Chronicles of the Red King #3: Leopards' Gold by Jenny Nimmo Read Free Book Online Page A

by your parents,” Amadis said at last, “why do you want to live in the Red Castle?”
    After a moment’s hesitation, Gunfrid said, “We want to live a magical life and be safe.” He sounded a little ashamed.
    Zeba mumbled something and Amadis asked her to speak up, for no one would be angry with her.
    Hardly raising her voice, Zeba murmured, “I want to know why the Red King didn’t save our parents.”
    “I see,” Amadis said thoughtfully. He whinnied softly and his horse began to canter.
    Petrello’s pony followed; Tolly, humming to himself, came last.
    Amadis seemed eager to get back; his horse gathered speed and Petrello found it hard to keep up. Tolly was left far behind.
    There was a sudden, distant shout. Petrello reined in his pony and looked back. There was no sign of Tolly, but the track twisted and turned so often, he could have just been beyond the nearest bend. The shouting grew louder. “Hey there, Amadis!”
    “Hey there, Sir Edern!” Amadis turned his horse just as Sir Edern came galloping up with Tolly in his wake.
    “Young Tolomeo tells me you’ve news of the bellman,” said Edern, his horse slowing to a trot.
    “Indeed,” said Amadis. “I have spoken with the eagles. The bellman is being taken to Castle Melyntha.”
    “Aha!” boomed Sir Edern. “Castle Melyntha.” He took a small hunting horn from his belt and blew several long blasts. “Well done, lad!” He raised a gloved hand to Amadis, wheeled his horse around, and galloped away, calling, “I’ll have to find Peredur, he’s gone far south, but the others will have heard my call. Tell the king …”
    The rest of his words were lost in a thunder of hooves and a crackling of undergrowth, all accompanied by the shouting of Knight Protectors in different parts of the forest.
    Amadis smiled to himself. “One mystery solved,” he said, “but another to be fathomed. Come on, boys!”
    Petrello thought about the chancellor’s men. Had they heard the horn? Perhaps they had gone east, to search the town of Rosemellon. It wasn’t far. They might have returned to the castle already.
    The trees thinned toward the edge of the forest, and the castle came into view, the South Gate directly facing them. The chancellor’s men were stationed in a line before the entrance, the great doors were open onto the courtyard, and a bustling of soldiers could be seen behind the Gray Men.
    Amadis whispered to his horse and it began a gentle walk. His brothers fell in behind him.
    “Who are those men at the gate?” asked Gunfrid. “Their look is fierce.”
    “Not for long, I hope,” said Amadis. “They are Chancellor Thorkil’s men, and they take their duties very seriously.”
    “Take care, brother,” Petrello said earnestly. “They mean to make you their prisoner.”
    Amadis laughed. “They don’t stand a chance.” As his black horse began to walk up the slight incline to the South Gate, four wolves emerged from the trees. They slipped elegantly alongside the horse, then formed a line in front of the group.
    One of the chancellor’s men drew his sword. Petrello recognized Chimery’s lined face. Were four wolves enough to protect Amadis? Even as the thought entered Petrello’s head, a stirring in the air made him look up. The sky was dark with silent eagles. They floated on slow currents, their great wings spread wide; there were so many, their wingtips almost touched. Amadis had made them forget they were solitary hunters.
    One of the eagles swooped down and alighted on the bronze pad that protected Amadis’s shoulder. “If they try to cut down my wolves, the eagles will pluck out their eyes,” said Amadis.
    Gunfrid and Zeba shuddered. They had thought that in the company of princes, entering the castle would be easy.
    The wolves increased their pace; they lowered their heads, hunched their shoulders, and began a swift, creeping movement toward the chancellor’s men.
    “Call off your wolves!” shouted Lord Thorkil.
    “Tell