Sunset of Lantonne Read Online Free Page A

his total savings. At most, he had fifteen coins in that pouch and that was still not enough to help her father’s attempts to sway the gypsy merchants.
    Shrugging as though the amount wagered was inconsequential, Raeln nodded and pointed at one of the targets. Taking his only knife from his belt, he tossed it onto the ground past the line of hunters, where he would have to fight to reach it. He then beckoned the youths to come at him. Before they could, two more stepped out of the woods to join the teenagers. When Ilarra saw who they were, she groaned and began looking around for a healer in the crowd.
    Rolus and Ishande bowed to Raeln and drew their swords. Unlike the youths who mostly carried wooden weapons meant to hurt and not kill, these two wielded steel weapons and both carried bows, fastened by leather straps to the large quivers on their backs. Aside from Raeln and the elders, the two hunters were considered the best the village had to offer.
    “Well that changes things,” the elder wolf laughed. Holding up his own money pouch as he stood, he waved others to come to him. “Let’s give the boy a good whipping. Who’ll help me up the wager to twenty? He’s got a couple weeks on a wagon to heal. I want him to remember us!”
    Ilarra’s stomach knotted painfully, but if Raeln was worried, he certainly did not show it. She fully expected him to back out, knowing he could not possibly match that wager. Despite this, Raeln bowed to the elder and then to Rolus and Ishande. The fool was going to go through with it. With dread, Ilarra moved a little farther behind the tree, trying to ready herself to run for her father at the first sign of blood.
    The start of the game was a long time coming, furthering Ilarra’s worries. While the elders laughed and collected coins to meet the wager, Raeln slowly knelt down and closed his eyes, relaxing as the other warriors grew restless. It was his way, often meditating to ease stress and prepare his body for sudden exertion.
    Soon, several of the hotheaded younger warriors began shouting taunts at Raeln, criticizing everything from his simple tunic and pants to the color of his fur. Of them all, only Rolus and Ishande stood apart, with Rolus calmly watching Raeln in anticipation and Ishande studying Raeln as though he were prey. Raeln gave them all nothing, appearing to practically fall asleep.
    At last, the elder wolf shouted that the coin had been collected and called for the fight to begin. Even if the younger warriors did not fear Raeln, they showed some small degree of respect, waiting until he gave a curt nod to indicate that he was ready before they tried to jump him.
    Ilarra squeaked as she partially covered her eyes. She had seen Raeln fight one or two people and come out unscathed, but for the most part, she worried too much about him to go to many of his sessions with teachers or fellow students. Eleven was far too many to assume he had any hope, though.
    Rolus and Ishande held back, watching as Raeln leapt to his feet when the first hunter got within range. He snagged the young elf’s weapon beneath the boy’s hand, twisting to yank it free, flipping it in mid-air. By the time the next warrior could reach Raeln, he had caught the weapon and spun, parrying the wooden sword of the next closest.
    The fight became a confusing race to catch up with Raeln, with Ilarra struggling to watch all the weapons. Every few seconds, Raeln would dart free of the group with a new weapon, which he threw into the woods. Before long, the younger warriors were forced to engage Raeln barehanded, with the two older hunters waiting for them to finish before they joined in. The predatory gleam in Ishande’s expression had really begun to worry Ilarra.
    Without weapons, the younger men and women—both wildlings and elves—stood little chance, even though Raeln kept none of the weapons for himself. He had stopped running and almost casually sidestepped the punches and kicks aimed at him,