The Green Knight (Space Lore Book 1) Read Free Page B

fighting!” the Feedorian cried, but it was useless. He closed his eyes and let the brawl play out.
    The fight didn’t last long. The Watchneens were ferocious combatants and their claws would cut most anyone else in the bar to shreds. But on the Gthothch, the claws only flashed sparks against the stone skin. One Watchneen was on the Gthothch’s back, clawing at his face and biting everywhere its mouth could find, but the Gthothch was bothered only by the sparks flashing in his delicate eyes. Despite having to squint and groan, he was able to focus on the other Watchneen, whose hands he took in his own before crushing them. The Watchneen howled in pain, his red blood-energy misting up toward the ceiling before dissipating. The Gthothch let the alien go. Defeated, the first Watchneen was able to get back to his feet, look down at his crushed hands, then dart for the exit, leaving his companion alone.
    The other Watchneen, still on the rock alien’s back, gave a cry of indignation at his friend’s betrayal. Then he was ripped away by a mighty stone hand. Instead of fleeing like his friend, this Watchneen became even more furious in his attack, as if everything up to this point had been a warm-up. His legs clawed so fast they were a blur. Sparks flew from the Gthothch’s chest where the claws scratched at an amazing speed. His hands did the same thing. The Gthothch cringed at the bright sparks flying in front of him and his shirt was completely torn to shreds, but otherwise he was uninjured. With a roar of his own, he took this Watchneen’s hands in his palms and crushed them as well. The Watchneen stopped fighting and cried out as his red life force escaped from his pulverized hands. After being released from the giant stone grip, this Watchneen also fled the bar.
    Everyone in Eastcheap, except for Vere, applauded the Gthothch’s sporting gesture of letting the Watchneens go. The bartender, happy not to have more dead bodies in his bar, gave the Gthothch a complimentary drink. Vere withheld her applause, not because she disapproved of the sportsmanship that had been shown, but because she was too busy watching the woman who had rushed into the bar and unknowingly started the fight.
    The woman was still going around from one dimly lit table to another until she saw everyone who was seated at it. Once she had, she continued to another part of the bar. By the time the fight was over and the applause had died down, the woman was at the table next to Vere’s.
    That was when Vere got her first good look. The woman looked frantic but not scared. Each time she had gotten to another table she had assessed its occupants and moved on. When a table of Jur-Nan assassins hissed at her, she had stared them down rather than run away. Seeing her up close now, Vere noticed she had big blue eyes and short, bushy hair that bounced as she darted to and from each table.
    Finally arriving at the only table she hadn’t yet intruded upon, the woman scanned the faces, and then her eyes lit up.
    “Vere, I— ” the woman started to say.
    “I don’t know who you think I am,” Vere said, her gray eyes shining, “but I can assure you that you’re mistaken.”
    “You’re Vere CasterLan,” the woman said, her eyes not wavering. “Daughter of Artan the Good, and heir to his throne.”
    “Friend, I think you must be confused,” Vere said under her breath, her eyes narrowing with irritation. But as she said it, she also scanned the bar to see if anyone else had overheard what the woman had said.
    Traskk gave a soft growl, his diamond-shaped reptile eyes narrowing at the person bothering them. The scales on the back of his neck went up and the entire table moved when his giant tail, hidden beneath them, twitched with anger.
    Vere put a hand on the giant reptile’s shoulder, then asked the woman in front of them what her name was.
    “Morgan,” the woman said. “Morgan Le Fay. I come from Edsall Dark, where you are from,” emphasizing you