Strife In The Sky (Book 7) Read Online Free Page B

something.”
    Nath pulled his horse to a stop and craned his neck toward the sky.
    Bayzog scanned the sky, but heard nothing.
    “Get into the woodland,” Nath said. He made a sharp whistle ahead.
    Brenwar and Ben turned in their saddles.
    Nath pointed toward the woods and mouthed the words, “Quickly.”
    They all led their horses deep into the edge of the forest, where Nath stopped and waited.
    ***
    Bayzog peered up through the pines. A distant sound caught his eyes and came closer.
    Whump. Whump. Whump. Whump. Whump.
    Wings beat against the wind in the sky, dragon shrieks called out in the air, shadowy forms glided over the branches, and his heart beat in his throat. It sounded like more than a dozen of them. He turned back at Nath.
    Nath held his arm out and finger up.
    Splintering shrieks were like bells in his ears. The horses shifted, snorted and stammered on their hooves. Bayzog rubbed his horse’s neck and whispered in its ear. The fine beast calmed.
    After the dragon shadows passed, the shrieks faded. Bayzog heard Ben sigh.
    “Noisy things, aren’t they?” Nath said with a smile.
    “That was awfully close, wasn’t it?” Brenwar remarked.
    “True,” Nath said, “but I’ll always hear them coming.”
    “Is that so?” Brenwar said.
    “Yes, yes it—”
    A shadow circled above and dropped just outside the tree line with a whump . A dragon crept toward them with its long neck swaying back and forth. With its piercing eyes locked on Bayzog’s, it charged forward.

 
    CHAPTER 8
     
     
    Gorlee stood flat-footed, looking up. The monstrous figure looked down on him from twelve feet above. Its head was bald, and its broad face rested on a thick neck like an ugly troll’s. Its chest was broad and hairy, and its grey skin was clammy like a fish. Its arms were long and thick like an ape’s, and its knuckles almost clawed the floor.
    What are you?
    “What am I?” it said. “I know you wonder.”
    Gorlee shrugged and tried to ignore the stench of its breath.
    “Confident this one is, ah ah ah,” it said. It pointed a fingernail tipped like a spear at him. “Perhaps you think me a troll, but trolls don’t speak like me and you, do they?”
    “I wouldn’t know,” Gorlee said. “The only trolls I’ve ever known are dead.”
    “Ooh,” the creature said with a smile of broken teeth, “I like that. Hmmm … maybe you think me a giant?”
    Gorlee gave the monster a closer study. He knew the races. He’d spent his entire life mimicking them, and he thought he’d seen all of them. But this thing was different. The eyes of trolls were dull and stupid. This thing’s eyes showed cunning. He’d seen plenty of giants too, but none with arms so very long before either. Its legs were short, and there were strange ridges in its skin, but its mouth looked a mile wide. Maybe it’s cursed. Maybe it’s a demon from the depths.
    “I don’t care what you are,” Gorlee said.
    Its pinkish eyes widened and blinked.
    Gasps and hisses could be heard among the other voices. Slowly, they came forward from the shadows into the cavern’s light. Most of them were long-haired and unkempt, but normal in size. What was left of their clothes was in shambles. Men mostly. Orcs, gnolls, and goblins were among them.
    It poked him in the chest.
    “I am a triant. My name is Bletver. My mother was a troll and my father a giant.”
    “I think that is one of the worst things that has ever been bred, er, I mean said.” Gorlee yawned and covered his mouth. “I guess that explains the present company of scary faces you keep. He yawned again. “And what a fine establishment you have set up. How much to rent one of these caves?”
    “Oh ho ho,” the monster said, “I’m going to enjoy you.” It crept closer and eyed his chains. “My, you must be special.” It flicked Gorlee’s shackles. “I’ve not seen mithril in an age. Take a look at this, boys.”
    The faces crowded in.
    “Indeed you are special. Very special as the