The Callindra Chronicles Book One - First Quest Read Online Free PDF Page A

only one move he could make to keep his king safe
and it was only a temporary reprieve.
    “ You’ve been reading haven’t
you?” He asked, “This is a well-planned coup.”
    She smiled wider, “I’ve finally outwitted you
old man. That is the Shin strategy. According to General Delanous
she designed it to defeat an opponent who was willing to throw away
troops to win battles. I guess he was right.”
    “ Nicely done.” Glarian sat
back from the table, packing his pipe with tac and reaching for a
taper to light it with. Once it was burning to his satisfaction, he
looked across the table at her. “Your reading has improved
substantially; you’ve read every book in the house at least
twice.”
    “ Four times; you need to
expand your library.” She said, eyes twinkling with mischief. Until
she met him, she hadn’t known books other than holy texts
existed.
    “ Once this storm lets up and
I can dig myself out of the house I’ll see what I can do.” He
replied, they were running low on a few essentials and it was about
time for him to go replenish their supplies.
    -
    Glarian was getting ready to go hunting; the
deer should have been back in their spring territory for weeks now
but he hadn’t been able to kill one yet this spring. Gods send it
so; he didn’t know if he could withstand another tirade of
ridicule.
    His young charge was getting restless. She
was finally able to get around on her own using a rude pair of
crutches he had managed to cobble together but this tiny bit of
freedom only showed her just how far she still needed to go before
she was able to strike out on her own again.
    He shouldered his bow and he heard Callindra
calling from her bed room. “I fixed your leathers, make sure to
wear them. You might be just an old man but you’re still my meal
ticket!”
    With a sigh, he removed his bow and quiver,
took the leather jerkin from the hook and put it on. The repairs
were actually very well done; tight lines of stitching that were
well waxed, a replacement strap that was perfectly sized and
properly oiled, she had even polished the buckle. Her actions spoke
differently than her words; the girl obviously cared about his
well-being even if she was taking her anger at the imprisonment
imposed on her by her injury out on him.
    “ Thank you Callindra. I’ll
be back early afternoon.” On his way past the lean-to he hesitated.
The forest seemed strange today. He couldn’t quite put his finger
on it, but something seemed off. It had been a long time since he
had dared wear his sword openly but the stillness of the air and
the feeling of waiting that the forest seemed to have convinced him
to strap on the baldric before beginning his hunt.
    Glarian took a familiar trail into the woods.
It had been a game trail until he started using it regularly to go
fetch water from the stream. Now only the occasional deer used it
and never this close to the house. He was not really paying
attention and it was only by sheer luck that he happened to look up
right as the puma was leaping from the tree above.
    He dove to one side, the cat’s claws scoring
his newly repaired leather jerkin and tearing the bow from his
back, the string snapping with a loud report. The cat gathered
itself for another leap but Glarian was ready now. He rolled to his
feet, Sakar in his hands. Power rolled into his body through the
blade without his bidding and a blast of wind shook the new leaves
on the trees.
    The Weave seemed to be fractious and
unstable, Glarian brought it to heel but lost any advantage the six
foot sword blade would have given him as the cat closed the space
between them in a stalking pose. The puma sprang again, Glarian
side stepped its charge and swung Sakar to neatly intercept the
neck as it passed. The shock of his blade passing through flesh and
bone was one he had all but forgotten. It brought back memories he
had hidden from himself, thoughts of friends, foes and adversaries
of his former life.
    Glarian sat by the