Dragonhammer: Volume I by Conner McCall Read Free Book Online Page B

“There is an army upon us.  We have to leave.  Now.”
    I help everyone out of the cellar and all of us get what we need.  Mother takes some persuasion because she refuses to leave Father.
    “He said that his place is there to protect his family,” I retaliate.  “He gave me the job to get you to safety.  So that is what I am doing.”
    In minutes, we are headed out the door and on the road to Terrace.  Once safely out of the town, I tell them to keep going.  “I’ll be back as soon as I can.  Don’t stop for anything.  You can’t let them catch you.”
    Our family wasn’t the only one who had that idea.  There are a few families fleeing the town, made possible only because the fathers are standing in the way of the encroaching army.
    I run past them all.  I will not leave without my father.
    I follow the sound of fighting and make my way to the center of the brawl.  Sure enough, there stands my father swinging his sword, along with the others.
    “Are they safe?” he says.
    “Yes.”
    “Good!  Are other families making it out?”
    “Yes.”
    “How many?”
    “Only about thirty.”
    He nods.  “They will not kill all civilians.  If they stay in their homes they will be safe.”
    “If we leave will they follow us?”
    “Most likely not out of the city.  This army was not meant for us, however.  It is meant for Terrace.”
    “Then they will follow.”
    “Yes.  They will march on Terrace.”  He turns and kills another soldier before yelling, “RETREAT!  RETREAT!  WE MAKE FOR TERRACE!”
    “Some of the families have not had time!” I reason.  “What will befall them?”
    He answers, “Tygnar will not kill them all.  They will need to keep workers for the farms and fields.  Whether they run or not is their choice.”
    The men turn and run.  Their numbers have been cut drastically.  For many families, this will have been the last time they have seen their father.
    “What can we do?” I ask.  “There must be something!”
    My father shakes his head.  “Live to fight another day, my son.”
    The army does not follow us.  We bought enough time to get most of the families out.  Not all, however, will get to see the next dawn.
     
    We catch up with our families quickly.  My father, as well as a few of the others, tallies the living.  The numbers are excruciating.  I find Percival and Darius with their family, a little beaten up, but okay.  James and his sister Jessica are fine as well.  Jericho has a bandage wrapped around his left arm and another wrapped tightly around his head, covering his right eye.  He sits in the back of a cart pulled by an ox.  Frederick has fled with us, though the soldiers are likely too superstitious to kill any of the priests or desecrate the temple.
    The dawn is blood red.  Streaks of scarlet stream across the sky and pool together in large clouds.  Most of the sounds are simply wails of the mourning.
    The guards of Terrace appear more than slightly alarmed when they see most of the population of Virfith on their doorstep.  The commanding authority quickly makes himself present and commands the doors open the second he sees the multitude beneath him.  Then he exchanges some words with the guards and disappears.
    Families trail into the city, congregating in the large space behind the front gate.  Guards block the streets.  The officer reappears on top of the gate and asks to speak to our leader.  When no one else does, my Father steps forward.
    “Why have you come?” asks the officer.
    “We were attacked,” Father says blankly.  “Tygnar from the east.  We come seeking refuge and to provide warning.  The army they brought was not for Virfith; it’s to mount an attack on Terrace and destroy Gilgal.”
    The officer nods and says, “Where is Captain Ruger?”
    “He did not return.”
    He nods again and says, “Keep the people here.  I will return.”  Then he sets off at a quick pace and out of sight.
    “Will we stay with