Silver Dragon Read Online Free PDF

and Kar among the Kelgryn. First was the jarl, who met the surprised young man by grabbing his hand and pumping it before raising it into the air and turning him about. Alto saw a crowd of people had followed them and filled the hall behind him.
    "Behold, my fellow Kelgryn, our friend and ally has returned! I didn't believe the words when I heard them but I know better than to doubt my eyes. The wielder of Kevard's Blade has returned to us after bringing down a mountain on our enemies!"
    The Kelgryn took up a cheer and in moments, Alto was pulled away from Caitlyn and surrounded with full-grown men and women shaking his hand, clapping his back, and offering him tankards of potent Kelgryn ale that was soon spilt or lost. Alto felt at a loss as the impromptu festivities swirled around him.
    At one point , the swirling stopped long enough for Alto to find himself in front of the grinning jarl again. "Lord Teorfyr," Alto said, forcing himself to become an island amid the shifting sea of madness around him.
    "You've done what couldn't be done, lad. Saved my daughter and thwarted my enemies. I'm in your debt, lad!"
    Alto shook his head. "Never that, jarl. I've come because I need a favor."
    The jarl's grin faded at the solemn tone of Alto's words. He nodded. "After," he said. "Let the people have their hero. Seems every tide brings darker news these days. They could use a bit of relief."
    "What news?"
    "Merchants tell of a fleet that's far to the south that should be setting sail soon, if they've not done so already."
    "A fleet? Of ships, right?"
    Teorfyr chuckled. "Aye, what else would a fleet mean?"
    Alto shrugged away his embarrassment. "I've never sailed," he admitted.
    "We'll have to remedy that when time permits!"
    Alto smiled without committing. Sailing was the least of his concerns. " What's special about this fleet? Why would they give the Kelgryn troubles?"
    "I wondered the same thing," Teorfyr said. "Your friend put it together when there was mention of the flag flown by the ships. A white field with a silver dragon on it."
    Alto stiffened.
    "I thought that might mean something to you," Teorfyr said. "That man in the mines, your friends said he claimed to be a Knight of the Silver Dragon?"
    Alto nodded and turned his head to search until he saw his sister. Karthor had sought his sister out and was keeping her company at a table.
    "Alto? What's wrong, lad?" Teorfyr asked.
    "How big is a fleet?" Alto asked , without taking his eyes off his sister.
    "I've heard this one numbers nearly fifty ships."
    "That sounds like a lot."
    "It's a large force," the jarl admitted. "I've got more I can press into service, but the ships of the Kelgryn aren't like these ships. Ours are built for fishing and raiding, not for fighting. To the southeast, my brother can call up twice as many, but the ships at his command are like mine."
    "They'll try to crush you between a hammer and an anvil," Alto reasoned. "The armies in the north will sweep across and the armies from the sea will meet them in the middle."
    "Have some faith in my people!" Teorfyr defended.
    "You've seen those trolls and ogres in the mines," Alto reminded him. "There are entire villages of them in the mountains. Goblins and men can be killed but those creatures are worth ten men a piece and they're sure to have hundreds. Maybe thousands. How can you stand against that?"
    "We will stand." Teorfyr puffed out his chest.
    Alto looked at him and nodded. "Does the Kingdom know of this fleet?"
    "I'm sure they do. There's no way of hiding such a thing. I've sent a messenger to the Kingdom telling them of your encounters in the mountains as well."
    "The Kelgryn and the Kingdom will need to work together if you're going to survive this."
    "Survive what? This army of monsters? It exists, I believe you, but I don't know what it is that they want."
    Alto sighed. "I don't know either, but I plan to find out."
    "A fine plan, lad, but let it wait for the morning. There's a party to be had