Edge of Destiny by J. Robert King Read Free Book Online

crack told of a broken pelvis, and the creature slumped to one side. Another blow from the hammer destroyed its spine.
    Rytlock, meanwhile, dragged his burning blade across the hamstrings of another ogre. As it dropped, he plunged the sword into its skull and fried its brain.
    Two charr chopped at a third ogre like woodsmen working a great bole. It was an agonizing end, but the ogre made its opponents pay for it. Its flailing hands clutched their heads and pulped them.
    The last of the defenders, Logan and Rytlock retreated back-to-back within a circle of hyenas. The snarling creatures darted in, snapping at the legs of the warriors. They responded with hammer and sword. Bashed and burning, hyenas yelped and withdrew.
    And now it was down to one human, one charr, and two ogres.
    One of the ogres was young and broad; the other was old and narrow. The young one demanded, “Why have you invaded my lands?”
    Rytlock hitched a thumb at Logan. “ He invaded. I just followed.”
    The old ogre growled, “You attacked Chiefling Ygor, son of Chief Kronon.”
    “I want no trouble,” protested Logan. “My quarrel is with the charr.”
    “Your excuses mean nothing,” the chiefling said. “The sentence is death.”
    “Chiefling Ygor has spoken!” pronounced the old ogre.
    With that, the ogres charged, their massive morning stars descending like meteors.
    Logan and Rytlock rolled away as the weapons impaled the ground.
    “Get back here,” the old ogre growled. He swung a wild shot after Logan.
    Logan tried to leap over the blow, but it caught his boot and flipped him over. Desperate to bring him down, the old ogre lunged sideways and bashed Logan with his elbow. Logan barked with pain, staggering out of reach.
    Meanwhile, Chiefling Ygor traded blow for blow with Rytlock. Sparks flew as the weapons met. Sohothin glanced off the morning star to graze Ygor’s leg. The ogre roared in fury and reeled back out of range.
    The old ogre charged up protectively before Ygor and rushed Rytlock. A roundhouse swing of the morning star caught the flaming sword and wrenched it out of Rytlock’s hands. Sohothin flew through the air and crashed down to gutter at the base of the rock wall. The old ogre kicked Rytlock onto his back and towered over him, morning star poised to strike.
    “The honor of the kill goes to the lord of the hunt.”
    Ygor stomped up on the other side of Rytlock and raised his morning star. “My pleasure.” The weapon moaned in the air as it fell.
    But it never reached Rytlock, because a war hammer shattered Ygor’s hand. Shrieking, he reeled back, and the old ogre caught him.
    Rytlock scrambled toward Sohothin, but Logan ran for the sword as well.
    “Get away from my sword!” they both yelled.
    Rytlock grasped Sohothin and rolled over.
    Ygor lunged atop Rytlock, trapping him beneath his crushing weight.
    Rytlock gasped, the air driven from him. He bashed the chiefling’s shoulder, but only managed to get him to roll to one side.
    Logan meanwhile brought his hammer down on Ygor’s temple. The chiefling hissed, slumping to the ground beside the charr.
    “Wow, do you owe me, ” Logan said.
    A second later, a huge claw latched around him. The old ogre, eyes cracked with rage, hoisted Logan into the air.
    Rytlock scrambled to his feet, grasped the ogre’s belt, and launched himself up to bury Sohothin in the creature’s heart. The blazing blade pierced the great muscle and boiled the ogre’s blood. His eyes went black; his claws opened.
    Logan tumbled to the ground.
    Rytlock landed beside him. “Now you owe me. ”
    “We’re even,” Logan replied, steadying himself on the dead ogre. “I saved you, and you saved me.”
    “We aren’t even,” Rytlock snorted. “The life of a charr’s worth more than the life of a human.”
    Logan laughed. “Then by that logic, you owe me. ”
    Rytlock spat a gobbet of blood, which spattered the ground. “Once I get my breath back, I’ll kill you.”
    “Yeah, me,