick.
His father stopped chewing and looked up with a puzzled frown.
“What are you talking about? Would you be satisfied if I presented you with a chalk drawing? What’s wrong with you anyway?”
“It’s nothing, really,” interjected Shea quickly. “Flick was just wondering if… if the man looked anything like Allanon … You remember?”
“Oh, yes,” his father smiled knowingly, as Flick suppressed a swallow of relief. “No, I didn’t notice any real similarity, though this man is big, too. I did see a long scar running down the right cheek—probably from a knife cut.”
Shea nodded his thanks and quickly pulled Flick after him as he moved out to the hallway and started for the main lounge. They hurried to the wide double doors and halted breathlessly. Cautiously, Shea pushed one door open a crack and peered into the crowded lounge area. For a moment he saw nothing but the ordinary faces of the usual customers and average Vale travelers, but a moment later he started back, and let the door swing shut as he faced the anxious Flick.
“He’s out there, near the front corner by the fireplace. I can’t tell who he is or what he looks like from here; he’s wrapped in the green cloak, just as Father said. We’ve got to get closer.”
“Out there?” gasped Flick. “Have you lost your mind? He would spot you in a second if he knows who he’s looking for.”
“Then you go,” Shea ordered firmly. “Make some pretense of putting logs on the fire and get a quick look at him. See if he bears the markings of a Skull.”
Flick’s eyes went wide, and he turned to escape, but Shea caught his arm and pulled him back, forcibly shoving him through thedoors into the lounge and quickly ducking back out of sight. A moment later he opened one door a crack and peeped out to see what was
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