Sir Quinlan and the Swords of Valor Read Online Free PDF

Twitch, but as they neared the base of Mount Resolute, the paytha began to flit nervously from shoulder to shoulder. At one point the little claws grabbed so tightly that Twitch had to stop. “It’s all right, Bli,” he told the paytha in a soothing voice. “Nothing’s going to happen to you.”
    That helped until they reached the base of Mount Resolute, where Twitch tied Kobalt to a tree. He tried to make Bli stay with the horse, but the paytha wouldn’t leave his shoulder. Finally Twitch gave in and let Bli ride on his back as he climbed once again to the clearing atop the mountain.
    Twitch reached the crest and walked into the clearing, feeling vaguely unsettled. He looked about for Sir Baylor, but all that movedwere tree branches stirred by the cool evening breeze, so he sat down on a large rock and waited. Bli scurried down his arm, then jumped to the ground to forage for insects. Twitch watched the paytha for a long while, then finally decided he must have missed Tav’s uncle.
    As he prepared to leave the clearing, the setting sun captured his attention. The gentle breeze dissipated as if to give the glowing orb center stage for the day’s finale. Streams of sunlight seemed to beckon across the sky, and Twitch wished he could follow. For some reason his heart ached. Sir Edmund’s passionate plea to be serious about serving the Prince and Sir Baylor’s call for Tav to take up a mission of purpose had stirred his soul, and he could not remain still. He slid from the rock and fell to his knees.
    “My Prince …,” Twitch began, but Bli scampered over and leaped up onto his chest, chortling in a low angry tone. Twitch gently pushed the creature back to the ground, but Bli dug his little claws through Twitch’s tunic and into his skin.
    “Hey!” Twitch shouted. Normally this would have sent Bli cowering to a corner someplace, but not this time. The paytha scurried right up his chest and over his shoulder, then latched onto his back.
    “Bli, get down.” Twitch reached over his head for the paytha, but the sharp claws dug in deeper. Twitch squeezed Bli just enough to let him know he was serious. Bli responded by biting Twitch’s thumb.
    “Ouch!” Twitch yanked his hand away. Blood was trickling down his hand. “What is wrong with you?” he said angrily.
    Bli’s chortles became low growls. “Get down!” Twitch ordered again, but Bli just growled more loudly.
    Now Twitch was getting nervous, fully expecting the animal to chomp into his unprotected neck. He reached back again, and this time the paytha didn’t even wait for Twitch to grab him before biting the fleshy skin between his thumb and finger. One of the paytha’s hands reached around and sank sharp claws into Twitch’s right cheek. Twitch reached with his other hand and grabbed the creature by the back. As he yanked it away, Twitch felt the paytha’s claws rip small pieces of flesh from his shoulder, back, neck, and cheek. At that point, the creature turned into a snarling, wild-eyed beast.
    “Bli!” Twitch shouted, trying to bring the animal to its senses, but it bit and clawed at Twitch’s hands until he was bleeding from a dozen places. Twitch finally threw the animal away from him and drew his long knife. Bli hit the ground and immediately turned back toward Twitch. It snarled as it flicked its tail from side to side, apparently looking for the right moment to attack. Twitch stood up, and that seemed to cause the paytha to hesitate. Then it froze, perked up its ears, and scurried off into the woods.
    Twitch was breathing hard, and his heart was racing. He took a moment to catch his breath, watching and waiting for another attack from the paytha, but it did not come. Finally he sheathed his knife and dabbed his bleeding wounds on his tunic, wondering what had happened. The only other time the paytha had ever growled was once when Sir Edmund came near to talk at the haven.
    Rattled by Bli’s sudden vicious behavior, Twitch took a deep