Sir Dalton and the Shadow Heart Read Online Free Page B

steps he turned and looked back at the water bucket, which was lying on its side.
    “What’s wrong?” Brynn asked.
    “Nothing.” Dalton shrugged and turned back. Deep in the forest he heard the raspy
caw
of a large raven.

THE QUALM
    Dalton was commissioned in early spring with two other trainees. Sir Treffen put them under the mentorship of Sir Gulfar, a stout man with a voice that boomed like thunder. For the next three seasons, they traveled together to the havens at Bremsfeld, Carlyle, and Grisborn to further their training. During these visits, Dalton encountered other knights who were as intense about serving the Prince as Koen and Carliss seemed to be back in Salisburg. It was then that he further realized something in his own commitment to the order was missing.
    He quickly learned to compensate for this apparent absence of knightly passion by mimicking the verbiage and skills of the other knights, and he found that his natural charisma benefited his efforts in the masquerade. What he could not do, however, was ascertain
why
he was struggling, and his times of solitary reflection increased. He tried to focus on his goal of one day winning Brynn, but even the memory of her beauty and their time together was not enough. Dalton even dared to ask of himself if he was a true Knight of the Prince.
    One day, in his desperation to bring resolution to this internal conflict, he knelt before his sword of the Prince and repeated his vow ofservice. When he rose, however, it seemed that nothing had changed.
    During his second year of training, Dalton was placed under the mentorship of Sir Putnam, and his travels in the kingdom broadened. Sir Putnam’s particular mission was recruiting knights for the Prince. He was a skilled orator, and Dalton learned much from the man.
    Another spring arrived, then warmed into summer. The two traveled to Millvale, where they were given the mission of helping start a new haven there. They were to help train new recruits as well as share the story of the Prince with the citizens of the village.
    Shortly after they arrived, Putnam sent Dalton to the market for supplies and to acquaint himself with the town. He walked up a street full of carts and stands that advertised the wares of their owners. It was a delightful day, and Dalton enjoyed mixing with the throng of people at the market. He stopped and talked with many people, and the young maidens especially seemed to enjoy his attention. Eventually he stopped to look at a finely made shirt on a tailor’s table.
    “These are the finest shirts in all the town.” A pretty young girl came to the opposite side of the table and lifted the sleeve of one of the garments. She smiled at Dalton and batted her eyes at him.
    Dalton smiled back. “I’m sure they are, miss.”
    “Here,” the girl grabbed Dalton’s hand and pressed it to the sleeve of the shirt she was holding. “Feel the quality of the fabric, and look how tight the stitches are.” The girl tilted her head slightly to the side.
    “Indeed,” Dalton said. “I do believe it is the finest I have ever seen. Is the work yours?”
    “Partly, I hope to be as skilled as my father one day,” she said with pride and motioned her head toward the shop behind her.
    Dalton looked up and saw a man working in the tailor shop. Dalton realized that the girl had not let loose of his hand.
    “The work is indeed impeccable, but I am more in need of a fine pair of boots,” he said.
    The girl’s hazel eyes lost some of their sparkle. She took her hand from his and pointed up the street. “We have a friend who sells boots just up the street.”
    Dalton looked for the booth, but his eyes met the eyes of another man some thirty paces away. For a moment both men stared blankly at each other.
    “Makon?” Dalton said in a hushed voice. “Excuse me, miss.” Dalton began to walk toward the man. He was dressed not in the garb of a knight, but as an ordinary citizen. And there was no sword at his side,