The Sworn Knight by Robert Ryan (novels to read txt) 📕

was news, and Druilgar considered it. Were-stones werenot the first of the ancient talismans to be found. Likely they would not bethe last. The Morleth Stone was at work there, and he sensed it trying torebuild the old world as it had been. It was like a man trying to rebuild ahouse that had blown down in a storm. All the pieces were there. They justneeded gathering and bringing back together again.

He studied the creature before him. She was something of thekind, too. The Morleth Stone drew creatures from hiding and from sleep that hadnot walked, or flown, the world for millennia. Where they had hidden, he didnot know. But the world was full of them, and he was pleased.

“Go find nourishment,” Druilgar told her. “Report againtomorrow night, and I will have new orders for you.”

She grinned at him, and gazed deep into his eyes. Itmattered not to her where that nourishment came from.

“Be off,” he commanded. Her magic had no power over him, butthey all tested that.

“It will be as you wish, master.”

Despite her words, he still sensed her hunger for him. Hecould never trust these creatures, but they had their uses.

After a moment, she turned her sleek body and dived off theparapet, winging away into the dark.

It would not be long before the next appeared. They did notlike to see each other, at least up close, and always reported separately.

Druilgar waited and mused. The knights were his to command,and his was the greater power by far. Yet still he must watch them. He trustedthem no more than an elù-drak, and any one of them would supplant him if theycould.

He did not like them gaining in power. Especially, he didnot like it when that power did not come from him. But the world moved on, andthe more power they had the more they sought. Yet he alone could hold theMorleth Stone. Osahka promised him preeminence, and in that promise he trusted.The stone was all that he believed in now, and he was right to bind himself toit. It was the future.

A dark figure swept through the air near the tower, andthere was a rush of wings. It was gone into the night again, and then it bankedback, swept lower and alighted with grace on the parapet near him.

This elù-drak was younger. She had not the confidence of theprevious one, but still those eyes locked onto his and he took a step forwardbefore he controlled himself.

“Speak!” he ordered.

The creature gave what might have been a bow. “The lands ofthe north and west I have flown,” she replied. “My belly is full, and my eyeshave seen much. My ears also have heard the tidings of the land.”

Druilgar knew what that meant. She had taken a man captiveand made him into her thrall. Off him, she had gathered news. And then she hadkilled him. The magic did not last long.

“What tidings have you heard?”

She told him many things then, some of which he knew alreadyand others that were new. For the most part, it was good news.

He questioned her most about the city of Cardoroth, then hebid her go. She did not need to eat, but like a cat hunting a mouse for theplay of it, she would find amusement in the streets below.

Cardoroth interested him, and greatly. He had heard muchbefore, but he knew more now.

It was a weak city, at the moment. The old king was gone,and a new king was in his place. War had ravished the realm. It was ripe forthe plucking, and more and more Druilgar considered that it would be his first target.It was not that far away, and he could establish good supply routes for anarmy. His army was both fresh and growing. There would be little battle. Likefire engulfing a forest, his new order would overrun the target. Then, he wouldsit on two thrones, and he could contemplate the next move.

It was rumored though that the new king in Cardoroth was alòhren-king. He was aided by lòhrens, and he was one himself. That was a factorto consider. So too that he had so far overcome all obstacles in his path.

But in the end, all men encountered forces they could notbeat. This new king would find it so, for lòhren or not, he had no aid from aMorleth Stone. He would be a worthy foe, and then he would fall before brightsteel or dark sorcery. It mattered not which.

Druilgar had not long to wait before a third elù-drakreported. This one was older, yet she approached with sublime grace. She bankedat an angle, and then glided to land before him.

Like all the others, she held him with her gaze, testinghim. But in her wisdom she knew in but a moment that he would not succumb.

“From the south I have come,” she said, and her voice wasdeeper and richer than the previous ones. “It is home to my kind, and all iswell there.”

“You saw nothing of interest?”

“Nothing did I see save that the land stirs and allies ofold wake. More of my kind will come, and others also that serve the Shadow. Youhave friends, great one, and they come to support you. Of enemies, I saw none.”

He sent her away then. Her news was good, and expected. Theelù-draks had been the first to serve, for they had the power of flight andcould cover great distances. Yet he longed for the day that other soldierswould swell his army, and it mattered little if they were not human. All couldserve equally, and all be equally honored.

Dawn was close at hand now. He should return to the palaceand sleep a little, though he had less need for it now. The Morleth Stoneseemed to sustain him more and more. Yet he reveled in the night, and enjoyedthe blanket of darkness. Below him, that dark was lit by lights just as the skywas lit by stars, but here, in Faladir, he was in control. Sometimes, he feltthe stars mocked him.

He was nearly ready to descend the tower, but somethingstayed him. He gazed