The Ranger (Book 1) Read Online Free
Author: E.A. Whitehead
None of the children answered. She noticed Jace in Vincent’s arms, still soaking wet, and rushed over. “What happened?”
“He got swept down river,” Vincent answered. “He’s breathing but he needs healing.”
“Vincent saved him,” one of the children piped in.
“Yeah, he jumped in and pulled him out,” another one said.
“Thank you Vincent,” Eliza replied, taking the child. “We’ll make sure that he is properly cared for.” The priestess shepherded the group of children toward the abbey.
“Thomas, I’m going to get out of these wet clothes. You better go get something to eat. I’ll meet up with you later,” Vincent called to Thomas as he walked through the large central doors of the abbey that lead to the Entry Hall, as Thomas made his way to the smaller doors to the left that lead to the Great Hall.
Chapter 2: The Tournament
The Entry Hall of the abbey was enormous, rising the full three stories of the building. The floor was expertly polished white granite. Vincent felt bad for all the water he was dripping on the clean surface. He hurried through to the reception chamber as quickly as he could.
The reception chamber stood in stark contrast to the Entry Hall. The polished granite floor was the only similarity. The walls in the Entry Hall were bare stone, while the reception chamber had carved wood paneling with elegant tapestries adorning almost every surface: gifts from visiting nobles seeking to gain favour in the eyes of the Goddess. The ceiling of the Entry Hall was high and vaulting, but the ceilings in the reception chamber were low to maintain the heat from the large fireplaces in the winter. Elegant padded chairs were dispersed around the room; however, they were vacant at the moment as the nobles sat in the Great Hall for dinner.
Vincent hurried through the room. Its elegance was lost to him as he was consumed with thoughts of the events of the evening. He exited through a small door that led into the cloister in the middle of abbey. The walls of the abbey buildings towered above the small courtyard with the sanctuary on one side and the Great Hall on the other. The walls were very much like the exterior walls, plain and unadorned except for the ivy which was slowly climbing them. Many finely crafted stained-glass windows covered the walls of the sanctuary to Vincent’s right. The ground was covered with beautiful gardens of flowers of every color. A large multi-level fountain sat in the center, shooting water high into the air, a small pool of water surrounding it.
The back wall of the cloister was dominated by an alcove that led to the Great Dome, where the sacred relics of the abbey were kept. Two knights stood guard at the entrance. Vincent waved to them as he approached, but he stopped just short of them in the alcove and opened a door on the side wall revealing a stairwell that plunged into the depths below the abbey; the entrance to the dormitories of the knights in the abbey.
There were no windows in the lower levels of the abbey, and no natural light entered. Glass orbs, enchanted by the grace and blessing of Sandora and set in alcoves, provided light to the labyrinth of corridors beneath the abbey.
Vincent navigated his way unconsciously, following the same path he had followed for the past five years. It had taken him months to learn his way through the confusing tunnels. Every wall looked alike. Now the path to his room was second nature.
He opened the door to his room. It was simple, with two beds, desks and wardrobes, mirroring each other across the room. A small hour glass sat on a table between the two beds, indicating the time of day; another gift of the Goddess. A large mirror hung on the back of the door.
Vincent closed the door and started removing his ceremonial outfit. He placed his breastplate gently on his bed before pulling off his wet blue shirt. He put on a plain white undershirt. He opened his wardrobe. In the bottom there was a
“He got swept down river,” Vincent answered. “He’s breathing but he needs healing.”
“Vincent saved him,” one of the children piped in.
“Yeah, he jumped in and pulled him out,” another one said.
“Thank you Vincent,” Eliza replied, taking the child. “We’ll make sure that he is properly cared for.” The priestess shepherded the group of children toward the abbey.
“Thomas, I’m going to get out of these wet clothes. You better go get something to eat. I’ll meet up with you later,” Vincent called to Thomas as he walked through the large central doors of the abbey that lead to the Entry Hall, as Thomas made his way to the smaller doors to the left that lead to the Great Hall.
Chapter 2: The Tournament
The Entry Hall of the abbey was enormous, rising the full three stories of the building. The floor was expertly polished white granite. Vincent felt bad for all the water he was dripping on the clean surface. He hurried through to the reception chamber as quickly as he could.
The reception chamber stood in stark contrast to the Entry Hall. The polished granite floor was the only similarity. The walls in the Entry Hall were bare stone, while the reception chamber had carved wood paneling with elegant tapestries adorning almost every surface: gifts from visiting nobles seeking to gain favour in the eyes of the Goddess. The ceiling of the Entry Hall was high and vaulting, but the ceilings in the reception chamber were low to maintain the heat from the large fireplaces in the winter. Elegant padded chairs were dispersed around the room; however, they were vacant at the moment as the nobles sat in the Great Hall for dinner.
Vincent hurried through the room. Its elegance was lost to him as he was consumed with thoughts of the events of the evening. He exited through a small door that led into the cloister in the middle of abbey. The walls of the abbey buildings towered above the small courtyard with the sanctuary on one side and the Great Hall on the other. The walls were very much like the exterior walls, plain and unadorned except for the ivy which was slowly climbing them. Many finely crafted stained-glass windows covered the walls of the sanctuary to Vincent’s right. The ground was covered with beautiful gardens of flowers of every color. A large multi-level fountain sat in the center, shooting water high into the air, a small pool of water surrounding it.
The back wall of the cloister was dominated by an alcove that led to the Great Dome, where the sacred relics of the abbey were kept. Two knights stood guard at the entrance. Vincent waved to them as he approached, but he stopped just short of them in the alcove and opened a door on the side wall revealing a stairwell that plunged into the depths below the abbey; the entrance to the dormitories of the knights in the abbey.
There were no windows in the lower levels of the abbey, and no natural light entered. Glass orbs, enchanted by the grace and blessing of Sandora and set in alcoves, provided light to the labyrinth of corridors beneath the abbey.
Vincent navigated his way unconsciously, following the same path he had followed for the past five years. It had taken him months to learn his way through the confusing tunnels. Every wall looked alike. Now the path to his room was second nature.
He opened the door to his room. It was simple, with two beds, desks and wardrobes, mirroring each other across the room. A small hour glass sat on a table between the two beds, indicating the time of day; another gift of the Goddess. A large mirror hung on the back of the door.
Vincent closed the door and started removing his ceremonial outfit. He placed his breastplate gently on his bed before pulling off his wet blue shirt. He put on a plain white undershirt. He opened his wardrobe. In the bottom there was a
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