Stonehand, p.34
Stonehand, page 34
“By the sound of things, I’m not sure it matters which we choose,” she said grimly.
And then the dice were rolled once more.
*
Eliud settled them down in a clearing just at the edge of the Capital, grumbling all the way.
“A man of my power and station in life, reduced to being a donkey!”
Kirstin stretched her back, which had become stiff during their flight. “We’ve been over this,” she said, “no matter how dim a view you take of those at Court, there is a reasonable chance they will have noticed the appearance of the Sky Keep above them. This way, we have a decent chance of sneaking in.”
“The Duskstrider does not sneak. He does not creep. He does not lurk. He arrives with fanfare!”
“He could also stop referring to himself in the third person if he doesn’t want me to shoot him with an arrow.”
“She makes a fair point.”
He bent to pick up Savage, who yowled in complaint until she was released to her usual place on Kirstin’s shoulder. “Yet another betrayal in the Duskstrider’s — in my — tragedy-filled life.”
He looked towards the wall of the Capital, lights glinting softly in the gloom. “So, we’ve tried this the honest way before — going through the front door — what say we do something more innovative this time?”
“I like innovation.”
Eliud closed his eyes, seeking a presence as familiar as breathing. He surrounded it with his power and pulled, dragging it through space and time until he appeared in front of them with a soft pop.
The tall man with a beard stared around him in bewilderment for a moment until his eyes alighted on Eliud. Then he groaned and shook his head.
“El, what on earth have you done now?”
Kirstin looked at the richly dressed figure up and down. Expensive leather boots. Intricately brocaded trousers and tunic. And that familiar face . . .
“Eliud, please tell me this isn’t?”
The Duskstrider smiled back, clapping the bearded man on the shoulder.
“I thought, let’s cut out the middleman. May I present our Lord and Master, King Hanya Rendell. He and I are going to have a little talk.”
If you enjoyed this book, please leave a review at your favorite online retailer’s website!
Click here to leave a review on Amazon.
Enthusiastic reviews from readers like you are incredibly helpful.
Thank you!
Acknowledgements
For all their help bringing this project to life, I would like to thank the team at Nef House as well as all the countless, tireless readers on Royal Road who have been invaluable at every step. Thank you!
About the Author
BardLyre hails from the Midlands where they teach English. When not writing or teaching they can usually be found in the library. They own more books than is strictly necessary.
Visit BardLyre on Patreon for exclusive content:
https://patreon.com/BardLyre577
Discover more epic fantasy and LitRPG at
www.nefhousepublishing.com
BardLyre, Stonehand
