Once We Were Kings (Young Adult Fantasy) (The Sojourner Saga) Read Online Free PDF Page B

a smile pulled at the corners of his mouth.  The monk bore a striking resemblance to Ah-Yeh, her grandfather who lived with her family until he passed away last winter. 
    Ahndien thought his bones would surely creak as he sat on the tree trunk and rested both hands on his cane.  "Was that you, playing the song of the Fenghuang?"
    "Feng...what?"  This had always been her secret, not so much the music, but her way with the birds.  "I don't know what you are talking about."
     "Of course you don't." His round belly rolled like grass jelly when he laughed.   "And yet, you do."
    She should have felt apprehensive speaking to a stranger, alone on the mountain like this, but for some reason she did not.  He was too frail to be any sort of threat.  Perhaps it was the way he spoke, the way he laughed.  Just like Ah-Yeh.
    "My name is Lao-Ying."  He leaned forward on his cane.
    "I am honored to make your acquaintance, sir," she replied.  "I am—"
    "Ahndien, daughter of Xing Bai Juang," he said.  His hazel-green eyes sparkled.  They seemed unusually sharp for a man of his age.  "I have waited long to meet you."
    "But how do you know me?"
    Before he could answer, a strange sound rang out into the mountains from below—the sound of horns, rapid and urgent.  Lao-Ying arose and bounded to the edge of the hill.  With a hand he shielded his eyes.  "And so it begins."
    "What is it?"
    "Something that should not have happened for another ten years."
    Ahndien came to his side and looked down at her village.  Her heart sank at the sight of the trebuchets, large monstrosities on wheels, pushed by soldiers in red vested chainmail and armor.  Flying high with the army's advance, a flag with the image of a crimson, winged creature stood tall on a pole.
    "What are they doing?"
    Lao-Ying took her elbow and tried to lead her away.  "Come along, child.  Come."
    "Wait."  Just then, the three trebuchets stopped a good distance from the village walls.  She looked harder at the flag, the soldiers and realized.  "Are those...?"
    Lao-Ying lowered his gaze and shut his eyes.  "Soldiers of Valdshire Tor."
    "Western Demons!"
    The Torian soldiers lit the cauldrons in the center of the slings and flames burst upwards.  In swift succession the trebuchet's massive arms swung forward, hurling the flaming projectiles at the village.
    "No!" Ahndien tried to run.  But something restrained her with alarming force.  She looked down at her arm. Lao-Ying had taken hold of it.
    In a low and regretful voice, he said, "It is too late."
    A thunderous explosion erupted from the center of the village.  Cries of terror arose with plumes of fire and billowing black smoke.  Like a swarm of red fire ants, Torian soldiers with swords, crossbows and all manner of weaponry charged into the village.
    Ahndien broke free and ran down the path.  Even at her best speed, the village was at least half an hour away.
    "Please," shouted Lao-Ying, "You mustn't!"
     
     

 
    CHAPTER SEVEN
     
     
     
    The sharp sound of curtain rings ripping across a rod, followed by a blinding light jarred Render from his sleep. 
    "Arise!"  boomed a husky voice.
    Render rubbed his eyes.  Had Bobbington fallen ill of the throat?  Had he dreamt the entire thing last night?  But when he saw Kaine waking up in the bed across the chamber, and Folen and Stewan as well, Render knew it was not a dream.
    "Up now, you den of sloths.  All of you!"  A rather large and rotund man with flaxen hair stood at the door.  Dressed in a brown cloak, he very much resembled one of those Malkoran scholars, illustrations of which he'd seen in the moldering books of Bobbington's library.
    Folen yawned and nudged Stewan who, lying next to him, was still asleep.  "Come on, sleepy head, wake up."
    "Who are you?" Kaine said to the scholar.  "And where are we?"
    "You will address me as Sir Edwyn," he said gazing down the side of his considerable nose.  "And you have three minutes to clean up and change