Falconfar 01-Dark Lord Read Online Free
air.
And behind him, where it was darker, half a dozen black blades crashed together in the empty air of Rod Everlar's bedroom, where he and Taeauna had been standing moments before.
The wind made him shiver, and Rod abruptly realized he was standing almost naked in the land of his dreams. Falconfar!
His dream world.
Alive and vivid and sun-dappled, on all sides, with tree-cloaked hills rolling away to the horizons—and rising into purple mountains, back that way—and woods like he'd always thought Sherwood Forest must look like right beside him, across the lane... the lane that led up to a castle that was towering up into the sky, just over there.
He stared around at rustling leaves and dancing boughs. The dark and mighty trees stood on both sides of the lane, just ahead, and between them the rutted lane ran up from his bare feet, around a snake-like pair of bends, to the castle gates.
Taeauna laughed lightly beside him, and then said earnestly, "Thank you, lord. Oh, thank you!"
Rod gave her an uneasy smile and let out a breath he hadn't noticed he was holding until then. "Uh..."
She was taller than him. And slender, long-limbed. Graceful, too, despite her hacked and shattered armor. Bone-white skin visible here and there, where her war-plate had fallen away, sleek curves that... that... God, she was beautiful. Long, tangled night-black hair, those bright emerald eyes, lips like...
"Uh..." Rod began again. Like what? I'm supposed to be a writer, to have the words ready for...
Oh, shit. Staring at Taeauna, he waved one hand helplessly to indicate his near-nakedness, and with the other pointed urgently at the two knights, and at another man in armor who'd appeared out of the castle and was now peering their way.
Taeauna had seen them, too. She turned quickly to Rod. "Please be guided by me, lord." Her voice was low. "Keep silent, give no one your name or the titles I've addressed you by, and pretend you remember nothing of who you are or where you're from."
Rod gave her a rueful smile. "That won't be hard."
Those glorious emerald eyes were serious. "I'm very pleased that you chose Hollowtree—this is a good place—but all of Falconfar is dangerous these days, goodman."
"Ah. I've stopped being a lord?"
"Yes. If anyone asks if you're a wizard, do or say nothing that could be taken for agreement, nor familiarity with magic. Just act dazed."
"How will I understand anyth—"
Taeauna made a sharp chopping motion with her hand that clearly meant "be silent!" Rod obliged.
Hastening down the lane were four men: the stout armored warrior who'd stepped out between the two guards, and three bowmen in ragged clothes of what looked like soft, well-worn hides sewn together. The knight in the middle drew his sword as he strode around the first bend, and the archers readied arrows and spread out to either side of him.
Taeauna sheathed her dagger and stood waiting for them, head held high. As the knight approached, slowing warily after his boots slipped twice on moss-covered cobbles, she gently spread her hands wide in front of her, palms out to show they were empty. The archers raised their bows but kept their shafts aimed off into the trees.
All of them were peering keenly at Taeauna and at Rod—especially at Rod, covered in blood and wearing only his boxers.
"You are come to Hollowtree in strange array," the knight said flatly as he came to a halt three paces away. He was a stout, hard-faced man with an air of importance and a belt bristling with silver-hilted daggers.
Rod stared back at him. So they spoke English here. Well of course they would, if his dreams shaped things...
"Indeed, Warsword Lhauntur," Taeauna replied. "Yet we mean no harm to any here, and crave but a night's rest. Unlooked-for magic, not of our weaving, has delivered us out of desperate battle against Dark Helms."
The warsword gave her a sharp look. "You know me?"
Taeauna smiled a little bitterly. "We toasted each other in yon
And behind him, where it was darker, half a dozen black blades crashed together in the empty air of Rod Everlar's bedroom, where he and Taeauna had been standing moments before.
The wind made him shiver, and Rod abruptly realized he was standing almost naked in the land of his dreams. Falconfar!
His dream world.
Alive and vivid and sun-dappled, on all sides, with tree-cloaked hills rolling away to the horizons—and rising into purple mountains, back that way—and woods like he'd always thought Sherwood Forest must look like right beside him, across the lane... the lane that led up to a castle that was towering up into the sky, just over there.
He stared around at rustling leaves and dancing boughs. The dark and mighty trees stood on both sides of the lane, just ahead, and between them the rutted lane ran up from his bare feet, around a snake-like pair of bends, to the castle gates.
Taeauna laughed lightly beside him, and then said earnestly, "Thank you, lord. Oh, thank you!"
Rod gave her an uneasy smile and let out a breath he hadn't noticed he was holding until then. "Uh..."
She was taller than him. And slender, long-limbed. Graceful, too, despite her hacked and shattered armor. Bone-white skin visible here and there, where her war-plate had fallen away, sleek curves that... that... God, she was beautiful. Long, tangled night-black hair, those bright emerald eyes, lips like...
"Uh..." Rod began again. Like what? I'm supposed to be a writer, to have the words ready for...
Oh, shit. Staring at Taeauna, he waved one hand helplessly to indicate his near-nakedness, and with the other pointed urgently at the two knights, and at another man in armor who'd appeared out of the castle and was now peering their way.
Taeauna had seen them, too. She turned quickly to Rod. "Please be guided by me, lord." Her voice was low. "Keep silent, give no one your name or the titles I've addressed you by, and pretend you remember nothing of who you are or where you're from."
Rod gave her a rueful smile. "That won't be hard."
Those glorious emerald eyes were serious. "I'm very pleased that you chose Hollowtree—this is a good place—but all of Falconfar is dangerous these days, goodman."
"Ah. I've stopped being a lord?"
"Yes. If anyone asks if you're a wizard, do or say nothing that could be taken for agreement, nor familiarity with magic. Just act dazed."
"How will I understand anyth—"
Taeauna made a sharp chopping motion with her hand that clearly meant "be silent!" Rod obliged.
Hastening down the lane were four men: the stout armored warrior who'd stepped out between the two guards, and three bowmen in ragged clothes of what looked like soft, well-worn hides sewn together. The knight in the middle drew his sword as he strode around the first bend, and the archers readied arrows and spread out to either side of him.
Taeauna sheathed her dagger and stood waiting for them, head held high. As the knight approached, slowing warily after his boots slipped twice on moss-covered cobbles, she gently spread her hands wide in front of her, palms out to show they were empty. The archers raised their bows but kept their shafts aimed off into the trees.
All of them were peering keenly at Taeauna and at Rod—especially at Rod, covered in blood and wearing only his boxers.
"You are come to Hollowtree in strange array," the knight said flatly as he came to a halt three paces away. He was a stout, hard-faced man with an air of importance and a belt bristling with silver-hilted daggers.
Rod stared back at him. So they spoke English here. Well of course they would, if his dreams shaped things...
"Indeed, Warsword Lhauntur," Taeauna replied. "Yet we mean no harm to any here, and crave but a night's rest. Unlooked-for magic, not of our weaving, has delivered us out of desperate battle against Dark Helms."
The warsword gave her a sharp look. "You know me?"
Taeauna smiled a little bitterly. "We toasted each other in yon
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