Faelan: A Highland Warrior Brief Read Online Free Page A

awkwardly in his arms. “In my boo t. For all the good it’ll do.”
    There was a movement in the trees and the horses went crazy. “I think you’d better put Agnes down—” Faelan hadn’t finished speaking when a dark shape flew at them. Faelan and Tavis jumped clear, his brother stumbling with Agnes. The lantern fell and a small fire flared before being extinguished in the wet leaves. Faelan’s arm s tung and he knew he’d been hit.
    Tavis scrambled out from under Agnes and jumped to his feet. “What was it?”
    Faelan’s first thought was that Alasdair had followed them, that he’d seen Agnes lying on the ground and assumed the worst. Then he smelled the stench of sulfur, and a moment later he saw their attacker’s face. “Shite.” Ia n hadn’t been imagining things.
    The demon advanced toward them, its snake-like gaze traveling from one brother to the other. Just as Ian had said, it was a grotesque-looking thing with long arms and claws, and the ugliest face Faelan had seen. Even uglier than the demon who’d killed Liam.
    “We’re done for,” Tavis said.
    “There’s only one of him, but two of us,” Faelan said , sounding braver than he felt.
    “I’ll kill you both,” the demon said. He snarled, reveali ng half a dozen pointed teeth.
    Faelan had been prepared from birth to one day fight the creatures, but he hadn’t entered formal training yet, and this was only the second one he’d encountered. Seeing a demon up close wasn’t fun. “Pretend we’re wresting with Da, just like a game.” Except this wasn’ t a game. “Now,” Faelan yelled.
    Tavis went low, diving for the demon’s feet. Faelan went for his shoulders, driving his dirk into the demon’s chest. It howled and came at Faelan with the dirk s till lodged in its thick flesh.
    Tavis jumped to his feet, raised his dirk and rushed the demon. The demon turned and swiped at Tavis, flinging him aside. He hit the ground and didn’t move. Faelan considered yelling out for help, but no one was close enough to save them. The demon bent over Tavis and ran a long claw down his chest as if deciding where to slice him first. Faelan grabbed a stick and smacked the demon in the head. The demon screeched and turned, knocking Faelan down. His head struck a rock, and he lay there addled, thinking they were going to die. The demon moved over him, snarling.
    Another scream sounded behind him and Nandor appeared. The stallion reared up on his hind legs, driving the demon away from Faelan. Faelan struggled to his feet in time to see the creature move back toward Tavis. Faelan was trembling inside, but he felt sometime come over him, a calmness. His trembling stopped and time seemed to slow. He felt powerful. He was distantly aware of shouts and the sound of thundering hooves, but he focused on th e demon, who had reached Tavis.
    Faelan spotted his brother’s dirk on the ground and picked it up. He ran toward the demon and when it turned, he roared out a battle cry and leapt at the creature, driving Tavis’ dirk under its ribs. He didn’t stop until the dirk pierced the demon’s heart. It scr eeched in rage and disappeared.
    Voices broke through his shock. Faelan turned and saw his father and Kieran staring at him, jaws dropped. Behind them, the other warriors also gaped. Faelan lowered his arm, panting. The strength he’d felt a moment ago was gone. His knees shook and he felt like he might collapse. His father dismounted and ran toward him. Kieran and the others also hurried over.
    “What happened?” his father asked.
    Faelan looked at the spot where the demon had disappeared. “It attacked us.”
    “Us?” his father said.
    Faelan turned to his brother, who lay groaning on the ground.
    “Tavis!” His father ran over and knelt beside him. “What in God’s name are you two doing out here?”
    “Coming to tell you that Ian really did see a demon.”
    “Inside the fence?” His father leaned back, his expression shocked.
    “No. Not far