Hunt For The Hero (Book 5) Read Free Page B

shackled and weaponless. I moved in front of them.
    “One step closer, Ettin, and you’re dead ,” I said, holding out Fang.
    The Ettin towered over us , hands on hips, laughing.
    “HA! HA! HA!”  
    Smoke rolled from my mouth. I bent over and took a swing , sinking Fang into its wrist.
    The Ettin howled .
    I struck again , dodged and sprinted through its legs and chopped into the back of its heel.
    It roared , teetered, screamed, and brought down the anchor.
    I dove out of the way.
    Smash!
    It tore out a clump of boulders and scattered them like ninepins.
    I dashed under it s thigh and stabbed it behind the knee. Come on, Fang!
    Glitch!
    I hoped it would freeze or something.
    B ut the Ettin only screamed and brought the anchor down again.
    Crash!
    It missed.
    “YOU’RE FAST! BUT YOUR FRIENDS ARE NOT!”
    It stomped after them.
    Brenwar, Bayzog and Sasha scattered.
    “THEY RUN LIKE CHICKENS! SLOW ONES!”
    “Over here, Ugly!” Brenwar yelled, waving his hands over his head.
    It went after Sasha. She’d disappeared behind a large rock. The Ettin picked it up like an egg.
    She screamed.
    It laughed, looked over its shoulder and hurled the boulder at Brenwar, hitting the stone he hid behind. The Ettin reached down for Sasha. Fingers clutching at her tiny frame.
    Something exploded inside me.
    Slice! Slash! Slash! Stab!
    I ripped into the back of it s leg.
    It arched it s back, arms wide and started howling in fury.
    Slash! Slash! Stab!
    Bayzog appeared. He swept Sasha up in his arms and scurried her away.
    The Ettin ’s arms flailed for balance and it toppled to the ground like a great tree.
    I jumped on its chest and r aised Fang over my head with two hands.
    “ Nath, no!” Brenwar yelled, rushing toward me.
    I drove Fang into its heart.
    All four eyes popped open and the beating under my feet came to a sudden stop. Its anguished stare was frozen and its arms fell limp at its sides.
    Silence and rain filled the crater.
    I sheathed my sword and hopped down.
    “Ye didn’t have to do that,” Brenwar said, limping over, “I could’ve you know.”
    I headed for the tunnel.
    “Where do you think yer goin’?”
    I didn’t reply. I didn’t stop either.

 
    CHAPTER 6
     
     
    “Brenwar,” Bayzog said, “shouldn’t we go after him?”
    The Dwarf stood like a tree stump, thick fingers clutching at his sides, brows buckled.
    “No,” he said under his beard. “We’ve lost enough already. Nath should know better.” He turned back towards them. “I’m afraid we can’t help him any right now. He’s temperamental.”
    Bayzog’s hand wrapped around Sasha’s. It was cold and she was shivering.
    He looked up, hand over his eyes and said, “Let’s get shelter. Perhaps under those trees.”
    “What about Shum ?” she said.
    The Elf lay on the ground with a layer of wet dirt and rain muddying his armor.
    Brenwar tended to him. Picked him up, moved him, and set him down somewhere more suitable. He crossed Shum’s arms over his chest, took a knee, closed his eyes and bowed his head. Placing his hand over Shum, he began to sing in Dwarven. A throaty melody. Pleasant and strong.
    Bayzog held Sasha tight, but her sobs shook both their bodies.
    Brenwar finished.
    “That was beautiful,” Sasha said.
    Brenwar nodded.
    The rain splashed on Shum’s face, bringing life to it a little. Everyone stood and stared, but Sasha was still crying. Bayzog’s stomach twisted and turned.
    “I-I feel so guilty ,” Sasha said. “He shouldn’t have died over me.”
    “He’d have died a hundred times for all of us,” Bayzog said, “ That’s what good does. Gives its life so others may live.”
    “The Rovers say ‘Act or evil takes the reins.’ He told me that once in our travels,” Brenwar said.
    ***
    The rain slowed and the clouds began to part. The sun was warm but Sasha felt cold. Nath was gone. Buried in a well of darkness. They’d barely made it out the last time and now he had to make it out alone. It didn’t