The Elf, Drakent Arrow [top 100 books of all time checklist .txt] 📗

of a duke. The same from which, if I remember correctly,

stayed hooked when you were just a brat and you saw happen in

his coach, exile.

- That's right.

- Of course, if you're stubborn yet achieved.

Did you tell the truth?

- Not yet, but ...

- How long will you wait? Are you going to confess night

weddings? I warn you now that I have heard in the capital's fashionable

married in a full moon night.

- I thought you'd be happy for me, 'said the young man bitterly.

- Have you told your parents, Ankris?

- An-Kris-corrected him, separating the syllables exaggerated.

- Your relationship to the Counts of Robles has not been tested

still, An-Kris-pronounced the name with some sarcasm, but the young man did not

altered.

- Yes, I talked to my mother. My dad does not want me. I have not

seen since the night he ran away from home.

- I always hated with all his might to the werewolves. You

you went to the School of the Sentinels. You know they teach you to shoot

a werewolf as soon as you have a shot. Not amused realize

the man-wolf who could not kill him won the game,

by becoming to you, your only son, in one of them.

There was a brief movement in the window, but neither the

warned.

- Take-the sorcerer held out a bottle that was less crowded than

usual. I'm out ANAGALIDE flowers and I can not prepare

more until the summer, when appear again. Do not forget you have to

come sooner than expected. Seven months this time. Do you understand me?

Ankris nodded, keeping the vial in the bag. When

preparing to leave the cabin, the sorcerer called his attention again.

- Ah ... An-Kris ...

- Yes?

- Congratulates the girlfriend from me, 'said the witch sneered.

- Tomorrow I present to Fire-Test-Mae Shi said.

Ankris looked at her with some trepidation.

- Are you sure you want to?

- Yes. But I'm nervous. I can stay here tonight?

- No.

The reply was too sharp and immediately regretted Ankris of

have been so abrupt. "Tonight is a full moon," would say. "I

will transform into a giant wolf and wild and I'll have to take a

narcotic and senseless murder anyone. " He shivered. Not

could tell him so, but would have to confess at some point,

before the wedding. Not now, though. Nothing must disturb it on the eve

the most important exam of your life.

- No, he said more softly. Do not want to distract. I do

forgive myself if something went wrong. In addition, you must rest, and if you would stay

here, there'd sleep. This bed is very uncomfortable.

Although many people seemed strange, Ankris still living in their

cabin in the woods. Soon he and Shi-Mae have their own in-house

city, but for the moment he wanted to remain faithful to their customs, the

least until the wedding.

She relaxed a bit.

- You're right, he said.

- I want to give you something then said Ankris.

He pulled out a small drawer velvet lined case it

tended.

- I thought give it as a gift for passing the exam, but I can not

wait and can additionally give you luck-explained, with some shyness,

while the open-Mae Shi, excited.

He took from the box a thin gold chain glistening in the sun

sunset. From the chain hung a gold pendant in the form of heart,

A.K. initialed and S. M.

- Oh, An-Kris ... She murmured, with a twinkle in his eyes. This is

beautiful. It must have cost a fortune.

Either Mae Shi jewelry cost at least ten times more

that this simple pendant, but still did not possess Ankris more money than

which had saved while working for the Duke, and she knew it.

After the wedding, dowry Mae Shi-sufficient so they could live

comfortably for two centuries at least, but although she had

said it was not seemly that a noble working, it he had already expressed

its firm intention of finding a job.

Meanwhile, however, all he had was still in

that cabin.

- Had long wanted to do Ankris said tenderly,

as he fastened the necklace around his neck. From the first time

I saw you.

- Are you referring to the night of the wolves in the woods?

- No, he smiled. Long before.

When Shi-Mae walked away, leaving him alone, he wondered if he Ankris

it would be able to sleep, despite the sleeping draft. His bride was a

skillful apprentice, but would not be considered maga until

Fire Test exceeded. Her years studying the Book of Fire,

his last spell basic manual and Ankris had witnessed what

was capable of. But the Trial by Fire was still a test

very risky, even for the most promising apprentices.

With a sigh, Ankris sat next to the window to see how

the sky darkened gradually. He heard the howling of wolves in the

distance. "Not tonight, friends," he thought, with a smile. Still thinking

in Shi-Mae, rose to take the bottle with the narcotic, while

beginning to feel the beast awakening inside. "When Shi-Mae

is sorceress, before the wedding, I'll tell. I need not

see transformed. I can always come to the cabin nights

Full Moon and ... ".

His thoughts froze a horrible moment.

The bottle was nearly empty.

Horrified, recalled that seven months ago, the sorcerer had

warned that the phial had less of that time because the

ANAGALIDE harvest was lower than the previous year. Should

have returned to the ring weeks ago, but had forgotten

completely.

"Last month I was surprised almost nightfall before reaching the

cabin and, in the rush to take the sleeping pill, I did not realize that

the jar was almost empty, "thought the frightened young. "And I never

crossed his mind would be absent from the city now that Shi-Mae

will be submitted to the Trial by Fire. " Panicked, drank the

left in the bottle, just a few drops, and waited a good time with the

bottle up, waiting to fall a few more drops. He closed his eyes

despair. "That is enough, sufficient ...".

By the way, decided to block doors and windows. Since the

sleeping pill worked as well, had long since stopped.

He went to the door, staggering, and managed to nail some boards. Repeated

operation with both windows and when he was assuring the last

table, a sharp pain shot through him like a thousand knives of fire

question. He dropped to his knees on the floor and gasped. It was more painful

than I remembered, and thought with horror, maybe that was because the

acting narcotic was not as effective as usual.

