Mageborn The Line of Illeniel by Michael Manning (top novels of all time TXT) 📗

been one of the first to disappear but despite his tragedy Royce found it hard to work up much sympathy for the man. He complained too much and had a tendency to fall asleep when he wasn’t talking. Royce preferred him asleep as opposed to listening to his constant bitching. He’d never cut it in a smithy, Royce thought to himself.

The night was growing darker. No moon and an overcast sky ensured that it would soon be pitch black out. A lantern on a pole some twenty feet from the gate provided most of their light. It had been Joe McDaniel’s idea to post lanterns away from gates, that way they provided more illumination of the surrounding area, instead of just highlighting the guards at their posts.

Royce nudged the other man, David had just started to drift off again, “Come on, it’s time shut the gate.” You’ll be able to sleep better on the battlements anyway, he thought uncharitably.

“Alright, I’m about tired of standing out here,” Tanner responded. Lifting his spear he turned to walk back inside the gate. A third man, Sam Turner stood within, next to the warning bell. “Give me a hand with the doors Sam.” Tanner said.

Royce was about to turn and follow him in when he heard a sound. Years hunting deer in the Duke’s forest had given him keen ears, but this was no deer. “Who’s out there?” he called.

Sam had one of the two gate doors in place and David had his side halfway closed. Once the two met in the center they would throw the heavy bar to lock them in place, but they paused when they heard Royce’s voice. Sam looked out to see Royce backing slowly toward the opening. He thought he could see the form of a smaller person approaching from the darkness but it was still indistinct. “Royce, do I need to hold the gate for someone?” Sam asked.

Royce had already recognized the person walking toward them; it was Rebecca Miller, the third person to go missing. She had been gone for almost three weeks now and Royce already knew the full details of Mordecai’s encounter with what had been Sadie Tanner. He backed steadily toward the gap in the gate doors, “No Sam, I think we’d best lock up tight as soon as I get through the gate.” He never took his eyes off the form of the thirteen year old girl walking steadily toward him. Two more steps and he would be inside. Rebecca was only ten feet away now.

Sam heard the tension in Royce’s voice. That and the fact that he didn’t turn his head to speak told him everything he needed to know, but David Tanner wasn’t so quick to understand. The light clearly showed the girl approaching when David spoke up, “Hey now! Isn’t that Rebecca Miller?” He started to step away from the gate but Sam grabbed his shoulder.

“Wait up David,” Sam said.

“Will you let me in? I’m ever so hungry and I’ve had nothing these past few days,” came a curiously monotone voice from the girl.

“What’s your name girl?” Royce asked. He had stopped backing up since it was clear he wouldn’t be able to get them to close the gate doors till the girl’s identity was settled.

“I can’t remember. Won’t you help me?” she replied. She was only feet from him now and might have gotten closer but Royce had his spear down, pointing squarely at her chest.

David shook off Sam’s hand and stepped out, “It’s Rebecca. Dammit Royce, stop pointing that thing at her. She’s just a girl!” Shoving Royce’s spear aside he reached out to take the teenager’s arm, she eagerly clasped his hand.

“Don’t touch her!” Royce shouted, but it was too late. David Tanner struggled to pull away from the girl, a look of terror on his face as he felt the dark pull on his spirit. She had both hands on him now and she held him with incredible strength. Royce didn’t wait; jerking his spear back into line he impaled the young girl on it, driving the long bladed head through her torso.

Sam saw what was occurring from a few feet behind them, “By the gods! Royce what have you done?!” He started forward but Royce yelled for him to stop.

“Ring the goddamned bell!” he shouted. The girl hadn’t let go of David and was pulling him closer as he weakened, his knees buckling. Royce struggled to push her off the other man with the spear but she showed no sign of letting go. The weapon might have gone all the way through her but it was a boar spear and the cross-piece kept it from passing, a good thing as it allowed him to push harder against her. Very little blood issued from the girl’s wound, and what there was seemed thick and black.

Sam finally snapped out of his shock and ran back to ring the bell while the men struggled in front of the gate. A dark shadow on the periphery of his vision warned Royce that the girl wasn’t alone and he let go of the spear. Stepping back he drew his sword just in time to meet the charge of a man he didn’t recognize. The stranger was unarmed but his slack face and empty expression made it clear he was cut from the same cloth as the girl.

Slashing sideways he severed the man’s hand at the wrist as he slammed into Royce. The weight of his body shoved Royce back into the unsecured gate door, causing it to swing wider. At his first touch Royce felt the coldness seeping into him, a dark biting wind drawing his life out. The creature’s remaining hand had him by the throat and try as he might he couldn’t pull it free. He could hear the bell starting to ring behind him, but help couldn’t possibly arrive soon enough.

A lifetime shaping iron had given the blacksmith strength few men could hope to match. Even