The Forever Knight: A Novel of the Bronze Knight (Books of the Bronze Knight) Read Online Free PDF

squire?”
    “Someone to look after my armor, my horse. You think you could do those things?”
    “Me?” She looked as startled as I was by my idea. “But what about your mission?”
    “You could be my mission, Cricket. You want to find out about yourself? So do I. We can go to Akyre together, try to find something to knock loose your memories.”
    “Akyre.” Cricket’s gloominess returned even darker. “Isn’t that dangerous?”
    Before I could answer, Malator screamed in my ear,
Yes!
    I patted my sword to show them both I wasn’t afraid. “There’s no safer place than at my side. I’ll have a squire, and you’ll have your own bodyguard—one that can’t get himself killed.”
    That’s idiotic
.
You
can
be killed! You’re not immortal!
    I said to Cricket, “Gilwyn’ll try to talk us out of it, but I’ll make him understand. It was his idea in the first place. Why should he begrudge me some friendly company?”
    Because she’s just a kid!
    Cricket thought about it, then gave me her little grin. “I want to do it,” she said. “It’s like I’m out there, wandering around somewhere. I want to go find myself.”
    “It’s a long way,” I warned. “Hard travel.”
    “I know it; I already did it once. I can make it,” she promised.
    “Good,” I declared, pleased with her passion. For the first time in months I felt happy.
    We rode on, Malator chattering at me the whole while. Out of spite I ignored him. Malator didn’t control me, I told myself. Let him rant and rave. I was a man, not a boy. I’d go wherever I damn well pleased.
    When I get an itch, I scratch till it’s bloody.

4
    I was right about Gilwyn not being happy, and I was right about him not trying to stop us. I had my arguments prepared and the determination to make them stick, and in the end he relented. Cricket couldn’t stay in Jador forever. She wasn’t an Inhuman either, so living in Grimhold was out of the question. She was, Gilwyn admitted, a mystery to everyone. It made sense that she should try to discover who she really was.
    We didn’t leave Jador quickly, though. I had affairs to get in order and friends to say good-bye to, and crossing the Desert of Tears took planning. We needed water, mostly, and mules to carry it. Food would be a problem, too. I had made the passage several times and had a good map that I’d drawn of the resting spots along the way. I knew every hidden oasis, every cave, every stand of fruit trees. If we found a rass I would kill it, I promised Cricket, and make her a necklace of its teeth. I was excited about leaving but also swore to Gilwyn and White-Eye that I’d return before their baby was born. I figured that gave me at least six months.
    Eventually, everyone got used to the idea of us leaving, except for Malator. For days he brooded, not even bothering to talk to me. I refused to care. He’d played that game before with me, and in truth I liked the quiet. Having an Akari constantly in your mind can drive you crazy, so I didn’t bother calling to him either, not even the night before our journey.
    It was one of Jador’s perfect nights, totally cloudless, where every star demanded to be counted. I was outside the paddock with my horse, standing in the cut grass strewn over the dirt, enjoying the night air while I brushed the burrs and sand from his coat. Inside the stable the other animals were resting. Not the kreels, though. Kreels are always kept far from horses, and need to be trained not to attack them. I’ve seen kreels rip the bellies out of horses. Zephyr—my horse—was used to kreels, though, as was Cricket’s pony. I’d already brushed the pony for the trip, but I took my time with Zephyr.
    “First we’ll get your coat all shined up, then we’ll dig that slop out of your hooves. How’s that sound, boy?”
    Zephyr loved the dandy brush. His gray eyelids drooped with relaxation as I ran it down his side. He’d been a gift from King Baralosus of Ganjor, a kind of peace