By the Sword - By Sara Flower Page 0,28

to control his annoyance, a small tent city caught his attention. Jalarn had never seen one before, but he had heard many stories about the men that lived in them.

“Apathetic men,” said Ittonifer.

“And apathy has no place in this world,” said Jalarn.

“Indeed.”

Usually, tent dwellers had no allegiance to anyone and chose to live away from any major civilization. Jalarn despised people like that. They offered nothing at all to the world, which meant that they did not deserve to live. Besides, it was not unheard of that they could grow large enough to form a resistance army.

As they rode closer, several people emerged from their cloth dwellings. Some men carried primitive-looking spears.

Jalarn caught Ittonifer’s gaze. They nodded at one another. It was not worth their time to try and recruit such a useless class of humans, and it wouldn’t be right to leave them there to multiply like pests.

Besides, I am craving a little bloodshed.

Jalarn clenched his scythe and charged ahead on his horse, with Ittonifer at his side. Their men followed. Most of the people tried to run away, but none of them escaped.

*****

Looking through his spyglass, General Edandir scanned the perimeter of the palace grounds from the central watchtower. Ever since sundown, he had sensed that there was someone lurking around the castle. So far he had seen no one.

He turned to leave when a bird’s piercing screech echoed through the still, evening air. It sounded like the call of a blue falcon. Blue falcons never hunted at night.

Edandir’s pulse quickened.

The bird of prey’s cry broke the silence once again.

The general climbed down from his post and slowly made his way to where the noise had come from. It sounded like it was in or around the royal gardens.

With a hand on the hilt of his sword, Edandir listened intently. The slightest movement to his right caught his attention.

“Who is there?” he called.

No answer.

“Show your face.”

A caped man stepped out from behind a rose bush. His blue falcon sat on his shoulder.

“Waltez.”

No one else could have made it past the watchful eyes of the border guards.

“Edandir. It has been too long.”

“Yes.”

They stared at one another for a moment.

“I came here to tell you that you don’t have to fight against the empire. This is all about your pride. You never have liked change, have you? Just accept that the world is changing. You could be a part of a successful empire and avoid the needless death of your people.”

“You know that I won’t.”

“Ittonifer will make you the second ranking general of his army, and he will reward you for all that you do for him. It would be like old times.”

Edandir’s heart raced.

“Oh, how kind of him. No, thank you.”

“Then you are a fool.”

With a hand still on his weapon, Edandir moved closer to the man that had once been his friend.

“If Ittonifer is so confident that he will be victorious, why would he send you all the way here to recruit me?”

“You always were too cocky for your own good. It will get you killed one day. One day very soon.”

“Have you even once asked yourself how you do it? You serve a country – a man – that kills the innocent only to gain more wealth and power.”

“We are no different from any other prosperous nation in history.”

“You killed your own people, Waltez.”

“It was never my intention for Anstalla to die. I thought that she was with you in Sanctus that night. You know that.”

Edandir tried to ignore the pain that crept from the deepest parts of his soul. His wife was dead because of the Malinorians. Waltez had become so power hungry by the time that the Holy Wars began that he wouldn’t have hesitated to kill – anyone.

“Get out of here. Now.”

“I’m not leaving until I have either your allegiance or your head.”

“You will not gain either, but you can try.”

Waltez took a run at Edandir as his falcon flew to a safer perch in the bushes. Their swords collided and sent a shrill clang that sliced through the quiet, still air.

Edandir kicked Waltez’s left shin, but the Malinorian swung around and slashed his sword against Edandir’s right torso.

“I’m killing your queen once I’m through with you,” said Waltez.

Ignoring the sharp pain in his side, Edandir executed a diagonal arc at his enemy’s midsection and then slammed his free hand into his face.

Waltez stumbled backward.

Edandir stood over him and placed the tip of his sword at his neck.

“Hand me your sword,” ordered Edandir.

Waltez complied.

“Now,