The Sworn Knight, Robert Ryan [good beach reads .txt] 📗

“You have answers enough, if you are man enough,” the spiritintoned. “But remember the were-stone you possess. It will change your life. Itis the means of your success, but a weakness also.”

The dark form of the once-knight sank swiftly down into theroiling waters, and the screams of the dead ceased. But a roar replaced it.

A mighty wave formed, rolling across the lake. Weeds and mudcrested it, and it seemed to Savanest that a ravening beast, part man and partanimal rode its summit.

Savanest fled. He was so cold that his legs barely seemed tomove, and fear clutched his throat, but even as the water crashed around him,he came to higher ground and turned to watch it recede reluctantly back intothe lake.

A long while he stood there, thinking. The night passed, andthe clouds thinned until a faint light showed in the east. His fear soon lessened.He had taken a great risk, but it had been worth it. He knew exactly where theenemy had been, which gave him a starting point even if they would have sincefled that place. He had learned more, though.

The girl was the seventh knight. It was a surprise, but evenmore surprising was that the way to beat her was not to kill her. If not, whatwas he to do? That was something to ponder, but it could wait. Finding her wasthe first step, and what would come after could be decided later.

The fear had passed, but he still felt a sense of unease.Lindercroft had warned him. Those words at the end could mean nothing less. Yetthere was a promise in them also. At least, if he was interpreting them well.He would change. What could that mean? Dare he hope it signified that incompleting this quest and removing the threat against the king and Morleth Stonethat he would be exalted above his brother knights? That would be a significantchange, and it was one he intended to work toward.

As dawn inched over the land, he turned and walked back to thecamp. He realized that he should have asked about Faran. What role in all thiswould he now play? He was not the seventh knight, but surely he was too deeplyinvolved in the prophecy now to be nothing more than Ferla’s companion. Therewas something else going on there, but what it was only time would reveal.

He reached the camp, and straightaway he sensed the men wereuneasy. What they had seen and heard, he was not sure. Something, no doubt. Themagics unleashed had been colossal.

At least he knew where to go now, and they would decamp thismorning and hasten on their way. Their days of ease and luxury were over. Notthat they would complain. He owned them in ways that they did not know.

The master were-stone that he wore, and the companion piecesaround their necks, like collars, ensured it was so. Already they would doanything he asked. They thought of him as king, and worshipped him. They woulddie for him, all fifty of them without question.

He touched his own were-stone, and sent tendrils of magicinto it, unlocking its secret powers. From there, he felt it spread to theother stones. He gave the men a sense of ease and trust. All was well. Allwould continue to be well. There was nothing to fear.

They did not need to know that the magic would alter them.The more he used it, the less human they would become. In the end, they wouldbe mere beasts, dogs that would come to his call. That was the nature of themagic. It was the price of their obedience.

And it occurred to him then that he had a way to track hisenemies once he picked up their trail on the mountain.

6. Farewell

The travelers spent the day hidden, as best as thebattle plains would allow, and they rested in subdued silence. But they kept aconstant watch.

Faran had that responsibility now, on the last shift beforethey would break camp. Not that he had really rested earlier. He was too upset,and his mind kept racing.

It tore at him that he would be separated from Ferla. Fromnow on, their danger only increased rather than diminished, and though he knewhow smart she was, and skilled with a blade and magic, how could he not worryabout her?

Yet at the same time, he owed nearly everything to Aranloth.He could not, and would not abandon him. So it was that he spent the day inturmoil, and try as he might he could not find peace within himself. But heknew he must. He was in an impossible situation, and the only way through thatwas to acknowledge the truth of it and accept the decision circumstances hadforced on him.

The afternoon faded toward evening, and the others woke andate another cold meal.

Ferla approached him, and spoke to him away from the others.

“Why so sad, Faran? We both know you’re doing the rightthing.”

They sat down, looking out at the shadowless plain as thesky dimmed and darkness began to fall.

“I want to be there to help you, but I can’t be in twoplaces at once. I’m sorry.”

She laughed at him then. “Oh, Faran, I understand that. Iwant to go with you and help you too. But it just cannot be.”

He had not considered that before. But he knew the truth ofher words. She feared for his safety as much as he feared for hers. Howevermuch he wanted to help her, she wanted to help him.

“It seems,” he answered her, “that fate wants us to go ourseparate ways. But we will meet up again. And I’ll bring Aranloth withme. All will be well, in the end.”

She did not answer that. She knew as well as he did that hecould not guarantee it. The opposite was likely true, but she leaned againsthim as she often did, and they watched the last rays of the sun flicker overthe grass, turning it gray and then fading away to night.

They walked back to the center of the camp where the otherswere ready to go.

“Faran and I know we have to separate,” Ferla said