A Joust of Knights (Book #16 in the Sorcerer's Ring) Read Online Free PDF Page A

SIDEWAYS!” Erec commanded his
men.
    His men all reached out and grabbed the
ropes that remained on one side of the ship and yanked as hard as they could, until
the ship, groaning in protest, slowly turned its way sideways against the
current. Finally, the current carrying it, it lodged itself firmly in the
rocks, crammed between the two river banks, its wood groaning and beginning to
crack.
    “PULL HARDER!” Erec yelled.
    They pulled and pulled and Erec hurried
over and joined them, all of them groaning as they yanked with all their might.
Slowly, they managed to turn the ship, holding it tight as it lodged more and
more deeply into the rocks.
    As the ship stopped moving, firmly
lodged, finally Erec was satisfied.
    “CUT THE ROPES!” he yelled, knowing it
was now or never, feeling his own ship begin to falter.
    Erec’s men slashed the remaining ropes,
disentangling his ship—and not a moment too soon.
    The abandoned ship began cracking
collapsing, its wreckage firmly blocking the river—and a moment later, the sky
turned black as a host of flaming Empire arrows descended for Erec’s fleet.
    Erec had maneuvered his men out of
harm’s way just in time: the arrows all landed on the abandoned ship, falling
twenty feet short of Erec’s fleet, and they served only to set the ship aflame,
creating yet another obstacle between them and the Empire. Now, the river would
be impassable.
    “Full sail ahead!” Erec yelled.
    His fleet sailed with all they had,
catching the wind, distancing themselves from their blockade, and sailing
farther and farther north, harmlessly out of the way of the Empire’s arrows.
Another volley of arrows came, and these landed in the water, splashing and
hissing all around the ship as they hit the water.
    As they continued sailing, Erec stood at
the bow and watched, and he looked out with satisfaction as he watched the
Empire fleet come to a halt before the flaming ship. One of the Empire ships
fearlessly tried to ram it—but all it got for its efforts was to catch fire;
hundreds of Empire soldiers cried out, engulfed in flames, and jumped overboard—and
their flaming ship created an even deeper sea of wreckage. Looking at it, Erec figured
the Empire would not be able to get through for several days.
    Erec felt a strong hand clasp his
shoulder, and he looked over to see Strom standing beside him, smiling.
    “One of your more inspired strategies,”
he said.
    Erec smiled back.
    “Well done,” he replied.
    Erec turned and looked back upriver, the
waters snaking every which way, and he did not take comfort yet. They had won
this battle—but who knew what obstacles lay ahead?

CHAPTER FIVE
     
     
    Volusia, wearing her golden robes, stood
high up on the dais, looking down at the hundred golden steps she had erected as
an ode to herself, stretched out her arms, and reveled in the moment. As far as
she could see, the capital’s streets were lined with people, Empire citizens,
her soldiers, all of her new worshipers, all bowing down to her, touching their
heads to the ground in the breaking dawn light. They all chanted as one, a
soft, persistent sound, participating in the morning service which she had
created, as her ministers and commanders had instructed them to do: worship
her, or face death. She knew that now they worshipped her because they had
to—but soon enough, they would do so because it was all they knew.
    “Volusia, Volusia, Volusia,” they
chanted. “Goddess of the sun and goddess of the stars. Mother of oceans and
harbinger of the sun.”
    Volusia looked out and admired her new city. Erected everywhere were the golden statues of her, just as she’d instructed her men
to build. Every corner of the capital had a statue of her, shining gold; everywhere
one looked, there was no choice but to see her, to worship her.
    Finally, she was satisfied. Finally, she
was the Goddess she knew she was meant to be.
    The chanting filled the air, as did the
incense, burned at every altar to her.