The Balance of Power (Godsland Series: Books Four, Five, and Six) by Brian Rathbone Page A
Authors: Brian Rathbone
Ads: Link
sky? It was the most surreal and bizarre thing he had ever experienced, and he wasn't certain he could handle it. His back ached and his legs shook. "Help," he said far too low to be heard over the cries of the wounded and those trying to help them. "Um, I think I need some help here," he said a little louder.
He steeled himself when Morif turned. The old warrior was fearsome to look upon, and everything about him made Zander uncomfortable, his long hair and beard, metal rings braided into them, just highlighted the sunken place where his left eye had once been. Truly, Morif could look a man into the grave.
When he saw Catrin, the look on the grizzled face softened as much as Zander had ever witnessed. "We must get her back to the infirmary!"
"No!" Zander said involuntarily, and he nearly dropped Catrin as he choked.
"What is it?" Morif asked, his face no longer anything but hard. "Speak up, man."
"I . . . don't know . . . I don't know why, but I just know she needs to stay with Kyrien. She asked me to hold her, but I can't do it any longer."
Morif stepped forward to take Catrin from Zander's quivering arms, and Zander saw something he would never forget: Morif turned as pale as a whitefish, and his eye went wide. Zander saw it for only the briefest instant, as Catrin suddenly went rigid in his arms. Doing his best to hold on to her and not fall, Zander took two steps backward and bumped into Kyrien's side. As he looked up, a pair of massive eyes glared back at him, and it was more than he could stand. Zander fainted.
* * *
Holding his ribs, Chase took one step at a time. As he turned a corner, he found his way blocked by what had been the Upperton Apothecary, now a large pile of firewood partially obscured by the body of a dragon. Fear overcame Chase, even knowing the beast was dead. This was a super-predator, a killing machine. He would need to learn as much as he could about these feral dragons as fast as he could. Climbing over the dragon's tail was terrifying and painful. He didn't think anything was broken, but he was severely battered.
Beyond, he saw a very alive Kyrien supporting Catrin with his maw as another man fell to the ground. The bodies of dragons, men, and demons littered the valley floor. Amid the chaos, Morif brought order. Already the wounded were being loaded onto litters and carried up to the hold. Chase's second in command stepped in to support Catrin, who was now standing on her own. Chase moved faster despite the pain, tears gathering in his eyes.
"We need help over here," Morif shouted and Chase almost laughed; leave it to a one-eyed man to see him first. Morif always found a way to surprise him, and this day was no different. "Are you all right, sir?"
"Sort of," Chase said. "I think I'll live."
Morif grinned. "A little pain is a good thing. It reminds us not to be reckless."
Chase had often uttered the maxim himself, and he couldn't deny the truth of it.
"It took you long enough," he said when he reached Catrin.
She almost smiled.
"Prios is back!" came Millie's shout from above, and Catrin did smile briefly. The destruction around them defied optimism.
"You have that look on your face," Chase said to Catrin. "What is it?"
"Kyrien is injured," Catrin said. "We've got to figure out a way to protect him. If the ferals come back, he'll be defenseless."
"They will come back. There's a big one that has claimed this as his territory. We're not sure where he sleeps, but during the day, he keeps a constant watch on this valley. The people call him Reaver."
"All the more reason I need every able person down here now. We need to build fortifications around Kyrien to protect him."
"There are no fortifications we can build that will keep them out, Cat."
"Well, we have to do something!"
"The only things that've worked so far are spears and fire. I'll get people working weapons and training. In the meantime, we need to get you back in the hold. You look horrible."
"You're not
He steeled himself when Morif turned. The old warrior was fearsome to look upon, and everything about him made Zander uncomfortable, his long hair and beard, metal rings braided into them, just highlighted the sunken place where his left eye had once been. Truly, Morif could look a man into the grave.
When he saw Catrin, the look on the grizzled face softened as much as Zander had ever witnessed. "We must get her back to the infirmary!"
"No!" Zander said involuntarily, and he nearly dropped Catrin as he choked.
"What is it?" Morif asked, his face no longer anything but hard. "Speak up, man."
"I . . . don't know . . . I don't know why, but I just know she needs to stay with Kyrien. She asked me to hold her, but I can't do it any longer."
Morif stepped forward to take Catrin from Zander's quivering arms, and Zander saw something he would never forget: Morif turned as pale as a whitefish, and his eye went wide. Zander saw it for only the briefest instant, as Catrin suddenly went rigid in his arms. Doing his best to hold on to her and not fall, Zander took two steps backward and bumped into Kyrien's side. As he looked up, a pair of massive eyes glared back at him, and it was more than he could stand. Zander fainted.
* * *
Holding his ribs, Chase took one step at a time. As he turned a corner, he found his way blocked by what had been the Upperton Apothecary, now a large pile of firewood partially obscured by the body of a dragon. Fear overcame Chase, even knowing the beast was dead. This was a super-predator, a killing machine. He would need to learn as much as he could about these feral dragons as fast as he could. Climbing over the dragon's tail was terrifying and painful. He didn't think anything was broken, but he was severely battered.
Beyond, he saw a very alive Kyrien supporting Catrin with his maw as another man fell to the ground. The bodies of dragons, men, and demons littered the valley floor. Amid the chaos, Morif brought order. Already the wounded were being loaded onto litters and carried up to the hold. Chase's second in command stepped in to support Catrin, who was now standing on her own. Chase moved faster despite the pain, tears gathering in his eyes.
"We need help over here," Morif shouted and Chase almost laughed; leave it to a one-eyed man to see him first. Morif always found a way to surprise him, and this day was no different. "Are you all right, sir?"
"Sort of," Chase said. "I think I'll live."
Morif grinned. "A little pain is a good thing. It reminds us not to be reckless."
Chase had often uttered the maxim himself, and he couldn't deny the truth of it.
"It took you long enough," he said when he reached Catrin.
She almost smiled.
"Prios is back!" came Millie's shout from above, and Catrin did smile briefly. The destruction around them defied optimism.
"You have that look on your face," Chase said to Catrin. "What is it?"
"Kyrien is injured," Catrin said. "We've got to figure out a way to protect him. If the ferals come back, he'll be defenseless."
"They will come back. There's a big one that has claimed this as his territory. We're not sure where he sleeps, but during the day, he keeps a constant watch on this valley. The people call him Reaver."
"All the more reason I need every able person down here now. We need to build fortifications around Kyrien to protect him."
"There are no fortifications we can build that will keep them out, Cat."
"Well, we have to do something!"
"The only things that've worked so far are spears and fire. I'll get people working weapons and training. In the meantime, we need to get you back in the hold. You look horrible."
"You're not
Similar Books
