OrbSoul (Book 6) Read Online Free

shape materializing out of the gloom, eight feet tall, massively muscled and surprisingly fleet. Long arms raised, hefting a cudgel: a gigantic thing, fangs bared, half-armoured, a bestial snarl escaping from somewhere low in its throat.
       The beast leapt at the nearest soldier, swinging its great cudgel to crush the poor man's head against the wall with a sickening sound. The soldier sank limply to the ground, his blood smearing the wall. Kol and the others leapt to the attack. Their swords chewed into the creature's thick flesh. The troll howled, grasped one of its assailants, lifted him and hurled him far into the dark arcade, then turned upon another. Its limbs and trunk were a mass of bloody wounds, but it would not die. It raised both its arms high and brought them down. To Pader's horror he saw the terrible blow land full upon Kol's head. Kol folded and crumpled to the floor and lay still.
       Pader was unarmed. He backed away as the troll-thing burst free of the two remaining guards and charged him. Out of the depths of his terror a series of words came unbidden into his mind. Only half aware of what he did, he intoned the words and made a small movement with his fingers. A host of brightly-coloured, gemlike winged-insects appeared instantly between Pader and the troll. Luminous in the corridor's semi-dark they clustered in a dazzling cloud. The troll pulled up, swatting stupidly at the immaterial things as they swarmed about its head.
       Pader Luminis staggered away. The two guards leapt at the troll from behind. Pader was aware of footsteps at his back; a squad of Palace Guards ran towards him along the corridor. They raced past to join battle with the confounded troll. Their sergeant paused, grasped Pader's arm to pull him away. 'Are you all right, Lord Protector?'
       Pader managed to nod. More guards came and fell in around him. The troll stamped and roared and heaved its cudgel one way and the other. At least two more men fell, but the beast's wounds multiplied and at last it sagged to its knees, and a final mortal blow sent it toppling to the flags.
       Breathing hard, Pader pushed down the corridor to where Kol lay spreadeagled upon the floor. Kol was utterly still, blood coming from his mouth and nose. Pader put his hand to his brow. He was vaguely aware of shouts coming from another part of the building. He turned dazedly to the sergeant. 'What is happening?'
       'They are in the palace, wreaking carnage,' the soldier replied.
       'How?'
       'They can only have been carried here by a third wave of slooths.'
       Pader shook his head in consternation. 'How many?'
       'We don't know. Lord Protector, I must get you away from here.'
       Pader nodded. He gave orders for Kol and the others to be urgently attended to, then allowed himself to be escorted back along the corridor.
     
     
    iv
     
     
       Twelve in all. That is, twelve were located and eventually slain. They had been transported into the palace precincts and set free to roam the night at will, wreaking carnage wherever they passed. And they had performed their tasks to daunting effect. Their Karai master would be well-pleased. Thirty eight Palace Guards were dead, another nineteen injured; in addition there were numerous casualties among the household staff and courtiers, ranging from the mauled and brutalized to the purely terror-stricken.
       And if a mere dozen can cause such havoc, thought Pader despondently, what will fifty do? Or a hundred? How many of these monsters does Anzejarl command?
       How had the slooths penetrated Orbia's defences to land the trolls? It was not difficult, everyone acknowledged that. If the winged demons possessed good night-vision - and plainly they did - there were many gaps between the wires, nets, meshes and ropes, through which they might slip. It had been known from the beginning that the hurriedly-erected defences could not cover the entire city-castle, nor even all of Orbia Palace,