Clutch Of The Cleric (Book 4) Read Online Free PDF

noses.
    “OW!” it said, shaking its awake head, looking away. “Don’t do that again.”
    I understood it. It was a rugged language. But not ancient. Clear enough to make out.
    “Ettin. Where are the women?”
    One head snored. Drooled. The other turned back to face me and breathed.
    “Ew!” I covered my face with my arm. It was foul. Beyond words.
    “Heh-heh-heh!” it said. “Like that, do you? The smell of many men I ate.”
    I poked its nose again.
    “Ow!”
    “I’m not playing games, Ettin. Where are the women?”
    It shook its shaggy head. “Hah! You’ll never know!”
    A rock pelted me in the head.
    “What are you doing?” I turned and locked eyes with a villager who stood there wide-eyed.
    A moment later Ben tackled him. “I got him, Dragon . What shall I do with him?”
    Knock some sense into him. I wanted to say that. I really did. “Take his rocks and send him home!”
    “Burn it!” someone said.
    “Burn it! Burn it! Burn it!” They started to chant.
    T he bonfire was getting bigger and bigger. Flames went up and black smoke rolled over the hills. If I was going to get an answer, I would have to get it quick.
    “Alright, Ettin,” I said, “Tell me this. Why did you take the women? Why did you attack the village?” I tapped the flat blade of Fang on its nose. “Hmmm?”
    Its voice was gruff. Harsh. A deep tunnel when it spoke. “Why not!” it said. Quick. Angry.
    “I see. So, you just like picking on little things. Perhaps where you’re from they pick on you? You are a bit small for an Ettin.”
    “ Ggggrrrrrrrlll!” Its brows buckled. The other head started to wake up.
    “Dragon!” Brenwar said. Shum was helping him up on the Ettin’s leg. “Let me at him! I ’ll make him tell us where the women are!” He raised his hammer over the Ettin’s icy knee. “Answer up, Ettin!” Brenwar yelled.
    “Hold up, Brenwar! Give me a few minutes at least,” I said.
    “Hah! Stupid Dwarf can’t hurt me!” The Ettin laughed. “Little bearded hogs. That’s what we call them.”
    Brenwar brought that hammer down.
    Whack!
    Both of the Ettin’s heads let out ear-splitting howls.
    Ears covered, t he villagers fled, screaming.
    I yelled at Brenwar. “Did you have to do that?”
    “Aye!” Brenwar said, raising his hammer again.
    “Stop it, will you!” I said.
    I watched the villagers. They sprinted. Panicked. It didn’t make sense to me. The Ettin, loud as it might be, wasn’t going anywhere. But I’d had enough of their lousy rock throwing already. How could you miss an Ettin at close range?
    “Nath!”
    “What!” I said, looking around.
    Shum and Bayzog, standing on the ground, were waving their hands at me.
    I shrugged. “Really, what is it?”
    The sound of a Legionnaire’s War Horn blasted through the air. Briefly, I thought, What is taking Garrison so long?
    The n the Elves pointed towards the smoke over the horizon.
    I turned.
    Thoom!
    Another Ettin cleared the hill.
    “HA! HA! HA!” My Ettin prisoner laughed. “My brother is here!”

 
    CHAPTER 8
     
    One Ettin encounter in a day was enough to last you a lifetime, but two? That seemed impossible. I shook my head and looked at Brenwar.
    He had a n expression I’d never seen before. His brows were lifted. His mouth was open. The grumbler was puzzled.
    “Nath,” Bayzog said, “Suggestions?”
    Thoom! Thoom! Thoom!
    The second Ettin strode past the tall trees. Head higher than the branches. A heavy chain was draped over his neck with a massive anchor on the end of it. He uprooted trees from the ground like pulling carrots, and he slung them across the land. He was bigger than his brother. Dark bearded. Terrible. Mean. Cruel expression. Heavy muscles over a solid round belly.
    “ You die now, Dragon Man,” the first Ettin said.
    The other head shook. Blinked its blurry eyes. Snorted. “What happened?”
    “Quiet! I’m in charge of this.”
    The other head snorted. “No, I’m the oldest.” It whipped around.