Two Queens (Seven Heavens Book 1) by Ryan Holden Read Free Book Online

Delvin asked.
    “Of course he knows—” Riley snapped back. “What does that have to do with anything?”
    “It's easier to hear than shouting.”
    “I expect so. But why would he shout when he has a perfectly good horn?”
    The stout one coughed into his collar and the other three stopped their pacing. “Out with it,” Riley said.
    “Um, Patrick may or may not have a horn.”
    “What is that supposed to mean, imbecile?” Orion found this entertaining. So they annoyed each other too, not just those of Darach.
    “Ahem, um, he doesn't carry a horn. I mean, didn't today.” The stout one cringed, half shutting his eyes.
    “Not today?” Riley shouted.
    “Not ever,” the stout one muttered.
    “Well.” His voice, quieter, was as cold as a creek in a cave of rock. “I guess we have to wait for him to show up.”
    They didn't have to wait long. A “Halloa!” wafted through the air and the group jumped into their saddles. Those that were already saddled spurred their horses after the sound. Orion jumped, too. He turned to see his father remaining motionless. After some undecided pacing he settled back down where he'd been resting against a tree.

 
    The hunters thundered away. Devlin stood up, looked about with shaded brow, then started walking away. Orion clicked his tongue for Kerry and followed suit.
    “Where are we going, father?”
    “There's a interesting place up ahead. I want to take a look. Again, after all these years.”
    “Won't they miss us?”
    “No, they'll be occupied for some time.”
    “How do you know?”
    “Easy. When does a hunter halloo for others to come to him? He either has killed his quarry and wants an audience or, what I think, he has lost his horse and has had enough of walking for one day.”
    Orion smiled. He could just see the man, footsore already after a half-hour's walk. Lost, frightened, fearing the approaching nightfall. There would be no good camp—the slopes were steeper and the falls longer than where they'd been before.
    It turned out just as Devlin had said: the man was unhorsed. Or worse, they didn't know for sure, because they couldn't see the man. Just the horse, about a hundred paces ahead of them and as much or more down. Orion didn't know how he got there but could see why Patrick had left him behind. It was a tough climb even for a man: for a horse? That is, after you got him turned around.
    “This is it. The same as ever.” Orion looked at his father's face. It was strange—both grave yet... mocking. He eagerly jumped up on a rock that perched on the sheer downhill side. Crouching he brushed at the debris on the rock and crowed. “See this, Orion? Claw marks. First sign of a hunter in this forest.” He laughed without merriment.

 
    Orion looked at the scratches. They weren't very exciting. He turned around and looked up the mountain. Maybe just a rock that bounced its way down from higher up? He turned back to see his father weaving his way down the rock face towards the horse. He heard noises and was surprised to see the horsemen down in the valley below. They looked like rabbits from here.
    He looked back at his father, proud that his own two feet had beaten the horsed men to their goal. With a hand to steady himself against Kerry's halter he followed his father. It was slow going. Within minutes he let her go ahead of him to pick the trail, always staying uphill of her at her shoulder.
    Halfway to the horse he watched his father speak to it. The beast was spooked: it didn't belong here. It should be down in the broad plains it was born in. Kerry took a couple more steps. At a pause Orion looked up to see Devlin with his hand on the horse's halter. He could hear the men yelling something from down below but didn't catch any words. He looked at his feet and took another step down.
    The horse neighed, louder than before. There was a crash: Orion looked but couldn't see man nor beast. A split second later he saw the horse again, rearing up from where