Knights: Book 02 - The Hand of Tharnin by Robert E. Keller Page A
Authors: Robert E. Keller
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invisible shield. Hissing in fury, the demon man hurled a fireball from his gauntlet at the archers, scattering them. Timlin rode off to one side, preparing to shoot, and the demon man turned to face him. Timlin fired two arrows with astounding speed, but both were deflected as if they were simply annoying twigs.
Then Jace leapt from his horse and charged the demon man. When the demon man glimpsed the fact that Jace was unarmed, he sneered in contempt, not bothering to guard himself. Jace smashed his hand down on the fellow's head. The demon man stared at Jace, looking dazed. Jace smashed him twice more on the skull, and this time the demon man's eyes rolled back. He grabbed Jace with the gauntlet and hurled the huge man onto some rocks.
Thrake charged the demon man from horseback, slamming his smoldering axe down for the kill. But the demon man smashed the powerful axe aside with his gauntlet, causing an explosion of fire and sparks, and Thrake was thrown from his horse. The Red Knight landed with a clatter of armor.
The demon man turned back toward Lannon, deflecting more arrows and flame from Aldreya's dagger. But he couldn't seem to focus. He staggered, his eyes still showing their whites from the blows Jace had inflicted.
Lannon managed to regain some of his strength, and once again he seized the demon man with the Eye of Divinity. This time he squeezed the man's throat--and found little resistance. He easily choked the man until he was unconscious, and then quickly released him, hoping he hadn't killed him. But the Eye revealed that Lannon's foe was alive and not critically wounded.
Groaning, Jace rose from the rocks and rolled the demon man over. "Vorden, fetch the coil of Birlote rope from my horse."
The archers leapt down from their horses to tend to the fallen Knights. Thrake stood up on his own, having suffered a small gash to the head, but Taris was unconscious and had to be awakened and helped up.
Once Jace had bound the demon man securely, his face broke into a grin. "We've got him now, my friends! This Birlote rope cannot be burned and is immensely strong--stronger than iron. Soon the mysteries of this Hand of Tharnin will be solved!"
As Taris was helped onto his horse, the ever-alert Tower Master mumbled, "Beware of those two priests, who are still lurking nearby."
But the priests never showed themselves.
Chapter 7: Kingdom Under Siege
The company rode quickly for Dremlock, refusing to camp--though they stopped to rest now and then. The weather cleared during the afternoon, the clouds parting to reveal blue sky. As evening fell across the land, a few bright stars were visible, along with the pale moon. They encountered no more ambushes. The demon man remained unconscious and slumped over a saddle, bound securely in the Birlote rope. Lannon kept glancing at him, amazed they had succeeded in defeating him and wondering if the rope could really hold him should he happen to awaken.
At one point, Taris ordered the company to halt so they could discuss the situation. "I had a bit of time to think about this," said Taris, "and it may be in our best interests to try to remove the gauntlet while the demon man is unconscious and sink it deep into a bog somewhere--to be rid of it forever."
"But don't we need to study the device?" said Jace, looking dismayed at Taris' suggestion. "Imagine the secrets we can learn about the Deep Shadow from it. Furthermore, you have an illness that might never be cured unless we unlock the mysteries of this Hand of Tharnin. Your life may depend on it."
"My life means nothing," said Taris, "when all of Dremlock is at stake. I am willing to take my chances with my illness, just to be rid of the device. Of course, it would be very dangerous to try to free the gauntlet on such short notice, without having our blacksmiths study it."
"We could remove the gauntlet safely," said Thrake, his eyes narrowing. "One swipe from my burning axe, and the wound would be sealed
Then Jace leapt from his horse and charged the demon man. When the demon man glimpsed the fact that Jace was unarmed, he sneered in contempt, not bothering to guard himself. Jace smashed his hand down on the fellow's head. The demon man stared at Jace, looking dazed. Jace smashed him twice more on the skull, and this time the demon man's eyes rolled back. He grabbed Jace with the gauntlet and hurled the huge man onto some rocks.
Thrake charged the demon man from horseback, slamming his smoldering axe down for the kill. But the demon man smashed the powerful axe aside with his gauntlet, causing an explosion of fire and sparks, and Thrake was thrown from his horse. The Red Knight landed with a clatter of armor.
The demon man turned back toward Lannon, deflecting more arrows and flame from Aldreya's dagger. But he couldn't seem to focus. He staggered, his eyes still showing their whites from the blows Jace had inflicted.
Lannon managed to regain some of his strength, and once again he seized the demon man with the Eye of Divinity. This time he squeezed the man's throat--and found little resistance. He easily choked the man until he was unconscious, and then quickly released him, hoping he hadn't killed him. But the Eye revealed that Lannon's foe was alive and not critically wounded.
Groaning, Jace rose from the rocks and rolled the demon man over. "Vorden, fetch the coil of Birlote rope from my horse."
The archers leapt down from their horses to tend to the fallen Knights. Thrake stood up on his own, having suffered a small gash to the head, but Taris was unconscious and had to be awakened and helped up.
Once Jace had bound the demon man securely, his face broke into a grin. "We've got him now, my friends! This Birlote rope cannot be burned and is immensely strong--stronger than iron. Soon the mysteries of this Hand of Tharnin will be solved!"
As Taris was helped onto his horse, the ever-alert Tower Master mumbled, "Beware of those two priests, who are still lurking nearby."
But the priests never showed themselves.
Chapter 7: Kingdom Under Siege
The company rode quickly for Dremlock, refusing to camp--though they stopped to rest now and then. The weather cleared during the afternoon, the clouds parting to reveal blue sky. As evening fell across the land, a few bright stars were visible, along with the pale moon. They encountered no more ambushes. The demon man remained unconscious and slumped over a saddle, bound securely in the Birlote rope. Lannon kept glancing at him, amazed they had succeeded in defeating him and wondering if the rope could really hold him should he happen to awaken.
At one point, Taris ordered the company to halt so they could discuss the situation. "I had a bit of time to think about this," said Taris, "and it may be in our best interests to try to remove the gauntlet while the demon man is unconscious and sink it deep into a bog somewhere--to be rid of it forever."
"But don't we need to study the device?" said Jace, looking dismayed at Taris' suggestion. "Imagine the secrets we can learn about the Deep Shadow from it. Furthermore, you have an illness that might never be cured unless we unlock the mysteries of this Hand of Tharnin. Your life may depend on it."
"My life means nothing," said Taris, "when all of Dremlock is at stake. I am willing to take my chances with my illness, just to be rid of the device. Of course, it would be very dangerous to try to free the gauntlet on such short notice, without having our blacksmiths study it."
"We could remove the gauntlet safely," said Thrake, his eyes narrowing. "One swipe from my burning axe, and the wound would be sealed
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