Maylin's Gate (Book 3) by Matthew Ballard Read Free Book Online Page B

to former shard knights." She faced Lora's Sphere and peered into the swirling green light. "When I give the go ahead, touch the sphere. But, not before then. Okay?"
    Arber nodded.
    She opened her mind to Lora's Sphere and accepted its power. She directed energy flows toward Arber. "Place your palm flat against Lora's Sphere and open your mind. Those pure of mind and body can accept nature's gift."
    Arber flattened his hand against Lora's Sphere. Green and red light raced along his arm and swirling around his body. Arber shone like a beacon while the light around him grew in strength and intensity.
    Arber's back arched and he gasped.
    Energy from the sphere surged across Arber's body.
    Nature's energy intertwined with Arber's life force. A green tether of light appeared connecting the guardian to Lora's Sphere.
    Arber's eyes widened. Lights swirled and raced around Arber moving faster as the seconds passed.
    The light faded and Arber relaxed. A moment later, the last flickers of energy settled into Arber and disappeared.
    Arber dropped to a knee pulling in rapid breaths and a thin sheen of sweat covered the guardian's brow.
    She rested her palm against the crown of Arber's head. "I think it worked."
    Arber stood and gazed into her eyes. Steady strength shown in the guardian's eyes.
    She smiled. Her Arber had returned. The man she grew up knowing. The guardian who always stood watch.
    She stood on her tiptoes and kissed Arber's cheek. "It's good to have you back."
    "Thank you Danielle. I can't ever repay —"
    "Enough. You already have." She moved past Arber toward the table and placed Trace's belongings in the burlap sack. "Get some sleep. Tomorrow morning we're going to ask Trace about that key and make him give us some answers."

 
     
     
     
     
     
    CHAPTER TWELVE
    The General and the Beast
     
    The stable door creaked open. Shadows twisted the straw-covered floor.
    The sweet scent of hay, tack, and horse manure pricked Ronan's nose. The jumble of smells stirred found memories.
    During Merric Pride's reign, he and Rika had shared a one room home in the Ayralen district. Next door, a stable housed workhorses used by many of Freehold's laborers. He earned extra coin feeding and bathing those horses three days a week.
    From the stable's far side, eyes, menacing and golden, tracked the door's motion. The draco hissed not sounding pleased with its confinement.
    He paused in the doorway and gave his eyes a moment to adjust. He hadn't operated without magic in over a year, and his senses protested the unaided call to duty. "Is that it?" He whispered over his shoulder.
    Rika peered past him and nodded. "That's it. Connal trapped it a few days ago."
    He didn't know how to mount the beast let alone force it to carry him to Dragon's Peak, but he couldn't think of any other way.
    Dim spirit energy flickered halfway down the stable. From the second stall, a detention shield beat back the predawn shadows.
    "Is that the baerinese prisoner?" He said.
    "Yes. We didn't know where to put him," Rika said.
    "You put him right next to a draco?" He said. "What if he'd broken through the shield?"
    Rika glared and folded her arms. "Do you have a better idea? We can't very well leave him in the town square can we?"
    He shrugged. "I guess you're right." He took a few tentative steps into the shadows and paused.
    Rika moved through the door behind him and eased it shut. "There's an oil lamp hanging to your right."
    He fumbled in the darkness until his hand caught the lamp's metallic edge. He went to light the lamp and realized he had no matches.
    Rika sighed. "Honestly, have you forgotten how to light a lamp? We mortals still carry matches."
    The sound of a striking match broke the silence and a long low hiss came from the stable's far end.
    He spun tracking the sound.
    The leathery beast strained against iron shackles binding its legs and neck. The draco opened its mouth and flashed a set of short needle-sharp teeth.
    "That's a draco?" He