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Everything Begins Chapter 108
“Come on, Klyar, there’s nothing here, and I want to sleep in an inn. I’m sure you would prefer a stable to a clearing, too, so get moving.” No matter what Frank did--snapping the reins, digging his heels into the bay’s flanks, even dismounting and attempting to pull the horse down the road--Klyar refused to take another step, his eyes showing the whites, his ears pinned back, and his breath coming from his nostrils in sharp snorts. The horse was terrified, and Frank once again searched the area around them for any indication of what he was reacting to. Eventually, he saw something.In the middle of the road about twenty paces ahead, three figures appeared. They did not come from the forest, and they did not come from the direction of Torkeln--they just appeared, much as Telantes had the first time Frank saw him. These three were not Debaduta, however. The man was dressed in clothing that Frank had only seen in history books. He had on bright red trousers that clung to his hips but th
Everything Begins Chapter 109
Frank walked to the ladder, expecting to have to wrestle it next to the instruction books, but to his surprise, it glided smoothly across the floor on small wheels, somehow attached to the shelving high above him. He stopped it near the books, climbed to the top, and gathered the three books to himself and carefully climbed back down the ladder. He grabbed the spellbook he had been looking at as well and left the building. The door slowly shut behind him, and when he looked at the stone, he could not see any sign that there was a door there at all. He supposed that was a good thing in case someone blundered through the illusion spell and ran into the stone. He moved to Klyar, put the books in the saddlebags, swung into the saddle, and turned the stallion back toward the road to Torkeln.Riding through the night and into the next day, Frank finally came to Sarat. The road to Torkeln ran straight through the center of the village, and there were homes lined on either side of it. Klyar w
Everything Begins Chapter 110
Mari came out a few minutes later with a covered plate and a mug, a deep frown on her face, and her fury was almost enough to make Frank uncomfortable. He ignored the heat, however, thanked her for the food and ale, and began to eat. Mari moved behind the bar and started cleaning it with incensed swipes of her cloth, glaring daggers at Frank the entire time. He tried to ignore her, but as her fury grew, so did the heat directed at him, and finally, he put down his fork and stood up. He walked to the bar and leaned on his forearms.“Listen to me, Mari,” he said disdainfully. “You may have every man in this flea-bitten village wrapped around your finger, but I am not one of them. You may as well stop being angry with me because I am never going to accept your company. I love my wife, and I would never do anything with another woman. Never! So either leave this room or curb your fury, or I will leave now and pay you nothing. I will consider the food and the stable as payment for putting
Everything Begins Chapter 111
Frank stepped forward and placed the tip of his sword on the second man’s chest. “You were going to kill me, were you not?” he asked, his eyes glowing.“Yes, sir, I was, but only because Samsaya ordered it done. As Yiramiya has said, if we do not kill you, we will die horrible deaths.”“Not if I kill that son of Sayatan first,” Frank muttered. “If I leave you here, will you interfere with me doing so?”“No, Sainika,” the first said, and Frank frowned.“How did you know what I am?”“Samsaya told all the villagers you were Sainika. I do not know exactly what that means, but he wants you dead. If we do not do it, someone else will.”“Not if I have anything to say about it.” Frank shoved the two men to the side and armed himself with every blade he had brought with him after strapping his sword belt around his waist. “Stay here unless you truly wish to die,” he told them as he moved to the door. “Where is Samsaya now?”“He stays in a cottage a league east of here in the forest, Sainika,”
Everything Begins Chapter 112
“Take care of the bodies,” he growled at the nearest man who bobbed a quick bow and then turned to gather quite a few other men to do the Anmah’s bidding. The women who had watched the spectacle moved toward the villagers Frank had managed to simply render unconscious and started dragging them out of the middle of the road. Frank watched for a while, and then he sheathed his sword, spun on his heel, and entered the inn. Trudging up the stairs, he went to his room, pulled off his boots, and lay down on the bed to wait for morning.Three days later, weary to his very bones, Frank spotted the red tiled roofs of Torkeln from a rise about five leagues north of the city. Since the incident in Sarat, the Anmah had avoided all contact with the few villages he had seen, preferring to sleep in the forest rather than be subjected to another night of fighting. He sighed in relief when he saw the city and pressed Klyar on as fast as the horse could carry him. When he finally reached the north gate
Everything Begins Chapter 113
He pushed the door to the throne room open, ignoring the two guardsmen who were standing stiffly with perfect salutes. When he walked in, the throne was empty, but King Tomas and his father were at the same table he had seen when Jarda had brought him to the king the very first time. Both men's heads snapped up when the door opened, and Jarda smiled brightly."Ga'briyel! Welcome home!" he cried out, glancing at the king. When Tomas nodded, he walked quickly to his son and embraced him tightly. "I missed you, my boy," he whispered harshly. "I am so happy you are home.""And I missed you as well, Baba." Frank pulled away from his father, took two steps toward the table and dropped to his knee."Rise, Captain Mistri," Tomas said. When Frank did so, the king gestured toward a third chair at the table. "Sit and tell me what has happened to you these past moons.""Yes, sire." Frank and Jarda sat, and the Anmah told them both about the sons of Sayatan he had slain, the village where he had k
Everything Begins Chapter 114
You are probably right about that, my son. I shall have to get you a sword and staff and bow built to your size. It will be important for you to learn them as soon as possible. You may not be able to die, but I will not see you or your mama hurt because you do not know how to protect yourselves.Will you get Mama a sword as well, Baba?Yes, Adama, and I will teach her to use it. If, Yisu forbid, I am not around to protect you, I need to know you can do so without me.The baby frowned and patted his father's cheek. Where would you go, Baba? Will you not stay with us?Of course I will, my son, but no one can see the future, and there may be a time when I am not there for you."Captain Mistri?"Ga'briyel's head snapped up from where he was studying his son. King Tomas was staring at him intently. "Yes, sire?""Are you sure you want no one else to go with you on this journey? I can gather as many guardsmen as you wish. If you wish it.""No, thank you, sire. All I need is my family." He hu
Everything Begins Chapter 115
Unknown to the kosmar, Frank was fighting her in his mind. When she stripped him and herself bare, he battled with the vision of her and forced himself not to react. Devina noticed this and growled softly. She tried everything she could to stimulate the Anmah, but he struggled through it all and kept Sophyra in the forefront of his mind. With his wife's face emblazoned on his subconsciousness, he was able to resist everything Devina did to him. She became more and more frustrated as time went on, and then Frank slowly became aware of a voice in his mind.Baba! Wake up! Fight her, Baba!At that, Frank opened his eyes, and Devina jerked away from him. When he slowly stood, she backpedaled until she was against the door of the room. "How?" she asked softly."My family," Frank said quietly. "They protect me. Even from myself sometimes." He walked toward the kosmar until his sword's tip was at her throat, and then he grinned without humor. Devina's eyes went wide, and she raised her hands