The Trinity of Heroes (I Will Protect You Book 1) Read Free Page A

random time. At first, Lawrence, and even Benni, thought it terribly rude. They tried talking to Razzius about his bad habits, but he would dodge the questions or offer excuses about his father being sick or a chore he had forgotten to do. Benni and Lawrence eventually just accepted it as a way of life, choosing their friend over his lack of etiquette.
    The three friends made their way through the crowds of people that were beginning to form in the marketplace. Benni led the pack, taking giant, long strides. He slipped past those who dallied in his way, trying to avoid any physical contact that could slow him down. Lawrence trailed him, moving intently with his eyes glued to the back of Benni’s head so as not to lose him in the growing crowd. Razzius struggled to keep up, but managed to squirm his way through the masses. They headed north, past the Silver Shield, down a long, wider, straight, cobblestone street. Everyone knew this road, wide enough for horse drawn carriages heading in either direction; it was the best maintained road in the entire city. It led directly to the castle’s gates.
    Knights Runn Castle loomed in the distance, rising over the horizon to greet guests as they approached. Its towering bell watchtowers stretched high into the clear blue sky. The mammoth structure was made of stone, its overlooks encircling a guarded gate. Window archways gave an indication of the number of rooms in the castle; a hundred would have been an understatement. Seizing the castle by force would be a true undertaking. Awe-inspiring stone statues and perfectly trimmed grass hedges greeted guests. The trio could see the crowds of people and line of Knight Guard hopefuls from down the lane. It stretched past numerous Knights and castle guards, out through the open gate and at least one hundred deep down the road.
    The three young men stood in line, watching the spectacle before them. Mayor Flint had made signing up for the Knight Guard very easy because he wanted as many squires as possible. He knew that so few would make it through the entirety of their training that the more people who signed up, the better chance there was of finding the next generation of great Knights. The line moved along quickly: each recruit signing his name on the ledger of intent, introducing himself to Captain Bryce Maxwell, and shaking Mayor Flint’s hand.
    Benni swayed with impatience as he neared the front of the line, stomping the dirt to try to take his mind off the adrenaline rush he was on. Finally, it was his turn. He held his head high and strutted up to the table, grabbed the quill, dabbed it in ink, and scribbled his name almost illegibly on the sheet of parchment spread on the stone slab before him. He replaced the quill and made eye contact with Captain Maxwell. He extended his hand as he made his way to the Knight Guard Captain who stood with his hands placed over the hilt of his longsword as he rested against it.
    Bryce Maxwell had served as a Knight during the Great War. He was regarded as one of the most talented, skilled Knights in all of Haile, and was the right hand to Jerreth Sanctus. Bryce was commissioned as acting captain after Jerreth left, under the assumption that he would relinquish the position when Jerreth returned. Jerreth’s absence was so long, however, that a ceremony had been held to christen Bryce as official Captain of the Knight Guard.
    Benni felt very self-conscious in the shadow of the hulking Captain who was adorned in his polished full plate armor and plumed captain’s helm. He wore a ceremonial golden captain’s cape decorated with a red Hailian Crest, which was clasped to his armor at the shoulder and fell down behind him. Benni stared at his shield, the signature of a true Hailian Knight. The kite shield was forged from the highest quality steel and had the unmistakable Hailian Crest inlaid in red against a gold background. Bryce’s shield was scarred and scuffed; it had no doubt seen many