Merlin's Shadow Read Online Free PDF Page B

man’s back.
    A mist, which had been rising from the sea, reached the island and began to cover it.
    Upward they climbed as the light of the burning shrub mingled with the shrouded sunrise. To the left, far out in the sea, Merlin spied two peaks rising from the water like teeth, sharp and dark. They were there for an instant and then the mist veiled them … and all that was left in the world was the door of Dintaga, the “strangled fortress” rising above him.
    Bedwir opened his eyes and took a deep breath as the jolt of being knocked from his horse wore off. His back felt bent, and his ribs hurt. Nearby, his horse roamed amongst the heather and broom, finally coming near enough that Bedwir grabbed the reins and pulled himself to a sitting position. Now his head hurt too, and just as he was trying to think.
    Who had knocked him from his horse? It had been the man with the scarred face. And where had Bedwir seen him before? Ahh, it had been in Uther’s tent. Merlin, he remembered now, had given advice to Uther. Hadn’t Colvarth been there as well?
    Bedwir rubbed his temples. Colvarth … now
there
was a mystery. Hadn’t Colvarth and Vortigern both served together for many years under Uther? And when Vortigern had told the warriors how the druidow had slain Uther, all of the warriors assumed the old man was dead as well — killed with the High King’s family. But Bedwir had just seen Colvarth riding on ahead of Merlin. How had he survived? Why would Colvarth run from Vortigern?
    Oh … but there was another side to the riddle. Bedwir had spied two of them riding tandem — and the man in back had blue designs upon his arms that displayed the telltale sign of a druid. Were Merlin and Colvarth in league with the druidow? He’d heard talesthat Colvarth was a former druid. Had the bard betrayed Uther? This was something Bedwir would have to puzzle over.
    Three warriors rode up and surrounded him, the sweat running down their horse’s legs. “You fool — get off your rear,” Vortigern called, “before the worms eat your flesh.”
    Bedwir stood, with some pain, and brushed the dirt off his breeches. “I’m sorry for not stopping them, I —”
    Vortigern vaulted down, grabbed Bedwir and yanked him close. “Did you see who it was? Did they have Arthur?” His eyes were wild, and a strange hatred filled them.
    Bedwir paused.
    â€œDid you?”
    â€œOnly a druid, and … and some woman carrying Arthur.”
    The warrior next to Vortigern spoke, and it was the battle chief’s son, Vortipor. “The girl — did she have long, dark hair?”
    â€œYes, I think so —”
    â€œWas it Natalenya?”
    The man seemed so concerned that it surprised Bedwir. Maybe the rumors of Vortipor’s planned engagement to Natalenya were true. But Bedwir had to answer truthfully. “I don’t know who it was.”
    Vortigern growled and lifted Bedwir up so only his toes touched. “I saw four, maybe five. Who were the others?”
    Bedwir couldn’t breathe with Vortigern’s fists shoving his tunic into his throat. And one of the man’s rings pressed sharply into his cheek. “I hit my head when I fell …” he blurted out.
    â€œWhat a waste of a warrior you are.” Vortigern threw him back, and Bedwir slipped on some horse manure and fell to the grass. Vortipor and the other warrior laughed.
    Another man rode up. “What do we do, my lord?” he asked. “The tide has come in and we can’t get to the fortress.”
    â€œWe wait. And when the water is gone, Gorlas will let me in.”
    â€œAre you sure, my lord? If he is harboring the fugitives —”
    Vortigern snorted. “Eh … Gorlas will let
me
in, you’ll see. And he doesn’t keep boats, so there’s no escape.”
    Ganieda held on tightly to her wolf’s fur as Grandfather led them through the