By the Sword - By Sara Flower Page 0,18
tolerated in his army.
The defiant lad’s eyes widened when Jalarn unsheathed his sword.
“What did you expect?” Jalarn asked.
“My lord!” called one of his other commanders.
Annoyed at the interruption, Jalarn sheathed his weapon and glared at his subordinate.
“I thought that I ordered you not to distract me today.”
“Ittonifer wishes to see you, General.”
Jalarn eyed the young soldier that he had nearly killed.
He was standing now.
“Forgive me, General,” said the boy. “This won’t happen again!”
“For some unknown reason, the devil was merciful to you today. Return to your commander. I leave it up to him to decide your fate.”
Jalarn turned and stalked over to the castle where Ittonifer awaited. His uncle’s face looked even more wretched than it normally did.
“What is it, my lord?” Jalarn asked.
“Aterun has consulted the prince who revealed to him an image of seven knights from Sanctus landing on Noir Peak and putting on our armor. They were also present at the ceremony in the coliseum.”
“Then they know everything!”
“Yes. You must kill them before they reach the forest. Their dragons are secured there.”
“I will kill them all!”
“I would expect nothing less.”
Jalarn ran back out to the training field and found General Waltez.
“It looks like your old friend has gleaned some information from us today,” said Jalarn.
“Edandir was at the coliseum?”
Jalarn nodded.
“He brought some of his knights, too. We have to find them. Now.”
“I will get ten of my knights, and we will go at once.”
“Hurry.”
Jalarn, Waltez, and ten Malinorian knights mounted their horses and rode into the city. The people rushed out of the way as they urged their horses faster down the streets.
Show them to me, my prince, and I will destroy them.
Jalarn slowed his horse to a trot and glanced at all of the soldiers on the street, looking for any behavior that seemed out of the ordinary.
Jalarn exhaled loudly. It would not be easy pointing them out since they would be wearing stolen Malinorian armor.
Very shrewd, General Edandir, but I will find you.
When Jalarn came to an alleyway, he sensed someone’s presence. He never ignored a gut feeling.
“Why have we stopped, General?” asked Waltez.
“Wait here,” Jalarn ordered his men.
He steered his horse into the dark alley.
There, lying on the cobblestones was Naeshi. He must have been out drinking in the taverns again. Ittonifer would not be impressed.
Naeshi groaned as he peeled his eyes open.
“I would march straight back to the castle before my uncle asks for your head,” said Jalarn.
Jalarn spun his horse around to leave.
“Wait, General. I fought a lady knight from Sanctus.”
“What did you say?”
“She was dressed in our armor. She knocked me unconscious, I think. Pretty little thing.”
Full Malinorian armor lay piled up a few paces away. Naeshi was not making it up. The girl must have stripped out of it after making a fool of him.
“How long ago did this happen?” asked Jalarn.
“I wouldn’t know. I feel pretty groggy.”
“Another useless senior guard.”
Jalarn kicked his stallion into a gallop. He and his men raced down the main street and out of the city.
The spies couldn’t be far. Jalarn would find them.
They may have reached the forest, but they will not live long enough to reach their mounts.
Jalarn, Waltez, and the ten knights finally reached the wooded lands. Their sturdy, long-legged beasts traveled easily through the uneven terrain.
“Separate and find them,” said Jalarn.
Jalarn stopped his horse and scanned his surroundings.
A flash of flaxen hair several paces away caught his eye. A slender girl was running through the forest.
Her!
Jalarn kicked his horse and the animal broke into a run. He saw the rest of them sprinting toward their dragons.
“Kill them!” yelled Jalarn.
It was going to be close.
Talya was still well behind the others, but she ran faster than she ever had. She could sense that the Malinorian knights were very close.
Her legs burned, but she gritted her teeth and pushed herself to run faster.
Once she reached her dragon, she hopped onto the leather saddle. Two Malinorian knights on horseback were only a couple of paces away from driving their blades into her. She kicked her dragon hard and it shot upward with a shriek.
Below, twelve Malinorians stood gazing up at her. She immediately recognized Jalarn’s lion emblem and the red cape that he now wore.
This was the second time that Talya had barely escaped from him. Every time they met, she was in a weakened position. It would not happen the next time.
Talya rejoined the group in the air, still catching her breath from the intense run and close call.
General Edandir took off his