He sprang back into Chariot’s saddle as one of the remaining lancers broke his lance against Gerald's shield, the other circling with an axe in hand. Mazael spurred Chariot to a gallop, slammed Lion into its scabbard, and took his Mastarian war hammer in both hands.
The lancer on Gerald’s right never saw Mazael coming. Mazael whipped the hammer sideways in a looping swing. The lancer toppled off his horse, head bent at a bizarre angle. The second lancer gaped at his dead comrade long enough for Gerald to finish him.
Horses galloped from the inn as the Old Crow rallied his troops. Sir Tanam looked bloody and very angry.
“Any wounds?” said Mazael.
“No,” said Gerald. “Just bruises.”
“Good. Over the bridge, I’ll follow,” said Mazael.
“What...” said Gerald.
Mazael grinned at him. “Just go.”
Gerald sighed. “Madman.” He spurred his horse over the bridge, Rachel and Wesson riding alongside.
Mazael leaned down, snatched a torch from the bundle, and thrust it into the pot of burning coals. Then he wheeled Chariot around, galloped onto the bridge, and dropped the torch.
Evidently it had not rained in the Grim Marches for some time, because the bridge's planks were hard and dry, and took fire at once. A wall of flame rose up behind Mazael, and Chariot whinnied and bolted to the opposite bank.
He joined Gerald and Rachel and turned Chariot around just in time to see Sir Tanam’s horse shy away from the flames. Tanam stared across the river at Mazael, his expression a mixture of frustration and astonishment.
“Sir Mazael,” said Sir Gerald. “You are insane. You could have gotten us all killed!”
Mazael grinned at him. “Yes, but it worked, didn’t it?”
Gerald sighed and looked heavenwards.
Mazael clasped his sister’s hand, careful not to squeeze with his armored gauntlet. “And you, are you all right?”
Rachel smiled at him. She had always been very pretty, and even as a child suitors had swarmed about her like flies, hoping to win her hand once she came of age. Mazael didn’t know if his sister had married or not. He had left the Grim Marches fifteen years ago, and no word had come to him since. Rachel looked much the same, but there were dark circles under her eyes, and she was very pale.
“Mitor will be upset you burned his bridge,” Rachel said at last.
“Mitor can bugger himself with the bridge,” Mazael said. “A bridge for a sister, a small price, it seems. Now, how are you?”
“I’ve been better, I’ll confess,” she said. “But, gods, Mazael, it’s so good to see you again.”
“You as well.” Mazael looked over the river. “We’d best be on our way before old Sir Crow decides to use those crossbows.”
They galloped for the east, leaving the inn and the burning bridge behind.
Follow this link to continue reading Demonsouled.
About the Author
Standing over six feet tall, Jonathan Moeller has the piercing blue eyes of a Conan of Cimmeria, the bronze-colored hair a Visigothic warrior-king, and the stern visage of a captain of men, none of which are useful in his career as a computer repairman, alas.
He has written the DEMONSOULED series of sword-and-sorcery novels, and continues to write THE GHOSTS sequence about assassin and spy Caina Amalas, the COMPUTER BEGINNER'S GUIDE series of computer books, and numerous other works.
Visit his website at:
http://www.jonathanmoeller.com
Visit his technology blog at:
http://www.jonathanmoeller.com/screed
Contact him at:
[email protected]
You can sign up for his email newsletter here, or watch for news on his Facebook page.
Other books by the author
The Third Soul Series
The Testing
The Assassins
The Blood Shaman
The High Demon
The Burning Child
The Outlaw Adept
The Black Paladin
The Tomb of Baligant
Computer Beginner's Guides
The Ubuntu Beginner's Guide
The Windows Command Line Beginner's Guide
The Linux Command Line Beginner's Guide
The Ubuntu Desktop Beginner's Guide
The Windows 8 Beginner's Guide
The Linux Mint Beginner's Guide
The Ghosts Series
Child of the Ghosts
Ghost in the Flames
Ghost in the Blood
Ghost in the Storm
Ghost in the Stone
Ghost in the Forge
Ghost in the Ashes
Ghost Dagger (World of the Ghosts novella)
Ghost Aria (World of the Ghosts short story)
Ghost Claws (World of the Ghosts short story)
The Demonsouled Series
Demonsouled
Soul of Tyrants
Soul of Serpents
Soul of Dragons
Soul of Sorcery
Soul of Skulls
Soul of Swords
The Dragon's Shadow (World of the Demonsouled novella)
The Wandering Knight (World of the Demonsouled short story)
The Tournament Knight (World of the Demonsouled short story)
The Tower of Endless Worlds Series
The Tower of Endless Worlds
A Knight of the Sacred Blade
A Wizard of the White Council
The Destroyer of Worlds
$1.99 Dark Fantasy
Driven and Other Stories
The Devil's Agent
Angel Sword and Other Stories
Table of Contents
Description
Chapter 1 - The Poisoned Bride
Chapter 2 - The Grand Master
Chapter 3 - The Apothecary
Chapter 4 - The Justice of the Knights
Chapter 5 - The Black Dragon
Chapter 6 - You Shouldn't Have Done That
Chapter 7 - The Necromancer’s Apprentice
Chapter 8 - Shades
Chapter 9 - The Summoning
Chapter 10 - To Fight Dark Magic
DEMONSOULED bonus chapter
About the Author
Other books by the author
The Dragon's Shadow Page 10
