The Prisoner: A Forest Lord Tale (Kindle Single) by Steven A. McKay

Author:Steven A. McKay
Language: por
Format: azw3, epub
Publisher: Broadsword Publishing
Published: 2016-12-19T02:00:00+00:00

* * *

“What the hell’s going on?” Robin shouted, dashing back to the camp, where he saw John flapping his hands and dancing on the spot as flames licked around the bottom of his cloak. If their prisoner had still been safely tied up it would have been hugely comical.

But Luke Tanner was nowhere to be seen and, as warm as John might be, a chill ran down Robin’s back.

“Oh for God’s sake, roll in the slush,” the bailiff ordered irritably, grabbing his big friend by the arm and hauling him down to the ground. The combination of water and their patting hands was enough to quickly extinguish the blaze and John sighed in relief.

“Where’s Tanner?”

They stood up and peered into the gloom.

“He went in that direction,” John deduced, spotting footprints in the soft ground. “Little devil sneaked up behind me and set alight to my clothes. Come on.” He grabbed his quarterstaff – a massive length of oak which would be utterly lethal in his expert hands – and ran in the direction of the tracks, Robin hurrying along behind.

Tanner had a fair head start on them but his trail was easy enough to follow until they came to a point where the trees grew thickly and there was a choice of directions the fugitive might have taken. The branches might have lost their summer foliage but the ground there was harder and there were no obvious signs of footprints.

“We don’t have time to waste searching for his trail,” Robin decided. “The longer he’s out of our hands the harder it’ll be to find him. You go to the right and I’ll go along here. Be careful,” he warned. “If he’s desperate enough to try and burn you alive, there’s no telling what else he’s capable of. We should have listened closer to Broadhurst’s warnings about him.”

John nodded and ran off through the trees, eyes scanning the area. “I hope he does attack me again – this time I won’t be so gentle.”

Robin couldn’t blame his enraged lieutenant for his murderous mood, he just had to hope he came across their escapee before John did.

He drew his sword, trying to see any signs of Tanner’s passage while also keeping a wary eye out for an ambush. Robin was a skilled swordsman with years of training and experience, and he had faster reflexes than most.

It was just as well, for he saw the branch whipping towards him an instant before it would have smashed into his face and he was able – just! – to dodge out of the way in time.

The stick flew past, completely missing its target, but he was thrown off balance and his legs slid out from under him, toppling him onto his side.

It gave Tanner another chance, and this time he made no mistake, smashing the branch down viciously on Robin’s head.

Tanner’s satisfied expression turned quickly to dismay though, as his weapon, sturdy as it had seemed, fell to pieces in his hand, so rotten was it from the damp weather.

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