Stormwielder (The Sword of Light Trilogy Book 1) Read Free Page A

beginning to spread. Bodies lay scattered amid the ruin, at times half-buried by the rubble. Eric choked at the sight. His mind rebelling against the truth.
    This is my doing.
    Movement came from his right. He looked across as a man struggled to his feet. Their eyes met. Eric saw the horror grow in the stranger’s eyes. He looked down and saw that lightning still played across his chest and arms. Noise came from elsewhere now as more survivors rose to view the shattered remains – and to see the boy with lightning dancing on his skin.
    Eric watched them, heart filled with despair. The faces of those around him wore only hatred. He had to say something, but could not find the words. His body ached and his muscles burned but he struggled to his feet. A surge of blood rushed to his head. He swayed. Then, determined, he opened his mouth to speak.
    An angry buzz of voices assailed him. To his left a man drew a dagger from his belt. He started towards Eric. Another quickly followed suit, ripping a makeshift club from a pile of rubble as he approached. The broken ground crunched beneath their booted feet. Each wore a grim mask of determination. When they were a few feet away they hesitated, eyeing him with caution.
    Eric struggled to find some words of explanation. He wanted to tell them it had not been him, that he could not control this curse. Yet he knew in his heart it would be a lie. He had known his presence brought a terrible danger to all around him. A heavy weight settled on his shoulders. There was nothing he could offer these souls but his life.
    More survivors joined the first two men, arming themselves with whatever makeshift weapons were within reach. Each sported burns across their arms and clothing, and dark bruises on their faces. A fire burned in their eyes, fuelled by the horror they had just witnessed.
    Eric trembled, staring at the blades and cudgels held by men and women alike. His heart pounded in his chest. He clenched his fists, struggling to ignore the hollow feeling in the pit of his stomach. His rib cage ached where the club had struck him earlier. Bruises from the beating were already starting to swell on his arms and legs. His mind shuddered at the thought of the pain still to come.
    Cautiously the survivors edged towards him, numbers fuelling their courage.
    Eric backed away, his own courage fading with each step. The villagers moved faster, sensing his fear. He stumbled backwards over the rubble, unable to tear his gaze from the madness in the eyes of the crowd. He stumbled backwards over a pile of rubble and crashed to the ground. The shock lifted the spell. Eric scrabbled to his feet and ran for his life.

Two
    Eric sprinted down the burning streets. The roar of angry voices and pounding footsteps from behind drove him through the downpour. He dodged past the wreckage of shattered homes, squinting through the rain, searching for a path. The whistling wind whipped across his face and sliced through his waterlogged jacket.
    His eyes watered as he ran through clouds of acrid smoke. Lifeless bodies lay scattered across the flooded streets. Thick droplets of rain splattered around them.
    Eric ran on. Soot clung to his skin, mixing with the torrents of water washing over him. He passed a hand through his filthy hair, struggling to think, gasping for air. His muscles burned and great shivers ran through his body. He was at the end of his endurance.
    The light of approaching torches flickered in the lengthening shadows. The day was dying and Eric could only pray the darkness would come soon. He drove himself on; the freezing autumn wind buffeted him, his footsteps splattering in the flooded streets. Water filled his boots. His leggings squelched with every stride.
    A shout came from behind, followed by the clang of steel-tipped arrows as they struck the wall a few feet to his right. Eric ducked, glancing back to see a crowd of people sprinting towards him. He slid into a nearby passageway before the bowman