Dawn of the Dreamsmith (The Raven's Tale Book 1) by Alan Ratcliffe Read Free Book Online

Cole looked down to the silver chain around the other’s neck. Whatever hung from the end of it was hidden beneath his plain woollen tunic, but the significance of it was not lost on him. “You have taken the vows, then?”
    Eirik drew out the pendant, green crystal set in silver. “Three days past. As I said, Cole, I am your Brother, now. Any quarrel you or I might have once had is in the past.”
    Cole nodded thoughtfully, then in one swift movement swept the stave around behind Eirik’s legs, knocking them out from under him. He landed on his back with a thump.
    As the other boy climbed unsteadily to his feet, Cole took another stave from the rack, and threw it to the ground in front of him. “No quarrel, then, just practice,” he said, grinning.
    At first, Eirik merely stood staring at him, his face red. Anger flared in his eyes, then vanished as quickly as it had appeared. “As you wish,” he replied, stooping to pick up the weapon.
    Cole was dimly aware of distant shouts as they circled each other warily. He watched the other boy’s movements closely, tensing himself to react as soon as his opponent made a move. After a few moments, when that failed to materialise, Cole’s confident grin began to fade. Growing impatient, he tested a tentative feint to his right. Eirik did not so much as blink.
    A second later, Cole lashed out to his left, no mere feint this time, and the staves met with a loud crack that echoed around the courtyard. Battle joined at last, the staves twirled and struck as both combatants ran through the moves that were drilled into every novice, neither able to break through the other’s defence.
    As they fought, a tiny doubt flickered at the back of Cole’s mind and began to grow. This felt different to their previous bouts, but it took a minute or more to pinpoint why that was. Then, after a failed downward strike that was easily parried by his opponent, Cole stumbled, just a fraction, caught off-balance. At that moment he was wide open to a counter-attack, but it never came. It was then that he knew for certain. He’s holding back!
    Once he had seen it, it became impossible to ignore. His strikes were being effectively blocked each time, yet he had yet to need to make so much as a single parry himself.
    “Afraid that I’ve got the best of you this time, Eirik?” he panted, as another feint went ignored.
    Eirik merely smiled.
    His opponent’s demeanour incensed Cole. He began to put more force into each of his attacks, putting his opponent on the back foot. Finally, Eirik failed to recover quickly enough from a parry and Cole seized upon it, planting the butt of his stave into Eirik’s gut. The young Brother collapsed to the ground with a moan.
    A triumphant Cole turned to look for Cas, only to see dozens of his fellows gathered around the training square. It was only then that he noticed the hush that had fallen over the courtyard. His cry of celebration died on his lips at the sight of Elder Tobias striding towards him, red-faced and shaking with anger.
    “What is the meaning of this?” he demanded. “You attack one of your brothers, without provocation, on an occasion such as this?” The slap echoed across the courtyard. Cole’s head rocked to one side with the force of it. His cheek throbbed where the elder’s palm had struck.
    “Elder.” A voice Cole didn’t recognise called out. “It is unbecoming for those of higher station to meet violence with violence.”
    His cheek still stinging and feeling shamed by the public scolding, Cole looked towards the speaker. A figure dressed in a robe of purest white crossed the courtyard towards them. A pair of eyes as green as the sea on a hot summer’s day looked upon him with the merest hint of amusement.
    “Is this the boy you spoke of?” the green-eyed man asked, addressing the elder but continuing to hold Cole’s gaze.
    “Indeed, it is, Archon. Cole. A talented if infuriating initiate.”
    “He fights well?”
    “Well