Talon: The Windwalker Archive Book 1 by Michael James Ploof

Author:Michael James Ploof [Ploof, Michael James]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Fantasy
ISBN: 9781499307566
Google: qBroCAAAQBAJ
Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
Published: 2015-05-01T21:08:35+00:00

Chapter 15

Fylkin’s Claim

Tears, tears in the dark; taken, he fights himself.

—Gretzen Spiritbone, 4981

Talon’s dreams were of blood and falling swords. Brekken came after him, cradling his severed head in one arm, and carrying a long flaming sword in the other. Laughter filled the foggy air around him but was lost in the crash of waves against the rocky shore. He stumbled about the sharp stones, flailing in the foamy waters as the raft carrying Jahsin and Akkeri drifted further from his grasp. Behind him the baying of wolves joined in the song of Brekken’s obscenities. He dared not look, for he knew the entire Timber Wolf Village was on his heels. Talon sloshed out into water up to his waist and dove in. The harder he swam, the farther out to sea the wind carried the raft, filling its patchwork sails with great gulps of air. The Vald crashed into the waves behind him and he began to sink. Hands suddenly clutched at his ankles and feet, pulling him down. He kicked and tried to swim, but the hands held him firm, pulling him down…down…

“Talon, wake up!” Jahsin said, shaking him.

He woke with a scream and clutched Jahsin’s shirt.

“Talon, it’s Akkeri; hurry up!”

He jolted out of bed half-awake, hoping he was dreaming.

“Where?” he said, bolting for the door in only his trousers.

“I don’t know what’s going on. Majhree told me to get you quick, said they took her. She was crying. I don’t know.”

Talon ran to Majhree’s hut as fast as the rain and mud would allow. The rain came down at an angle, spurred on by the high winds. He fell more than once, and by the time he arrived at her hut, he was soaking wet and dragging mud.

“What happened?” he yelled as he flew through the door.

Majhree sat on one of the cots, bent so far that her chest rested on her knees; she was crying. Talon fell to his knees before her and took up her gnarled hands, wet with tears.

“What happened, Majhree; where is Akkeri?”

The old woman’s eyes fell on him, and she seemed to forget her own sorrow, for her face went slack and pity found his gaze. Her hands went to his face and held him tight before uttering words she knew would send him running through the door.

“Fylkin sent his men after Akkeri…they took her…took her back to him.”

Talon turned to bolt for the door, but Majhree’s hands grabbed his wrists and held him firm.

“Akkeri gave her friend a letter when she heard they were comin’ for her. She gave it to me and made me promise I’d see you read it afore you ran out the door. This is Akkeri’s wish,” said Majhree, looking to the folded paper on the bed beside her.

Behind them, Jahsin reached the doorway panting. Talon nodded to Majhree and she reluctantly let him go and handed him the paper. He unfolded the letter with shaking hands.

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