Lord Toede by Jeff Grubb Read Free Book Online

spear at the ready. Toede clanked his chains as he waved at
     them. “No problem, just a tuber in the way.” Taywin returned to her declamation. “And so
     the people of the land did seek him out to cure their woes to battle dark and dreadful
     lords and aid them in defeating foes.” Groag sighed again. “You think she means us when
     she says 'dark and dreadful lords'?” Toede bit the inside of his mouth. “Let's
     concentrate, for the moment, on escaping.” “Escaping?” said Groag, puzzled. “Yes,
     escaping, as in 'finding a lifestyle involving less-heavy jewelry.'” He clanked at Groag.
     “I have half a plan.” “And so the great and powerful knight did seek the great and holy
     quest to find the faith and fairest flower and put himself to holy tests.” “Got it!”
     exclaimed Toede. “Stuck yourself with a thorn again?” responded Groag. Toede glared at
     Groag. “Got the other half of the plan. Be ready to move when I say move.” “Right, move
     when you say move,” agreed Groag. “And in the meantime?” “Pick faster. I don't know how
     much more poetry I can take.” Whether spurred on by Toede's promised deliverance or
     Taywin's poetry, the hobgoblins filled their baskets in record time. The sun had risen
     high, but the vale was still wet from mist when they finished. Then the four dined on
     berries and a few goose sandwiches the female kender had packed. Groag volunteered the
     information that he had helped grind the grain to make the bread. Toede felt his smile get
     more brittle by the instant. “Well, we have to get you boys back,” said Taywin at length.
     “There are other chores needing to be done.” “Pity, it seems so ... idyllic,” said Toede
     with a wide smile. Groag looked at him with a panicked glance. The nicer the highmaster
     seemed, the worse things usually got. “Tell me, Miss Taywin, I'm confused after all this.
     Are we on the east side of the stream or the west?” “The western side,” said Taywin,
     already gathering the baskets and the remains of the sandwiches, handing the gathered
     collection to the guard. “Oh ... pity. Well, we should be getting back,” sighed Toede,
     rising to his feet. Groag, without much choice owing to the chains, rose with him.
    “Why is it a pity?” said Taywin, her cute brow wrinkling in small dimples. “Didn't Groag
     tell you?” said Toede, miming shock at an apparent breach of common sense. “The best
     berries are always on the eastern side. They take in the dying sun, and as such blush the
     reddest. It's common hobgoblin lore....” Groag started to say, “I never heard of ...” but
     Toede stepped in quickly, “Perhaps he was waiting to tell you later. I'm sorry if I
     spoiled the surprise.” Toede gave a quarter turn toward his companion, his eyes flashing
     the threat of holy terror. “Well, yes,” said Groag quickly, “a surprise. It was going to
     be a surprise. ”Perhaps next time, then . . .“ said Toede. ”Besides, there's no way to
     cross this creek.“ Toede took three half-steps away, then turned. Taywin was still
     standing there, thinking. Watching a kender gather her thoughts made Toede think of an old
     rain barrel about to explode from being overfilled. ”I've never heard of that business
     about the eastern side,“ said the kender at length, ”but there's a log wide enough to walk
     across a hundred yards or so down below. We can check it out.“ For the first time the
     guard spoke, and Toede realized why he had kept silenthis voice cracked with adolescence.
     ”Milady, these are prisoners, and ...“ ”Oh, for Mishakal's sake, Miles,“ said Taywin. ”It
     will only take a moment, and Daddy will be back this afternoon so there won't be that much
     to have them do.“ The five of them (the dog padding along in last place) weaved their way
     down along the banks to where an ancient maple had fallen across a narrows. It had been
     used