Warden (Book 2: Lure of the Lamia) Read Online Free PDF Page A

water and a chance to rest. It was only then that he took a look around and noted where he was.
    Had he never met Samara, it had been his original intent to return immediately to Stanchion after dispatching the amarok. In fact, somewhere in his brain, he had been under the impression that that’s where he had been headed for the past few hours. Instead, he found that he had gone in a different direction entirely.
    He was still well into the Badlands, but he knew exactly where he was. In fact, he had contemplated coming here several times following his brother Tom’s disappearance, but – since he had never made a firm decision to make the trip before – he could only assume that he had subconsciously decided to undertake the journey now.
    The fact that he was here at this juncture – when he was least prepared – was ironic, and would actually have been comical were it not so appalling.
    He was practically in the backyard of the White Widow.
    *****
     
    Errol’s first encounter with the White Widow had been absolutely terrifying. She lived four or five days’ ride into the heart of the Badlands, in an unassuming cabin, situated on a few acres of wooded land.
    He had been with Tom on that first occasion, roughly three years earlier. They had just finished hunting down a barren-beast and were actually preparing to return home.
    Tom, apparently taking note of where they were, had simply turned to Errol and said, “It’s time you met the White Widow.”
    Errol had been both surprised and frightened. Up until that point, he’d only heard people reference the White Widow in passing, and he hadn’t been entirely sure that she actually existed.
    “Oh, she’s real,” Tom had said upon hearing Errol’s thoughts on the subject. “Real and very dangerous. Keep your wits about you around her, and avoid looking her in the eye.”
    It had taken several hours of riding to get to the Widow’s cabin, during which time Errol had had a million questions form in his brain but kept them to himself. Although he’d been curious about the Widow, he hadn’t wanted his brother thinking there was anything about being a Warden that piqued his interest. Even more frustrating was the fact that Tom, contrary to most instances when he felt he was teaching Errol something, had offered no information whatsoever. Still, Errol had been convinced that he would eventually get the answers he wanted – perhaps with a more subtle approach.
    Upon arriving, they went straight to the front door of the cabin. Errol immediately swung down from the saddle, but noted that his brother stayed mounted on his horse. Moreover, Tom held his warding wand in one hand and his throwing knife in the other.
    “Don’t worry about knocking,” Tom had said. “She’s seldom inside during the day. Try around back.”
    Errol had headed towards the backyard of the cabin while his brother stayed put. Mimicking Tom, Errol had his own wand in his hand when he turned the corner to the rear of the house.
    He’d seen her almost immediately, a willowy, pale figure standing next to a large oak tree. She noticed him as well, and as if by design the two began moving leisurely towards each other.
    She had been dressed completely in white, wearing a full-length dress that clung to her slender form. Her complexion was exotically pale, so much so that Errol initially had difficulty distinguishing her skin from portions of her dress. Her hair was white as well, unbelievably straight and hanging down to her waist.
    Her face had an unearthly beauty, exquisite features molded into a lovely visage. The only detractors Errol had noted were an odd series of large, black moles on her face. Each was about the size of a marble, and she had one situated at each of her temples, one on each cheekbone, and one located at the back angle on both sides of her jaw. And her eyes…
    Too late, Errol remembered Tom’s warning about looking the Widow in the eye. He’d immediately felt his body