The Final Redemption by Michael Manning (little red riding hood ebook free .txt) 📕

forced to keep his eyes onthe ground, but he used one hand to tap the hilt of the great swordstrapped across his back. “This one.”

Cyhan grunted in agreement. “Yeah, youshould quit it while you can. Keep at it and you’ll wind up likeme.”

“You’re still breathing.”

“There’s more to life than breathing,”said Cyhan with an uncharacteristic sigh.

“You sure you didn’t drink some of mymother’s tea?” asked Dorian.

“Who knows?” said Cyhan. “She’strickier than both of us.”

The tunnel emerged in a storeroom thatwas located under a small warehouse. The doors were locked and noneof them had the keys, but that wasn’t much of an impediment forDorian and Sir Egan. Whether the noise of their destructive exitalerted anyone, they couldn’t be sure, but there was no one visiblein the street when they stepped out.

They resumed their former arrangement,with Penny ranging forward while the other warriors spread outaround the Queen, the noblewomen, and the children. They didn’thave much farther to go before they would be free of the populousregion around the capital, then they could breatheeasier.

Dorian heard the clash of steel firstand his eyes flickered to Sir Egan who nodded a moment later. Theearth-bond made their senses more acute as well as enhancing theirphysical strength. Lifting his hand, Dorian signaled for theirparty to halt momentarily.

“The Countess has encountered theenemy ahead of us. We will head down the right hand lane in thehope of avoiding them,” Dorian announced softly.

Everyone nodded, except Gram, “Whichway is Aunt Penny going?”

Dorian paused to answer his son,“She’s moving left, to the north.”

“We aren’t going to helpher?”

“She’s helping us. Once she’s led themaway or removed the threat, she will catch up,” he explainedpatiently.

The older children exchanged looks.None of them liked it, but Dorian exuded an aura of authority thatwould brook no more delays. Ariadne put her hand on Gram’s shoulderfor a second, and without further urging he went along withher.

As they moved, the sounds of battlegrew louder, until everyone could easily hear the noise. Hurriedfootsteps, the sound of armored men running, and the occasionalgrunt of pain, it got louder for a bit before receding in thedarkness. Everyone was tense, but Moira’s magesight showed her whatwas happening as they walked.

“She’s alright,” she told Conallreassuringly, making certain that Matthew could hear her words aswell. “She wounded several men, and the others can’t catchher.”

“How will Momma find us?” asked thesmall boy.

“She can see and smell almost like acat in the dark,” whispered Matthew standing on the other side ofhis younger brother. “Plus she knows where we are going. Mom willfind us.”

They traveled on into the night,leaving the outskirts of the city via some of its lesser traveledroads before circling slightly to head toward the World Road. Oneof the better highways went in that direction, but they kept to thelightly wooded areas beside the road rather than risk being caughtin the open.

It took them several hoursto cover the distance to the western gate of the fortress thatprotected the World Road. Under more ordinary circumstances thetrip would have taken less than an hour, but the moderate forestand the occasional farm they were forced to circle slowed them downconsiderably. As they progressed, Dorian’s face grew sterner as heprivately worried about Penny. He hadn’t expected her to take solong catching up to them, whether she had killed their enemies orsimply evaded them. She should havereturned to us by now, he thought tohimself.

The massive open archway seemed toloom ominously as they passed under it into the darkness thatgathered there. Fifty feet more and they emerged into the starlightwhich was all that illuminated the courtyard. They had yet to seeany sign of the guards who normally were posted on the walls or atthe entrances. They had either been killed or had returned to thecity itself, to join Ariadne’s resistance or to hide with theirfamilies.

“Tremont’s power is still too thin forhim to spare men to guard even this, the most strategic ofLothion’s strongholds,” observed Ariadne with disdain.

“His strength is built on lies,” saidRose. “This coup of his is like a house of cards. Once his alliesrealize how precarious his position is, his support willvanish.”

Sir Egan listened with anxiousimpatience, “We should get to the tunnel entrance. We are tooexposed here if the Duke has posted anyone to the walls. There isno way to ward ourselves if he has bowmen above us.”

“What about the Countess?” questionedLady Thornbear.

“Egan is right,” said her son. “Weshould at least get out from under the open sky. We can wait forher there as long as is possible.”

A noise caught Dorian’s ear as theyentered the eastern tunnel. Looking back across the courtyard hissensitive eyes spotted movement, and seconds later he recognizedPenelope Illeniel sprinting toward them. He breathed a sigh ofrelief and started to announce his news to the others, when heglimpsed the dark shapes of her pursuers. Behind her came fiveinhuman forms and no two were alike. One moved on four legs, likesome monstrous bull, while two others ran on long spindly legs likegiant birds. The fourth was stranger still, fifteen feet tall, itmoved on long spider-like legs that seemed slow and graceful,belying their true speed. The fifth was still too far to discernproperly, but Dorian guessed it seemed even bulkier than the othersin the shadowy darkness.

“Everyone move! Down the tunnel! Runif you can!” ordered Dorian loudly, startling the others who hadyet to see anything. “Penny is coming, but she has unwelcome guestsfollowing close behind.” Reaching back he pulled loose the cordthat kept Thorn from shifting or slipping on his back. Drawing thesword was not as easy as it was with his longsword; the blade wastoo long for a man’s arm to clear the tip from thescabbard.

Once the sheath was loosened, he wasable to pull it away with one hand while taking Thorn’s hilt withthe other. After he had freed the blade, he let the scabbard dropto the sandy ground. Egan stood beside him, holding two of thefamous Sun-swords, one in either hand.

“Don’t forget!” shoutedDorian over his shoulder, “Turn right at the end. We’re heading forthe Lancaster gate.” The others were already moving, but Doriancould imagine the reluctance on Cyhan’s face.