The Dark Warden (Book 6) Read Online Free PDF Page A

Ridmark. Certainly she was a better shot with a bow. Ridmark had spent the last five years wandering through the Wilderland in search of answers, but she had spent most of her childhood in the woods, with nothing to eat save what her bow could capture for her. 
    Little wonder she had gotten so good at it.
    They made their way past jagged hills and diseased trees, the cold wind whistling around them. Morigna came to a sudden halt, her bow coming up. Ridmark turned, raising his bow as well, but he saw no sign of any foes.
    “What is it?” he said at last.
    “There,” said Morigna, pointing. “To the north. That blue glow. What is it?”
    To the north, as the gray sky faded to black, Ridmark could see the palest hint of a blue glow reflected against the clouds. 
    “Urd Morlemoch,” said Ridmark.
    Morigna blinked. “It glows?” 
    “Constantly,” said Ridmark. “I don’t know why. Something to do with the spell holding the Warden there, I expect.” He shrugged. “Perhaps you or Calliande or Mara will be able to tell us more when we arrive.” 
    “Perhaps.” She looked at him for a moment. “Ridmark.”
    He nodded, waiting. He expected something like this. Perhaps she had changed her mind about him. 
    “Do you think the Warden knows that you are coming?” she said. 
    “I don’t think so,” said Ridmark. “Certainly he had no reason to believe that I would ever return. Few people ever escape from Urd Morlemoch the first time. Only a complete madman would return a second time.” 
    She almost smiled at that. “Here we are.”
    “Here we are,” said Ridmark. “The Warden showed me a vision of the future the last time. I saw myself, as I am now.” He shook his head. “I thought it was a trick, a lie of the Warden’s. Yet the vision came true, did it not?”
    “Do not start that again,” said Morigna, “blaming yourself for things beyond your control…”
    “No,” said Ridmark. “No, I think we have something larger to worry about than the past.”
    It was her turn to frown. “The Warden?”  
    “If the vision he showed me was true, then he might have known I would return,” said Ridmark. “Why would he want me to come back? What would he possibly gain from it?”
    “Perhaps it is one of his games?” said Morigna. “From what you have described, the Warden seems the sort of creature to enjoy such manipulations. Though it seems a waste of effort.”
    “He’s been trapped in Urd Morlemoch for thousands of years,” said Ridmark. “It’s only been nine years since I left. To the Warden, nine years must seem like an idle afternoon. Perhaps he simply is bored. Yet…” He gazed at the blue glow. “Yet it seems a peculiar sort of a game. He must want something. But what?”
    “I do not know,” said Morigna. “But we shall find out soon enough.” 
    “You’re right,” said Ridmark. “Come. We have more immediate concerns. I want to make sure we shall not be eaten in our sleep.” 
    She laughed. “A lofty ambition.” 
    Ridmark led the way around another hill. His eyes scanned the countryside, but still he saw no sign of any foes. Even during his last visit nine years ago, the Torn Hills had not been so deserted. Perhaps the denizens of the Torn Hill avoided this region for fear of the stream and the undead caught in the ancient spell. 
    Then Ridmark saw the tracks upon a trail, and he and Morigna came to a stop at the same time.
    “You see it, too?” said Ridmark.
    “Even Jager would not be blind enough to miss it,” said Morigna, pointing at the trail winding between two hills.
    “Jager’s not blind,” said Ridmark.
    “He thought he could steal from a man like Tarrabus Carhaine without consequence,” said Morigna. 
    “That’s stupid, not blind,” said Ridmark, looking over the trail. “Someone’s passed this way recently.” He scrutinized the ground. “Just…one man, I think. Boots. Carrying a pack, or something heavy.” 
    “Shall we?” said