Sword Quest by Nancy Yi Fan Read Free Book Online Page B

here?” gasped Hungrias at last, the green feathers on his fat cheeks trembling.
    “Don’t we both know?” his gray companion sneered. His sharp white teeth glittered like crystals.
    The emperor clutched the windowsill. It seemed best to vault out and flap away into the snowy darkness,but—no. “You murderer. And liar!” He propelled his fat body forward. “You killed my son. You lost the gemstone. You lied to me. Do you think that I am so foolish as to believe your crazy story of some four-winged dinosaur? Ha! Disappearing in flames…How dare you come back here!”
    “I did not lie! I told the truth. You destroyed me,” Maldeor said, and for a moment his stiff calm evaporated. “I did nothing but serve you. All the knights of the court pleaded for me when I came back. You know they would have fought against you if you beheaded me, so you cut off my wing instead. You expected me to die. I didn’t. It was hate and vengefulness that somehow dragged me up from death. Do you know how I suffered, my stump constantly bleeding? I had been your best and most loyal knight. Who knows what other cruelties you have committed? Or what you will inflict on others in the future? I shall show you what an emperor should be.”
    “Guards!” the emperor cried furiously. “Take him away!”
    Maldeor laughed. “Didn’t your servants tell you that they had a message from Sir Kawaka? He has agreed to serve me now. His birds have overpowered your guards. Your court wishes for a new emperor to follow.”
    There came a tapping on the door. Maldeor quicklyput on his heavy cloak again before opening it. Instead of the emperor’s guards, Kawaka walked in. Beside him was the chief scholar of the court. Other knights and scholars flanked them. Armed birds from Kawaka’s battalion pressed in close behind.
    With an angry stare, Hungrias tore out his beak ring and tossed it at Maldeor’s claws. “Take it! Take it!”
    Calmly Maldeor bent and scooped it up with one claw. He held it up. It was pure gold, finely crafted, with a single dark onyx sphere caught in a web of gold twine. Along one edge were inscribed the words RULER OF THE TOOTH-BEAKED .
    “Thank you, Ancient Wing,” said Maldeor, pocketing it. “I accept this responsibility. I will command your battalions. I will bring peace and order to the world. Everything will be under my control. There will be no more evil. There will be an end to birds like you.”
    “I can’t believe…you rascal, you criminal…” Hungrias huffed.
    Maldeor ignored him.
    Maldeor smiled serenely at the knights and scholars. He raised a claw and jingled the beak ring once.
    “Ancient Wing,” shouted the scholars, the knights, and the soldiers. Each thumped his left foot on his chest feathers in the archaeopteryx gesture of loyalty. That wasall that was needed for a new emperor to rise.
    The soldiers behind them echoed the gesture. “Ancient Wi—”
    With a crash, Hungrias leaped forward with spider-like venom, a hidden sword drawn out and pressed against Kawaka’s throat. “Traitor…”
    Hungrias never finished his sentence. There was a metallic blur behind him, and he toppled, his sequined doublet now shining dully.
    “That old spider had tricks, always,” Maldeor said, sheathing his own sword. He had used his specialty, the Deadly Fate move, which seldom failed. He ruffled his feathers, then continued. “Send out word to every battalion that they have a new emperor now,” Maldeor ordered. “I have plans for them all. First, we will leave this place as soon as possible and return to Castlewood. This winter palace is for weaklings. Enduring the cold winter will strengthen us.” He glanced scornfully at the body of Hungrias.
    “Yes, Your Majesty.” The head scholar walked up, holding a piece of paper in his claws. “But before we go, Your Majesty, do you wish us to circulate the new list of wanted birds that Hungrias issued?”
    Maldeor was about to snap “No!” but changed his mind.