Blood Of The Wizard (Book 1) Read Online Free Page A

elves’ old camp before all the traces are covered.  How far by the High Dog Road?”
    “ Five miles,” he said, and I knew by the sudden scream and plunge of his horse that spurs were dug into its raw sides. 
    We turned down that steep, tortuous street leading from Goback to the Valley of the Leaf.  The wet thaw of midday had frozen and the road was slippery.  We reined our horses in tightly, and by zagging and zigging from side to side, we managed to reach the foot of the hill without a single fall. 
    Here, we again gave them the bit, thundering across the bridge without stopping, which brought the keeper out, cursing and yelling for his toll. 
    I tossed a coin over my shoulder and we galloped up the elm-lined avenue leading to that Frostetch Forest retreat that Kenzo called home.  Turning suddenly to the right, we followed a seldom frequented road, where snow was drifted heavily.  Finally, our beasts sinking to their haunches and snorting through the white billows, we had to slacken pace.
    Halvgar had not spoken a word .  Clouds were still massing on the north.  Overhead, a few stars glittered against the black, but the wind had the most mournful wail I have ever heard. 
    “ Fie—listen!  Do you hear anything?  Do you hear someone calling for help?  Is that a child?”
    “ No, Halvgar.  I hear nothing but the wind.”
    But my hesitancy belied the truth .  We both heard sounds that could have easily been wailing.  It was impossible to discern anything in the gathering storm.  And the wind burst upon us again, catching my empty denial in a mean sound, like the howling of a woman. 
    Then there was a lull, and I discerned the noise:  It was Halvgar. 
    I looked away. 
    The stout dwarf by my side, who had held iron grip of himself before other eyes, was now giving in fully to grief.
    Yet we pushed on.
    At last, a red light gleamed from the window of Gilli’s low-slung cottage.  That was the signal for us to turn abruptly to the left, entering the forest by a narrow bridle path that twisted among the cedars.  The moon shone for a moment above the ragged edge of a storm cloud, and in that same moment all the snow-laden evergreens stood out, spectral and still, like mourners.  I shuddered, looking.  Snow was beginning to fall in great flakes that obscured the air.  Here, the road again took us right.  At a sharp angle to the road was Halvgar’s Hall.  It suddenly loomed up in the center of a forest clearing on the mountain side.  Just beyond, the path to the garden came near the road, followed it a bit, then crossed a frozen stream to a small open space. 
    Here, the small band of elves had been encamped.
    We rounded back for his hall and hallooed for servants.
     
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    With the lanterns they brought us, we examined every square inch of the smoke-scarred rocks and snowy rubbish heaps .  Bits of hide or bone were scattered here and there, along with stones for the fire, and ends of ropes and tattered rags lay everywhere over the black patch. 
    In the end, we found nothing, not one single thing to indicate any trace of the lost woman and child, until I caught sight of a tiny, blue string beneath a piece of rusty metal .  Kicking it aside, I picked it up. 
    On the lower end was a child’s shoe. I confess it took me a moment to reveal it.  I would have rather had felt the point of a dagger, shoved in my ear, than have shown that simple thing to Halvgar. 
    But I did.
    He nodded, grimaced maniacally, then just nodded again.
    Then the sky fell out.  The snow broke upon us in white billows, blotting out everything.  We spread a sheet on the ground to preserve any marks of the campers, but the drifting wind drove us indoors and we were compelled to cease searching. 
     
     
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    All night long, Halvgar and I sat before the roaring fire of his hunting room.  Both of us were at a loss for what to do. 
    He just leaned forward with his chin in his palms, saying few words.  I