Behind The Wooden Door Read Online Free PDF Page B

replied.
    “She just predicted your death.”
    His laugh echoed throughout the forest making the birds in the nearby trees fly away from where they were perched.
    “Her predicting my death is like me predicting that you are going to sleep tonight. Everyone dies,” he said.
    “But–”
    “Lanie, nothing is going to happen. Life is going to continue on, and if I do die–”
    Tristan stopped suddenly and stood frozen as if petrified.
    “Is there any way for you to get back to the castle other than the way we came?” he asked.
    “No, why?”
    “Then you do exactly as I say. If I tell you to lie on the ground, you lie down. If I tell you to climb a tree, you get your ass up that tree. Do you understand?” His voice had a more demanding tone than I had ever heard before.
    “Yes. But why? What is going on?” I asked.
    “The war has started.”

 
    CHAPTER 6
    Screams and clashing metal consumed the air as Tristan and I neared the ongoing battle. The smell of blood filled my nostrils, and I felt like I was going to be sick. I had no weapon, only Tristan.
    “We’re going to go around the field and away from the fighting. I don’t know if you’ll be able to get back to the castle though. I think the safest place for you would be off the ground. Can you climb?” Tristan asked.
    “Yes,” I replied.
    The screams grew louder, and I knew the battle had to be only a few hundred yards away. Tristan would join in the fighting, and I would be left alone. Alone in the forest and vulnerable for any attack.
    The other soldiers needed Tristan, though. My kingdom needed Tristan. Even if that meant I was going to be stuck alone in a tree.
    “This is the farthest you need to go,” he said.
    He pulled his sword out of its sheath and cut a piece of his shirt off. He tied the black strip of material to the tree closest to us. Part of his stomach show ed from where the missing material had been. His skin had a darkness to it from being in the sun for too long. He probably spent countless hours shirtless in the sun working in his village when he wasn’t hired to slaughter men. The muscles of his abdomen stretched as he lifted his arms to tie the material tighter around the tree limb, and to my utmost horror, he saw me staring.
    “See something you like, Princess?” he jeered.
    I looked away instantly and cleared my throat. “Shouldn’t you be joining in the battle?”
    He gave an arrogant smile before saying, “Stay here until I come get you. Don’t make a sound while you’re up there, understood?”
    “I understand,” I told him.
    He frowned at me like he didn’t believe I’d stay put. If Tristan had been with me this whole time, who had been in control? Had it been Tommy or Hawk? Or maybe even Cormac? Deep down I hoped it was Hawk who led the soldiers into the battle. His fighting skills were almost as good as Tristan’s, if not equal.
    Tristan pointed at the tree. “I mean it, Princess.” He held his sword tightly in his hand and ran off toward the sounds of the battle.
    “Aissur!” I yelled.
    He looked back at me.
    “Be careful,” I told him.
    He smiled. “You too, Princess.”
    I watched until he disappeared into the forest before I ascended the tree. When I reached the top, I wished I had stayed on the ground. From where I sat, I could see the terrible carnage of the battle. It was almost like I was in the heavens watching as the men died. I couldn’t tell which side the fallen soldiers were on.
    Spears, arrows, and blood rained above the soldiers. My only thought was to close my eyes and pray for this to end, but I couldn’t look away. I searched the crowd for Hawk and Tommy, but I couldn’t find them. Everyone on the battlefield looked exactly the same. Same metal encased bodies. Same dark red blood.
    Then I saw Tristan. His unarmored body fought through the crowd of soldiers. He fluently sliced down his enemies. A spear flew through the air toward him, but he dodged it, and the tip rammed into the