Dark Fate: The Gathering (The Dark Fate Chronicles Book 1) Read Online Free Page B

would be thrown in the stockade for his last scuffle.
    Lord Banlor Graves was a man of formidable power and not someone to have as an enemy; yet now, he was one. Erik didn’t know the details of the exchange that had transpired between his son and the powerful nobleman, but he knew the meeting had ended with Kinsey slamming Graves against a wall. A breach in etiquette with irreversible consequences, to be sure. In a way, this was Kinsey’s last chance to save face with the governing body of Waterfall Citadel.
    “All right, let’s move out!” Kinsey shouted.
    The words snapped Erik out of his contemplation. He hopped off the rock with practiced ease and made his way to Kinsey to tell him of his intentions.
    “You needn’t worry, I have personally made sure things will go smoothly...” Chancellor Tomelen was saying to his personal entourage as Erik walked by. Being one of the people actually responsible for the safety of the caravan, Erik hoped the chancellor was correct. Getting into a skirmish with the Wildmen could prove disastrous for their little band.
    “Be careful,” said Kinsey as he and Erik clasped hands.
    “Always.” Erik smiled. “You as well.” He then headed deep into the Winewood.
    Once found, the trail would be easy to follow. Erik didn’t think Rouke would have a problem leading the escort through the twisting paths made by the indigenous wildlife.
    The heavy clop of hooves on hard-packed earth and an occasional snort or whicker from the horses gave Erik notice that the escort was close enough behind him to find the trail without further assistance. He broke several branches along the trail, just to be sure, before departing. Wanting to be in position before the group got too close to the Wildmen camp, he trotted off soundlessly into the dense forest. If Erik was good at one thing, it was moving through woods unheard and unseen.
    Smoke from the Wildmen campfires drifted slowly up into the canopy above. Erik had found a good position to spy on the camp atop a thick winewood branch twenty feet from the forest floor. The encampment was quiet; only a few of the figures below stirred. Most were out of sight, hidden in their hide-covered tents.
    Erik gently pulled his bow from his shoulder and arranged the quiver of arrows at his waist to a more manageable position. If things went badly, he could at least buy the escort some time by taking out a few of those wargs.
    The camp consisted of several small groupings of tent-like structures and cooking fires that scattered amongst the trees in no particular order. The Wildmen themselves were comprised of not just men, but goblins and hobgoblins as well. The three species rarely coexisted, let alone worked well together, but the need for survival can overcome many differences. The men appeared similar to humans of the northern realms, only more ragged and hard-faced. The goblins were far different; very short, perhaps three feet in height, with a ruddy, green tint to their skin, and large distended noses and wicked mouths containing many sharp, rotten teeth. Intelligent and extremely devious, goblins tended to be responsible for most of the raids that came from the Savage Lands. The hobgoblins were similar to men but larger, with flat, broad noses and short tusks. Far stronger and infinitely more vicious than the other two species, hobgoblins ruled with brute force and intimidation. A demonstration played out below, as one of the hulking brutes bullied a group of humans out of what appeared to be their personal belongings.
    Erik settled on his branch. No sense in being uncomfortable while spying on your enemies , he thought. He shifted so he would have a clear view of the wargs.
    The minutes dragged on as the camp began to stir. The smell of cooking food rousted more of the savages from their sleep. Many of the figures below stretched the stiffness out of their muscles as they came out from under their tents.
    The distant scream of an injured horse pierced the