Kingdom's Hope by Chuck Black

Author:Chuck Black [Black, Chuck]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
ISBN: 978-0-307-56268-5
Publisher: The Doubleday Religious Publishing Group
Published: 2012-08-02T04:00:00+00:00

TIME PASSED SLOWLY, AND THE thick walls of the cell insulated them from the fierce battle that ensued above. Leinad and Tess mourned for the people and for the city. Many hours later, a servant boy came running down the stairs with keys jingling in his hands. Soon the door of their cell was opened, and Leinad and Tess exited quickly.

“I know you are good people, and I have seen the wickedness of Moradiah firsthand,” the boy said.

“Thank you, son,” Leinad said. “You have done well. How goes the battle?”

“The city is nearly overrun. Most of the knights are dead, and the Kessons are approaching the palace as we speak.” The boy looked down. “It is awful, Sir Leinad.”

Leinad put his hand on the boy’s shoulder. “What of Lord Quinn and Lady Moradiah?”

“Lord Quinn leads the battle on the steps of the palace. Lady Moradiah tried to flee, but the Kessons pursued. She is dead, sir.”

“Where did they put our swords, son?”

“I don’t know, sir. I think they were taken to the armory.”

“Do you know what my sword looks like?”

The boy smiled. “Yours is the grandest of them all, Sir Leinad.”

Leinad knelt down to face the boy eye-to-eye. “Do me a favor, lad. Find my sword and stow it in a safe place. Do you know of a safe place?”

The boy ran into the cell that Leinad and Tess had been in and slid a brick loose from one of the corners. A dirt alcove that was deep enough for a sword lay behind the brick.

“For a young boy, you sure seem to know a lot about this palace,” Leinad said with a slight smile.

“Nobody pays much attention to a servant boy, so I know a lot more than most folk realize.”

Leinad put his hand on the boy’s shoulder. “If you can’t find my sword quickly, find someplace out of the way and stay put until the fighting is over, all right?”

“Yes, sir.”

Leinad and Tess hurried up the prison stairs, and the sounds of deadly fighting filled the air.

The Kessons were at the palace gates and were overrunning the few remaining knights. Quinn and twenty or so knights were heavily engaged in a last stand on the palace steps. Leinad spotted Audric at the front of the line beside Quinn. It was a desperate battle.

Leinad looked for a sword so he could join the fray, but there was none.

Quinn fought with more courage and valor than Leinad had ever seen in him. It was as though he fought to cover the mistakes he’d made … against the people and against the King.

Two Kessons engaged him at the same time, and it was too much. Audric tried to cover Quinn’s side, but a sword was thrust into his abdomen, and Quinn fell backward onto the granite steps.

“No!” Leinad shouted as he ran down the palace steps to his fallen comrade.

A man on horseback rode up in full battle attire. The air of command was in him. “Do you yield?” he shouted.

The Knights of Chessington fell back, and the fighting paused in response to Kergon’s question.

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