The King in Reserve by Michael Pryor Read Free Book Online Page A

our allies. Without them we would never have found you.'
    Kikkalak stamped the butt of her spear on the ground and glared at Gormond. 'Winged Ones were slaves of the A'ak until we broke free. Never accuse us of being things of the hated race.'
    Gormond held up a hand. 'My apologies, O Winged One. Your appearance so strange startled me, but history will tell of the time when King Gormond met creatures from legend.' He tilted his head. 'Won't it, Sachi?'
    'It will, sire,' his scribe answered without looking up from her journal.
    Adalon was impressed by Sachi's patience. The youngling seemed to be enjoying writing about Gormond's adventures as much as Gormond enjoyed having them.
    Kikkalak subsided, and eyed Adalon. 'Now you've found him, we'll turn our eyes to scouting for Wargrach's troops.'
    Together, the Winged Ones ran off before mounting into a long glide between the tree trunks, moving from shadow to shadow. Gormond stared after them, his face alive. 'Such wonders!'
    Adalon smiled at the young king's enthusiasm for wonders. It was refreshing.
    He mounted. Gormond fell in beside him, while the others trailed behind. 'We will soon have Thraag on its knees,' Gormond enthused as they set off. 'We will strike hard and then fade away like shadows. Our cunning and our wiles will throw fear among the troops and confusion among their generals. It will be the adventure of a lifetime!'
    Adalon couldn't help smiling. 'You enjoy the old stories, do you?'
    'They're so exciting. Much more exciting than studying how the saur live and how they should live and stuff like that. We have volumes and volumes in the library in Muhna. My tutors read them to me until I learned to read for myself. The Adventure of the Seven Brave Brothers, The Siege of Yorgnak, The Long March. And the songs, too! Bards and troubadours knew they were welcome in Knobblond, especially if they could perform the songs of days of old. "The Ballad of Yor and Kor", "The Lay of the Lost Patrol", "The Lonely Warrior". I learned them all.'
    Simangee rolled her eyes but smiled.
    'Targesh,' Adalon said, 'should we continue riding tonight or wait until morning?'
    'Morning. Rest, make a fresh start,' Targesh said. 'But we'll take too long at this pace.'
    Adalon clicked his claws together. Of course. Gormond and his retinue had ordinary riding beasts. It would take them weeks to cross Thraag and get to the Hidden Valley. The magical brass steeds could carry an extra saur apiece, but they would still be one mount short.
    Wearily, he scratched the back of his neck. Worries, doubts, concerns. When would he be free of them?
    Targesh studied Adalon for a moment, then he pointed. 'Over there, near the big blackwood on the riverbank. We can camp there.'
    Adalon waved a tired hand. 'If you think so.' Perhaps food was what he needed, and then a good sleep.
    But he lay awake thinking long after the others had settled into slumber, when only the sentries were stirring. Thinking, thinking, thinking.

Twelve
    In the morning, crisp and clear, Kikkalak had an answer. 'We'll net them.'
    The camp was breaking up, the Winged Ones climbing down from the huge blackwood tree, grumbling and stretching. Gormond's servants stoked a small fire and the smell of cooking turned heads. Tendrils of mist drifted from the river.
    Adalon managed a smile, even though his eyes felt hot and sandy from lack of sleep. He'd been carried in the Winged Ones' nets, back when they first encountered them on the Fiery Isles. It wasn't comfortable, but it was a swift – if heart-pounding – form of travel.
    'Very well,' he said. 'Gormond can ride with me, if he'd prefer.'
    The young king looked as if the choice were torturing him. A flight through the air with the Winged Ones or a cross-country gallop on a magical brass steed?
    Before Gormond could choose, a wild yell split the dawn. Adalon whirled to see a dozen riders thundering along the riverbank toward them. Kikkalak screeched and took to the air with her scouts.