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

war, and some of them are liable to killthemselves before they understand their own strength. I need yourhelp to instruct them in the little time we have left.” Harold kepthis hand outstretched.

“You really are much like him,” saidCyhan at last, and then he placed his hand in Harold’s. A momentlater he let out a muffled scream of pain. “Stop!” The other manhad attempted to pull him to his feet, forgetting his brokencollarbone.

“Forgive me!” exclaimed Harold. “Iforgot!”

“Well godsdammitt all! My body didn’tforget!” griped Cyhan, between short shallow breaths.

“Elaine said she would come and tendto you,” said Harold.

The older knight grimaced, “Well shehasn’t made it around yet. Get back to your work. I’ll come when Iam able, if she gets around to me soon.”

Feeling a bit sheepish Haroldleft.

Cyhan rearranged himself to lie flaton the ground. The grinding pain told him his collarbone wasseriously out of alignment again, but he was helpless to correct ithimself. Nor did he have the resolve to request assistance doingso. Harold’s remarks had helped his spirit, but his physical painwas still overwhelming. “It should have been me,” he said aloud, tono one in particular.

More footsteps announced the arrivalof a new visitor, and by their lightness he could guess it was ashe. The direction was suspicious however, for the sound came fromupwind. Elaine appeared close by, and he realized she had learnedfrom his embarrassing remarks earlier, approaching from a directionthat was unlikely to give her away.

“How long were you listening?” heasked.

“Not long,” she lied. “I just heardyou swearing when he pulled on your arm.”

Cyhan hadn’t really expected atruthful answer, so he accepted the lie. It was simpler thaninviting a discussion. “I don’t suppose you can do something aboutthis?” he asked, indicating his shoulder and arm.

“I can,” she said, “If you can bearit.”

“Been awhile since anyone asked methat question.”

She let out a breath in mockexasperation, “You were supposed to ask how much it wouldhurt.”

“Been awhile since I cared,” he addedgruffly, though in truth he was far past his limitalready.

“It won’t hurt at all. I can block thenerves before I begin,” she answered, giving up her attempt athumor.

Cyhan gave her a rare smile, a subtleindicator of just how much her response had improved his mood. Hisactual words were as stubborn as ever though, “Just make sureeverything still works when you’re done.”

Shaking her head in disbelief, Elaineput one hand on his chest as she began seeking out the propernerves to block before realigning and fusing his broken bones.“Don’t worry, I had a good teacher,” she said mildly.

***

Ariadne Lancaster had had better days,and she deeply hoped that the next day would be one of them, butshe had her doubts. She stood in a small clearing that wascurrently serving as her meeting chamber. They had no chairs, soeveryone stood, which was just as well since there was no table tosit at.

“How will the Kriteck distinguishbetween friend and foe?” asked the Countess pointedly.

“We have agreed that they will ignoreall human combatants, and non-combatants for that matter,”explained the new queen. “They will concern themselves withnullifying the activities of the ‘god-seeds’. They will alsoattempt to protect us if Mal’goroth should appear, though it isdoubtful if that will be possible.”

“Which means?” asked Chad Grayson. Themaster hunter had been the de facto leader of most of the civilianrefugees until they had merged with the survivors fromArundel.

“If Mal’goroth shows himself, we areprobably dead,” she admitted.

“We have three of the Shining Godswith us, a dragon, five wizards, and a bizarre army of extinctcreatures, and we can’t face one Dark God?” he askedargumentatively. As usual he utterly forgot to include thehonorific, ‘Your Majesty’.

“In a nutshell,” she said brusquely,“yes.”

The huntsman seemed mollified by herdirect answer, so Walter used the pause as an opportunity to askhis own question. “You still haven’t discussed your strategy forthis battle, Your Majesty.”

Ariadne directed her gaze at him, andher confidence radiated outward. “In part, that is because I needinformation regarding your capabilities. Up until now, you or oneof your two children have kept the illusion operating that protectsthis camp. How many of you will be able to participate in ourassault?”

“Just two, Your Majesty, unless youwish us to give up our attempts to hide the camp,” he answeredpromptly.

“It is tempting,” she saidthoughtfully. “A major part of the reason for this is to acquiresupplies, and a better place to house our people. If we succeed,this camp will be abandoned.”

Sir Harold arrived then but had heardthe previous remarks as he approached. “Your pardon, Majesty, but Ithink we should maintain the secrecy of the camp. If we make ourattack and encounter unforeseen problems, we will lose any hope ofretreat or recourse. Also, any counter attack could be directed atthe civilians remaining here. The illusion will be their onlydefense in our absence.”

“Shouldn’t we wait another day beforewe attack? This plan seems very hasty,” suggested StephenBalistair.

Harold nodded his head, “I think weall would prefer that, but unfortunately we are out of time. Waltercan confirm that.”

Walter nervously agreed, “Some ofthese people have been living in the woods for over a week now.We’ve almost run out of food, and we are far lower on otheressentials.”

“We can still hunt,” said Stephen,looking in Chad’s direction.

The huntsman made an irritated face.He didn’t like being put on the spot. “Sorry, Yer Lordship, thesewoods can’t feed so many, and more importantly we’re out of water.Unless we plan to move down to the river and expose ourselves,we’re out of options.”

“You’re a disagreeable rascal aren’tyou?” retorted Stephen, irritated at the hunter’s directmanner.

Chad’s eyes narrowed, “I said, ‘YerLordship’, what more do you want?!”

“It’s your tone I object to,” shotback Stephen, “and the fact that you neglected to use any honorificat all with the Queen a moment ago.”

“Silence,” commanded Ariadne abruptly.“We can ill afford to fight here. Lord Stephen, I will worry aboutmy own honor and you would do well to pay less heed to yours, atleast until this day’s work is done.” The hunter shook his fingerat Stephen while the Queen spoke, unable to restrain himself,though he kept his tongue. Without looking in his direction,Ariadne continued, “Master Grayson, you would be