Space Knights: The Arrival by Gregory Samuelson (buy e reader .TXT) 📕

the first time. Around them other games were being played, including a good chess game between Mandor and Gracer.

Halfway back to Althora Trance got up to use the restroom and as he passed a small group of the Golden Griffins he overheard part of their conversation. “There is a couple of Griffin Galleons flying with us,” said one of the men.

“I wonder why. I heard the ship’s navigation officer say that we already had four Flying Crosses,” his companion stated. He referred to the dedicated Althorian heavy escort frigates that were armed with a vast array of crossbows and anti-ship bolts. They were half the length of a full battleship yet they were better armored and faster and they carried a compliment of ten flying horses and hornets, single pilot fighter craft that resembled the flying stinging insect with two powerful crossbows firing explosive tipped bolts.

“I wonder why we have such a heavy escort. Usually there are just two flying Crosses that fly escort.”

“I don’t know. It may have to do with the Boulthorian ships that were spotted during the tournaments.”

Trance paused only a moment to process the conversation. Why would the Griffins add to the escort the ship had? Could it be because of the royal family on board? They didn’t have this many escorts heading to the tournaments. He had heard a few times on the trip that King Maximus preferred to fly as incognito as possible while still being protected. The king did not want any unfriendly forces to know his exact location or how long he would be off planet.

Trance pushed these thoughts to the back of his mind on returning to his seat. A grin played across his lips as he saw Corena resting with her eyes closed and a gentle smile on her face. She needs the rest he thought as he sat next to her and put his arm around her. Contentment flowed through him as she nestled into his shoulder. Before he leaned back to rest he caught sight of his mother looking back at him with an approving look.

Trance knew his parents, both of them, were very proud of him. He knew that they loved him and his siblings equally. Of his siblings from Earth, Heather, his sister, was very independent and was equally close to mom and dad. Sammy, his younger brother, was growing to be closer to their dad. Trance loved his father dearly, yet he had always been closer to his mom. Of course, he had learned that his adopted older brother Kyle adored all the Sondersons equally.

The ship and its escort arrived back on Althora without incident; however, in passing, Trance heard Zak say to Bear that two Boulthorian battleships had been detected during the flight but when they saw the massive escort they took off. He also heard that the escort was larger than first reported. Along with the two Griffin Galleons there were four Raptors, the Griffin equivalent of a heavy gunship, and one massive Terrothox, a massive raptor-shaped ship nearly three and a half times the size of an Althorian battleship. What was so valuable to warrant this many escorts? He could only assume that they were there to protect the royal family.

***

Trance awoke early on his graduation day. The house was dark and silent as he sat up in bed and rubbed his eyes. In a way he could hardly believe graduation was here. He had sent out invitations to all of his family and most of them would be there. Most of his male cousins were older than him and had good jobs. One was a deputy magistrate and two of them had gotten into manufacturing carriages. Another had actually started a small holiday decoration company. His female cousins were just as diverse, ranging from nurses to teachers to four younger cousins still in school like Heather and Sammy. His youngest cousin Kameron, a year younger than Sammy, wanted to be just like him.

What a year this had been, he thought as he sat there. He almost couldn’t believe all of the adventures he had already had. From being found in the woods outside of the Markem’s farm and staying with them for a few precious months to the Boulthorian invasion of their town. Vividly he remembered defending the Markem’s home and separating from them to escape the invaders. How blessed and fortunate he felt when he met the Golden Griffins, mainly Zak, Bear and Major Marlett. Most amazing was just meeting Corena for the first time. Then there was having them take him to his family. What a day that had been. His eyes filled with tears as he remembered seeing them again for the first time since being placed in the deep sleep chamber on the global escape ship Sparrow XIV. And finally there was school.

All of his classes and teachers had been fascinating. He had always performed well in school and this year he had studied harder and longer and his grades showed his improvement. He had even enjoyed his band class and performing in the seven full-band concerts. The last one was only the week before the trip to the tournaments and those were over now. Now he was about to graduate from school. How he had strived for this day. He remembered back when he was on Earth and he had first learned about the approaching planet and had thought then that graduation would never happen. And to top everything, he had fallen for Corena, the royal princess.

He marveled at the fact that they were a couple. Their romance this year was beyond anything he had ever dreamed. They had talked on the last half of the flight home about today and what their future might hold. Unfortunately they wouldn’t see a lot of each other today. They would be together through the graduation ceremony since he was her escort. However, afterward he would be with his family for a graduation party and she would be at