He closed his eyes and lay on the floor, shrugging on itself. Out

was night. The light of the full moon seeping through the cracks of the

windows.

The pain returned. Ankris refrained from shouting, and growled softly.

He realized that his fangs had grown back. "Please,

to take effect, to take effect ... "he thought desperately. But he was

clearer than usual, and I noticed that in the depths of his

mind, the beast struggled to go outside and make up for many months

of confinement.

A new spasm shook Ankris body, which threw his head

back and moaned in pain.

And then, someone knocked on the door.

- An-Kris? Said the voice of Shi-Mae from outside. I ... I

changed his mind. I do not mind sleeping in your bed. I could not sleep, and

I was wondering if ... An-? Kris?

Ankris deep breath, horrified. This could not be happening.

He decided not to answer, and wished with all his might-Mae Shi

leave before the conclusion of the transformation.

- An-Kris? She insisted. I know you're home. What is it? Why

do not you open the door?

A Ankris let out a low growl.

- An-Kris! What are you doing? What, are you with another?

- Shi-Mae, please, 'he murmured huskily. Márchate, so

sake. I beg you.

- What is it? -Her voice was now worried. Are you okay?

- N-I can not open the door, Shi-Mae.

A new seizure again altered his features. Moaned Ankris

pain. He looked at his hands and saw them covered with hair and fingers

turned into claws.

- I promise I'll tell you everything tomorrow. But now trust me

and go home ...

- An-Kris, I'm not leaving. If you're sick, I can heal with

my magic and ...

- You can not do anything for me! Go, I beg you!

Ankris last words ended in a prolonged howl.

There was a brief silence, for a moment, the young man thought, relieved that

Shi-Mae was gone. But then she heard his voice again to another

side of the door.

- An-Kris, I'm coming.

He heard her whisper a few words in arcane language, the language of the

magic.

- Shi-Mae! She managed to scream hoarsely. No! Nooo!

There was an explosion, and the door flew destroyed by a ball

fire. When he re-look Ankris saw the smoke, the slender

Mae Shi figure leaning against the remains of the doorway,

breathing hard, exhausted from the effort to ward off fire. The

heard coughing and ask:

- An-Kris? Where are you?

And though a part of him wanted to scream at him to leave, he left

fleeing, his animal instinct urged him to jump on it and devour it.

He tried to get up but the pain came back and knocked him to his knees

the floor.

The lantern light bathed Mae Shi-Ankris figure.

- For all ... She whispered. What the ...?

Ankris looked up and the light illuminated his features.

- Go, Shi-Mae! Yelled.

She stepped back, mute with terror, unable to look away from his face

half-animal.

- An-Kris? -I realized suddenly and his eyes widened in

terror. No way. No way. No, you do not ...

- Go Ankris growled and leapt at her.

In midair transformation was accomplished, and the rational mind

elf was buried under the instinct of the beast.

Mae Shi screamed.

Ankris woke up in the woods, huddled under a tree. Light

sun filtered through the leaves of the trees and caressed his face. The

She blinked, confused and disoriented. Then, suddenly, he remembered what

I had spent the previous night and jumped. He looked

around, but everything seemed in order.

- Mae Shi? Murmured.

The last thing he remembered was jumped her to devour.

She ran back to the cabin, not wanting to even imagine what would have

happened if their worst nightmares have come true. When it came

there, breathless, he found the door shattered, and recalled that the Mae Shi

was cast down with his magic. That calmed him somewhat. She was not

helpless girl, knew defend ...

Although Shi-Mae was not there, nor was there any blood on the

ground. Ankris took to dress as he thought his next

movement.

The first thing I'd do is go to the home of the Duke and see if Mae Shi

was all right.

Along the way came that if Shi-Mae had said that he had

attacked, the Duke guard immediately apresaría. But should

risk. Needed to know if she was safe.

He found the palace of the Duke strangely silent and empty. The

Chamberlain told him that Shi-Mae had not returned home. The

Duke had match tomorrow, serious and pale, and had not told anyone

where he was going.

Fearing the worst, Ankris traced back to the forest and the area

Mae Shi-looking but not found. It took a while to decide to

approaching the horrible cave where, long ago, had discovered the

victims of their bestial side. If he had killed Shi-Mae ...

Made his way, praying to himself not find her there.

However, when just lacked a stretch to reach the cave,

realized that it would be valuable to peer into its interior. He stopped and

breathed deeply, trying to think. Although he was physically

Well, that did not mean that Shi-Mae had not tried to defend himself.

He knew that while he was transformed there was little to

could hurt him. But Shi-Mae, she thought again, was a magician and knew

control the fire. He had shown the night before ...

Suddenly remembered Ankris. Fire Test! How had

have forgotten?

Obviously, if Shi-Mae was alive, there was only one place

could be: the School of the Golden Wood.

Not allowed to see Shi-Mae. The young wizard who received

Ankris patiently explained that she was conducting the

Trial by Fire and, of course, he could not disturb. Ankris insisted,

but to no avail. Wizards seemed accustomed to that

family concerned for apprentices that were presented to the test

tratasen of information about young people. Ankris saw the Duke

walking restlessly up and down, in a waiting room, but not

dared to come to greet him. He turned and left the building.

They did not understand. It was not only the test of fire.

The night before, Shi-Mae had been attacked by a werewolf. Its

promised, for details. Needed to see her at all costs, talk to her,

know how he was, though, apparently, she was alive and

well enough to take the exam, leaving no

be a relief.

Surrounding the immense