Shadow of the Hawk by Curtis Jobling

Author:Curtis Jobling
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
ISBN: 9780141972299
Publisher: Penguin Books Ltd
Published: 2011-12-05T05:00:00+00:00

5

Overwhelming Odds

Opening into the ocean at Bloody Bay, the Silver River had earned its name on two counts. Firstly, as the main tributary from the Barebones to the Sabre Sea, it was the swiftest and most profitable trade route for moving precious metals out of the mountains. It was said that whoever controlled the Silver River controlled Omir, the stewardship of the waterway being a constant bone of contention between the Werelords of the Desert Realm.

As Drew stood on the poop deck of the Banshee and looked east towards the sunrise, he marvelled at the other cause for the river’s name. With the sun’s first rays breaking over the horizon, the mighty river threw its light back to the heavens. Drew squinted, raising his hand to shield his eyes from the metallic glare of the water.

‘It’s something else, isn’t it?’

He blinked as his eyes slowly refocused on Lady Shah at his side.

‘A jewel in the desert’s crown,’ agreed Drew, turning from the blinding vision.

The crew made the most of the fair weather, and unfurled the sails, grateful for the wind that spirited them westward up the river. Djogo stood at the wheel on the deck below, the former slaver enjoying his newfound freedom, even managing to share a rare joke with Drake who lounged nearby. The sun’s rays were warm on Drew’s back, a welcome change from the freezing night. They might have been in the land of sand, but the night reminded him of the Cold Coast. Winter had arrived across Lyssia, even flirting with Omir. The snow-capped mountains of the Barebones straddled the horizon, their ultimate destination.

‘When did you last visit the mountains?’

‘Fifteen years ago,’ replied Shah, pausing to think about the long absence. ‘I was but a girl, handed over to Kesslar by Skeer, along with my father.’

‘And you’ve encountered no other Hawklords in your travels since then?’

‘None. I hear mention of them occasionally, reported sightings, but their spirits were broken when my father’s wings were taken. We were a shamed species to King Leopold, lower than humans in his eyes.’

‘Do you really think your father can call them home? This Screaming Peak – it sounds like something from a storybook.’

‘He was taken there as a child by his father, its secrets passed on to him. I just hope we can find it.’

The Banshee wasn’t a huge ship but she looked out of place on the Silver River. Her big black prow cut a great wake through the water, sending the smaller fishing vessels, barges and skiffs towards the shores. The waterway was wide and deep, navigable to big ships such as the Banshee to where the river split at Two Rivers. This wild port town at the foot of the Barebones where mountain met desert was where the Werelords now headed. From Two Rivers they would disembark and hike on towards Tor Raptor. Drew’s eyes settled on the former slaver who commanded the ship’s wheel on the deck below, his thoughts returning to the private talks the two had shared.

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