Sir Rowan and the Camerian Conquest by Chuck Black Read Free Book Online Page A

melted into the fluid movements of silky curtains. He was traveling, for he could feel the bed he was on jostle as he journeyed down a road. The water he tasted was sweet, and he breathed deeply of the fresh spring air. He didn’t want to wake up, but keeping the dream going took too much effort. Soon the images of delight faded once again into the dark walls of his cave.
    When he dreamed again, he could feel the rhythmic mass of the sea swaying him on a grand ship. The mist of the open water felt so real on his face. He had never been to sea and wondered if his dream was anything like the real thing. This time the beauty of his dreamscape faded as a dark figure came and stood over him. The face was blurred, but Rowan was certain the bearded marauder had come once more to kill his unransomed captive. This time, however, he heard cries and screams in the distance that shook his soul. He struggled weakly, but powerful arms held him down, and he waited for the knife that would plunge into his heart.
    “—near the Isle of Sedah. It is not far—”
    The fragment of speech swirled in his mind, and Rowan couldmake no sense of it until he remembered something from his training. The Isle of Sedah was the horrific place of captivity to which the Dark Knight, Lucius, had brought many prisoners. Had Rowan somehow been given over to Lucius to be tortured even more? He tried to awake from this nightmare, and finally the images and sounds faded away to blackness.
    Now Rowan heard drums pounding in his head, but each beat transformed into sounds that he could understand. Then he realized it was not a drum he was hearing, but the sound of a deep voice speaking over him.
    “What are your orders, my Lord?” the voice asked.
    “Leave him here with me,” another replied.
    Rowan blinked his eyes open, and the sun spilled its glorious light into them. The sunrays warmed his face, and he wondered how long this dream would last. He took a deep breath. It felt so real.
    He turned his head and saw the most beautiful sight he had ever seen—a magnificent city on a hill, glimmering in the brilliant sunlight. The wall that surrounded the city stretched left and right forever. Through a massive, shining gate that faced him, he caught glimpses of unimaginable splendor, yet somehow the whole place seemed warm and welcoming, not the least intimidating.
    Tears welled up in his eyes, but he didn’t know why—perhaps because he knew this would be his last dream. He was thankful to end his life with this instead of the previous nightmare.
    “Hello, Rowan,” a gentle voice spoke.
    Rowan turned his head to the other side, away from the city, and saw a man sitting on the green grass beside him. The man’s arm lay across his raised knee, and his face seemed to reflect the sunlight just as the city’s golden gate did.
    Rowan didn’t respond. He just marveled at the man, who leaned in closer. “How are you feeling?”
    Rowan turned his head in the other direction, fully expecting the city to be gone, but it was still there. He looked back at the man. “Am I dead?” he finally asked.
    The man smiled. “Come, sit up … if you are able.”
    He reached an arm behind Rowan’s shoulders and slowly lifted him. Rowan’s head swam, and he put out a hand to his head to steady himself. “That’s strange,” he said. “I didn’t think one could pass out in a dream.”
    “You’re not dreaming, Rowan,” the man said. “You are at the gates of the King’s city.”
    Rowan shook his head, trying to understand what was happening. He looked into the eyes of the man.
    “I’ve heard your voice before,” he said warily. “You were the one I fought … in the arena … and on the road!”
    “Yes, you had lost your way.” The man’s gentle voice grew stronger as Rowan gathered his strength. “You should have turned back.”
    “You were trying to … to help me?”
    The man nodded, and his warm eyes seemed to penetrate into the very depths of