The Lazarus Vault by Tom Harper
Author:Tom Harper [Harper, Tom]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Publisher: Arrow
Published: 2010-10-11T03:00:00+00:00
XXX
Troyes, County of Champagne, November 1141
The town is packed: All Souls was two weeks ago, and the Cold Fair is in full swing. Merchants have come from all the corners of Christendom to trade their wares. The Count of Champagne has built vast warehouses on the edge of the town to accommodate the trade; his guards are everywhere in their blue and white livery, shepherding the money as it changes hands. You can buy furs, wool and linen cloth, pepper and spices, leather and silk – anything you can imagine.
It’s also a good place to buy men.
The square in the centre of the town has become a cockpit. Four rings have been roped off, where squires and serjeants take turns testing their strength in combat. I manoeuvre my way to the front. A fat man in a leather cap and armour is taking on a young squire, whose face is a mask of concentration. The boy dances and skips, jabbing and parrying. The fat man barely moves, content to swat and bat the boy back. On the far side of the ring, I can see a one-eyed, grey-haired man in a black coat trimmed with gold. He’s watching the fight, but he looks bored.
With a sudden movement that belies his size, the fat man darts forward. Two strokes and the boy’s clutching his hand in agony, his sword on the ground. He reels away, towards a girl who looks as if she’s having second thoughts.
The crowd applaud; money changes hands. While they’re talking, I duck under the rope and pick up the fallen sword. The weight feels good.
The fat man looks at me. ‘Did you lose your armour?’
I shrug. If I were more extravagant, I’d make some bragging retort.
The crowd are getting interested. There’s nothing they like more than an entertaining mismatch. A proven champion in leather armour, against – what?
They’re waiting to see if I’m just a fool who’s drunk too much, or if I can surprise them.
I stand as stiff as I can and take a couple of awkward, artless strokes. The fat man relaxes. Another novice, he thinks. I retreat from his attacks, skittering around the ring like a frightened fawn. The fat man follows, taking his time. The crowd bay encouragement. From the corner of my eye, I see the man in the black coat watching intently. He’s not deceived.
I start to slow down. The fat man sees his moment and comes in for the kill. He’s agile, but he’s got a lot of weight to carry – and I’ve watched how he does it. I see him coming and drift back. He lands heavily and staggers forward, off balance. I get inside the reach of his blade and grab his arm. I twist it until it’s about to snap, then chop down the hilt of my sword against his wrist. He drops his sword: he’s trying to pull away, but I won’t let go. I knee him in the gut, and for good measure, slam the pommel of my sword into his nose.
Download
The Lazarus Vault by Tom Harper.epub
The Lazarus Vault by Tom Harper.mobi
The Lazarus Vault by Tom Harper.mobi
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.
Crime | Mystery |
Thriller & Suspense |
The Book of Dreams (Saxon Series) by Severin Tim(32914)
Who'd Have Thought by G Benson(16150)
Always and Forever, Lara Jean by Jenny Han(14473)
Bull's Eye Sniper Chronicles Collection (The Second Cycle of the Betrayed Series) by McCray Carolyn(11948)
Firetrap: The Soul Scorchers MC (The Scorched Souls Serial-series Book 1) by Riley C.L(10938)
Warriors (9781101621189) by Young Tom(10316)
Oathbringer by Brandon Sanderson(9190)
Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros(9155)
The City of Brass by S. A. Chakraborty(8509)
Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher(8455)
Red Rising by Pierce Brown(8263)
Storm and Silence by Robert Thier(6490)
The Thirst by Nesbo Jo(6439)
Shadows Of The Apt [01] - Empire in Black and Gold by Adrian Tchaikovsky(6413)
Pandemic (The Extinction Files Book 1) by A.G. Riddle(6189)
Assassin’s Fate by Robin Hobb(5855)
Six Wakes by Mur Lafferty(5829)
The Demon Crown: A Sigma Force Novel by James Rollins(5594)
The Fall of Dragons by Miles Cameron(5372)
