Rise of the Blood Masters (Book 5) by Kristian Alva Read Free Book Online Page A

sound reverberated through the trees. The storm was definitely getting closer. There was another crash of thunder followed by a bolt of lightning.
    His stomach rumbled so loudly that it almost drowned out the noise.  I should have gone back with Duskeye and eaten those berries. But what he really wanted was some meat, something that would stop the growling in his stomach. So he pushed forward.
    The canopy closed overhead, forming a dark tunnel of vegetation. The foliage became so thick that the trees seemed to be joined. Tallin’s stomach growled louder, but he was ready to give up. The path disappeared.
    Making it through the forest was impossible now that the path had vanished, and he knew that he would probably get lost if he continued.
    With his sword in hand, Tallin sighed and turned around.  He’d have to settle for lingberries after all. He took one step and stopped, looking down at his hand. His sword was vibrating at an incredible rate, moving in his palm. Tallin’s eyes widened. A familiar buzzing started in his ears, like a hive of honeybees. His heart pounded and his breath quickened.
    “Magic!”he gasped. There’s magic nearby, and it’s powerful. Tallin sent a telepathic message back to Duskeye. “Get out of the forest and go back to Shesha’s nest. Wait for me there. Stay alert and remain on guard.”
    “But why? What’s going on?”
    “You were right about this forest! There’s something wrong here. There’s magic, and it isn’t good.”
    “Are you in danger?” Duskeye’s voice was filled with alarm.
    “No, I’m not. Not yet anyway. I feel a presence, but I’m not sure what it is. Wait! Something’s coming!”
    A falcon’s cry pierced the sky. Tallin knew immediately what it was—a scouting bird, sent to survey the area. He ducked behind a patch of ivy, doing his best to stay out of sight while he waited for the bird to pass. Tallin stopped moving and tried not to make any noise. He ignored the temptation to scratch a spot where a leaf was tickling his cheek.
    Peeking through a gap in the foliage, he got a glimpse of the bird as it flew overhead. A streak of lightning filled the sky with a flash of brilliant light, and he spotted a thin gold circlet around the falcon’s neck.
    This wasn’t just any scouting bird. It was an elf spy. He watched the bird circle twice and then disappear from sight.
    Even without the circlet around its neck, Tallin knew the bird was an elf spy. Elves could manipulate any animal to do their bidding, but they were notoriously picky about the appearance of the animals they chose.
    Elves avoided using pigeons or crows, even though they were smarter and more efficient messengers. Instead, they preferred using golden-tailed falcons. Elves couldn’t resist beauty, and the falcon, even though it wouldn’t be his first choice, was breathtakingly beautiful.
    Tallin sent a final message to Duskeye, telling him about the falcon, and warning him again to return to the nesting cave. Then he moved into the tall grass, sheathing his sword as he did so. He took each step carefully, like a thief breaking into a guarded fortress.
    He didn’t cut any more branches. He didn’t want to create too much noise or draw attention to his location. If something blocked his path, he went around it. With every step forward, the ringing vibration in his ears grew louder.
    His progress slowed to a crawl. The forest seemed to grow quieter, until he couldn’t even detect the buzz of insects. It was eerie. The stillness felt unnatural, as if the forest was holding its breath. The noise from his boots tramping over dead leaves sounded deafening in the silence. The buzzing in his ears remained, and it kept getting louder and more insistent.
    Tallin didn’t think it could grow any darker in this part of the forest, but he was wrong. He stepped into an inky blackness so profound that he could not even see his hands in front of him. After several minutes of fumbling around in the darkness,