Three Kings (Book 3) Read Online Free PDF Page B

at attaining that which only they claimed.
    Another hour passed and then another, and slowly the dark patch he sought upon the mountainside grew more and more distinct as he was rewarded with the revelation that it was indeed a cave as he had hoped. Willing his muscles to continue, Gnak struggled on into the last hour of darkness. Then, with the effort of a man with nothing left but stubborn pride, Gnak jutted out his jaw and gnashed his teeth as he clambered over the edge of the vertical wall and into the cave upon its face.
    Rolling to a crouched position, he pulled forth the pair of twin blades from his back and looked into the depths of the cave in search of anything that might lurk there. The cave was more of a crack in the stone wall that sloped down and away from the opening upon the cliff face. Warm air rose from deeper in the cave, blowing upon his face in a steady breeze. Moss and lichens clung to nearly every vertical surface here near the mouth of the cave, and on the floor small pools of water sat stagnant, with leeches and snails moving about in their shallows. Where the crack narrowed to close above him, Gnak could see small glistening trails of moisture that crept down the moss to the floor below. Grey and black stone created every surface between the plants that carpeted the cave, and with no sign of danger, Gnak collapsed to the floor in a heap.
    Rolling to his back he stretched out all of his aching limbs, opening and closing his destroyed hands to restore circulation where it was still needed, its flow having been limited due to his constant grasping of the vines. Twisting his joints, many of them cracked, as even his charred toes seemed to sigh in relief. Just lying upon his back felt like ecstasy. Yet even now, he knew he would have a repeat performance the very next night.
    After a long rest, Gnak rolled to his side and removing the bundle from his back he forced his fingers back into service. Untying the bundle, he removed several strips of dried meat. Eating just one of the strips, he placed two more in one of the shallow pools of water on the cave floor to rehydrate the meat. As the mouth of the cave grew brighter, Gnak moved further inside and, his loneliness getting the best of him, he called out into the echoing depths.
    “Jen?”
    “I’m here, Gnak. Quite a day, huh?”
    “Yes, Gnak tired.”
    “Where are we going? Is it daytime?”
    “We go see trolls. Learn trolls. Maybe no fight. Is day. Trolls move in day. Gnak move in night.”
    “I sure would like to feel the sun on my face again,” Jen admitted.
    Gnak paused a moment, letting her words set in. He knew it was unnatural to keep her like this. He should let her go, but he couldn’t. He needed her and wanted to restore her to life. He knew that in time he would better understand his power and then, perhaps, he could find her a suitable body and bring her back. Her desire to feel the sun assured him that he was on the right path. He hoped.
    “Gnak want Jen feel sun too. Gnak will fix. Need more time.”
    “It’s OK, Gnak… So what do you hope to discover about the trolls?”
    “Gnak need know if troll talk. See if orc can talk to troll. Make deal, no war.”
    “What if they don’t talk?”
    “Gnak not know. Need knowledge. Need plan. Gnak will find what he needs. This is what Ishanya want. Gnak have vision. Will find way.”
    “I wish I could help you,” she replied.
    “Jen does help. Make Gnak not alone. Help Gnak see right way. Help Gnak learn.”
    “Thank you, Gnak. That is very kind,” she said with a long pause before she resumed. “I have to go soon. Where are we?”
    “We in cave. High on mountain. This where Gnak build city. Will be great fortress. Orcs, goblins, and trolls work together. Make new home. Good home. Gnak want to show Jen,” he explained, and waited for her reply.
    It was several minutes before he gave up and realizing that a reply would not come, Gnak closed his eyes in the semi-darkness of the