Dark Lord of Kismera: Knights of Kismera Read Online Free PDF

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    Hunger inducing smells came from a large building against the wall of the castle, causing Drace to guess correctly that it was the kitchen. His belly agreed with a rumble of hunger. A large tree shaded the kitchen’s outer entrance.
    The people here appeared well fed and healthy so he thought he probably wasn’t in danger of starvation. But if he had any more meals of bread and cheese without at least a taste of meat to go with it, he just might cry.
    To his dismay, they turned away from the kitchen and rode past a smaller stable to a large open area. Counting quickly, Drace saw twenty men practicing with various weapons, and several horses were being exercised at the near end. Pride’s tired walk suddenly became an excited prance, and he neighed a greeting. The exercise riders pulled up their mounts and stared with curiosity and respect, letting the trio pass. Vashti and Ka’Ril seemed intent on two people at the far corner of the training area who were engaged in a mock fight.
    Both wore leather sleeveless shirts that came to their waist and matching leather breeches. Calf-high soft leather boots completed each outfit. The weapons were blunt edge swords and wooden unpainted shields. Neither participant was wearing much armor, just leather shin and lower arm guards.
    Drace noticed that one fighter had dark auburn hair and was of medium build. Despite being heavily muscled and appearing to be a good fighter, he was taking a pounding from his opponent.
    Drace couldn’t help but stare at the other fighter…a woman…who handled a large sword better than anyone he had ever seen. She was taller than her opponent, probably five-ten, with long tawny-blond hair in a thick braid that hung to just past her hips. She was muscular, but slender in an athletic way. Her skin was tanned golden.
    After several deft moves, the man she scrimmaged hit the dirt. In an accented, velvety voice she explained something Drace couldn’t quite make out to the fallen opponent. He took her offered left hand and was helped to his feet. They repeated the last set of moves and he countered her last blow slightly different. This time he maintained his footing and made a vicious jab at her midsection. Drace gasped involuntarily as the move seemed to have deadly intent. The woman moved nimbly to the side, and backed off, lowering her sword. The woman said something to the other warrior that Drace assumed were words of praise. The man nodded to her with a slight bow. With a motion of dismissal from the woman, the man left the field, heading for the barracks.
    When the woman turned to the waiting trio, Drace saw her face for the first time. “Hey, it’s her!” He put a hand on Vashti’s arm. “That’s the woman from my dream.”
    The woman had the most intriguing face he had ever seen. When she came closer he could see her eyes. They were bold, slightly slanted, cat-like, and a light amber color, framed by dark blonde lashes. Her face was angular but not sharply so, with a straight nose perhaps just a touch too short. Her lips were full and at the moment curled in a disdainful smile. An image of a lioness came instantly to his mind.
    A henna-like tattoo of a winged dragon rising into flight was on the bicep of her right arm, and even from a distance, he could see the incredible workmanship.
    She stopped in front of Vashti. “Sorceress, I hope all is well?”
    Vashti and Ka’Ril both dipped their heads in greeting. “Very well, my Lady,” Vashti replied.
    The woman stuck the point of the long sword into the ground and leaned on it a bit in a nonchalant manner. “How were the plains today?”
    “Very quiet my Lady. We saw not even a hare,” Ka’Ril volunteered.
    “Nimbus flew today and passed over. I believe he hunted,” the woman said and turned her attention to Drace. “Is this the poor creature you were sent for? It looks like a Zakara used a mace on him.”
    Drace stiffened in the saddle, causing Pride to move restlessly. “It