The Sworn Knight by Robert Ryan (romance book recommendations TXT) 📗

her now, his enemy. She was close. Once morehe concentrated on her, and again the world darkened as though he closed hiseyes.

This time, when the sense of movement passed, he floated inthe air and Ferla was nearby. So too her two companions. They were oblivious tohim, and he knew that his spirit form was invisible.

That needed to change. He must take form here, for withoutform he could not speak to her, and that was what he most desired.

He reached out with his thought, and his magic was one withit. His powers were limited, yet still he could summon a mist, and this he did.It gathered around him, thickening, and it took his shape.

He appeared before them in a small wood. They drew theirswords, and one, seemingly a scruffy vagabond, held an axe. But there was shockon their faces, and Savanest liked that.

“Are you ready to meet your fate, Ferla that was and knightthat you have become?”

His voice was like the sighing of the wind in the treetops.It was mournful and eerie, and he liked it. Here, he had an opportunity toscare her, but also to gauge her character and powers, if she truly had any.

“Begone, apparition. You are nothing here,” she said. As ifin proof of her words, she sheathed her sword. She was not going to show fear.

“Nothing?” he answered. It was time to disabuse her of hermisconception.

Raising his arms, he summoned a mist from the ground, and hemade it cold so that a frost formed on the earth.

“Nothing?” he repeated. “You are too sure of yourself,girl.”

Even as he spoke he sent tendrils of the mist swirling andleaping. Let her see what it was like to be bound by magic, to be thrown to theground and to have the spirit-mist constrict her throat.

To his surprise, she uttered one of the great words of powerand summoned fire. It swept forward and crashed into the mist, sending ithissing into oblivion. The frost on the ground melted, and he felt humbled.

Worse, she laughed at him. And that he could not bear. Evenas Lindercroft had underestimated her, so had he. How was it possible thatAranloth had trained her in such arts in so short a time?

But in truth, she had the advantage here. She was in theflesh, and he was but a thing of spirit. She had her full powers, and he only ashadow of what was his. But for what she had done, he would make her pay, andthat would be in the flesh, too.

“Which knight are you?” the girl asked. “Tell me, so I shallknow your name when we meet in person, and so I can mark it on your grave.”

He felt a chill, but then he understood that she wasattempting to do to him exactly what he intended for her; instill fear into theopponent to unduly hasten their plans and put their minds in disorder. Helaughed.

“I am Savanest, Morleth Knight and servant of the GreatCause. That will mark my grave, but you and your friends and all you know willbe dust on the wind ere that day comes, if ever it does. I will—”

To his dismay she raised her hand and sent a sheet of flamerippling through the air. Almost he felt the burning of it, but he was onlyspirit and she could only surprise rather than harm him.

Yet still, the fire tore through the mist that formed hisshape, and it fell to tatters. He could have reformed it, but he knew she woulddispel him again.

Burning with a white-hot rage, he thought of his body backat the hollow, and even as he did so he felt the bindings of his flesh and hiseyes flicked open.

He wanted to yell and shout, but he calmed himself. He was aknight, and he had achieved his purpose. Despite her actions, the girl had beenscared. That much he could tell, and it was good to know. She felt fear, butshe did not let it crush her. That was very good to know, because victory inbattle came from understanding your enemy.

And if she was his enemy before, she was doubly so now.

His anger cooled. It would wait for fulfillment, and hisrevenge on her would be sweeter when it came. Beyond doubt, he would not killher. Better by far to bring her in shame to the king, and by the power of the MorlethStone make her serve. Yet some part of her mind would know what she once was,and that she had become a slave to what she hated. That would be the bestrevenge of all, and something that acted as both punishment to her but alsofurthered the cause he served. That was perfection.

He sat where he was, and thought. It was time to let revengego. That, he could enjoy later at leisure. What he must do now was considerwhat he had learned.

It was small wonder that Lindercroft had underestimated her.She had power far greater than she should have for her age and experience. Buther magic was not great in itself. At best, she was only a good student. Hiswas greater.

Her skill with a sword was another matter. He could notgauge that without touching blades with her, but he did know she had killedLindercroft in combat rather than by magic. That bespoke of high skill indeed.But he would not be fighting her. He would use were-beasts to bring her downand capture her.

He turned his mind to the half-breed that was with her. Hemust have been part Cheng, and it showed. He was nothing, and yet the steadygaze of his eyes that showed no surprise or fear had been disconcerting. He wasmore than he seemed, and someone to watch.

It was the little man with the axe that was the greatestmystery of all though. About him, there was little to see and yet much to feel.He possessed magic, and he wielded a strange axe that made Savanest feeluneasy. There was something of magic about it too. But both magics were outsidehis experience.

At any rate, his decision was made. Both men must be treatedas dangerous, and both must be killed