Kingdom's Hope Read Free

between them.
    Barak’s whip split the air again, racing to tear more flesh on Tess’s back. Leinad precisely crosscut with his sword just above her head and cleanly severed one-third of Barak’s whip. Leinad slowed his approach but continued toward Barak with the wrath of a protective tiger. No one around challenged or stopped him, for he had just beaten the best swordsman in all of Nyland.
    Barak retreated a few steps, then pulled back what remained of his whip and directed a lash toward Leinad this time. Leinad sliced the next third off the whip. Barak threw what remained of his whip at Leinad and fell back against a cart full of bricks.
    â€œStop him!” Barak yelled to the other overseers, but they did not move.
    Leinad closed in on Barak and pressed the tip of his sword into the fat of Barak’s neck. He glared into Barak’s pale white face with fire in his eyes. Barak looked like a frightened cornered rat.
    â€œMany slaves have died at your evil hands, Barak,” Leinad said. “If you ever harm another slave, I will hunt you down and bring justice by the edge of my sword. I swear it!”
    Leinad turned back to Tess. She was already on her feetand running to him. She leapt and hugged him with both arms locked around his neck.
    â€œHello, Sunshine,” he said, gently returning her embrace.
    â€œI thought you were dead,” she said tearfully, still clinging to his neck.
    â€œSo did I. But the King brought me back.”
    She stepped back and looked into his face as if to reassure herself that he was real.
    â€œLet’s get out of here, Tess,” he said, and they walked to Freedom.
    Just before they mounted, Leinad saw Fairos walk over to Keston’s body, pick up his sword, and return to the castle. The humiliation he had just experienced seemed to fuel his anger with every step. When he reached his guards across the drawbridge, he stopped and pointed to one of them.
    â€œYou! Draw your sword!”
    The guard hesitantly drew his sword, and Fairos attacked him. The guard defended himself as best he could, but Fairos quickly ran him through, and he fell dead at Fairos’s feet. Fairos pointed to another.
    â€œDraw your sword!” he commanded.
    Again, another fell. Then another, until all of his guards cowered before him. He threw Keston’s sword to the ground and pointed toward Leinad.
    â€œI am Lord Fairos! Tomorrow he dies! Double the work shifts of all slaves!” Fairos turned and entered the gates of his castle.
    Leinad mounted Freedom and pulled Tess onto thehorse behind him. “Have faith, people!” he called. “The King will set you free. Have faith!”
    Leinad took Tess to the sanctity of the countryside to let her taste freedom once again … at least for a day.

HARDENED HEART
    Leinad and Tess found shelter within a quiet grove of trees a few hours’ ride from Pyron Mid. During the ride, they had talked about his experience in the desert and his training with the King.
    Leinad dismounted near a brook that meandered through the trees. He helped Tess down from the horse and saw her flinch.
    â€œHow’s that cut, Tess?” he asked.
    â€œIt’ll be fine. It’s just a scratch.”
    She shrugged, but Leinad turned her so he could see the wound more clearly. It was on her lower back on the right side. Most of the bleeding had stopped, but it looked painful.
    â€œIt’s not just a scratch,” Leinad said, wishing he had stopped and dressed the wound earlier. “We need to wash it and cover it. Come over to the water.”
    Leinad washed the dried blood and cleaned the cut.Barak was an expert with the whip … Leinad could testify to that. Although the cut was not too deep, it was as long as the span of his hand. He was quite concerned since he knew that unattended wounds could fester and even cause death. He applied some of the sweet-smelling salve the King had given