The Unknown Man: Book 1 in The Keepers of the Orbs Series Read Free Page A

hole into his brain and plucked out anything important. He felt frustrated and didn’t know what to do.
    He saw Tuk staring at him. “I’m at a loss. I don’t know what to do. I guess I have no choice but to accompany you to Havenbrook.” If he didn’t know any better, he would assume his memory loss had something to do with the Goblins.
    “How can ye not know who ye are, yet ye know of Havenbrook? I think ye be tryin’ to pull somethin’ over us. I feel like this be a trap,” Tuk said. His troubled feelings returned. He didn’t know what else to do and thought he should summon his uncle. “Hey Kos! Kos! Wake up! The man be awake!”
    Kos mumbled and squirmed from the seat up front. “Argh, whatch ye be saying Tuk?” Kos asked, as he woke up and turned to look. “The devils be damned!” He said when he noticed the man awake and alert. “We mean ye no harm.” He waved his arms around. “We be taking ye to Havenbrook to see if anyone know who ye be.” Kos said as he jumped down to the ground. He crept toward Tuk to fortify their position.
    “He claims he don’t be knowin’ who he’s, but he knows where we be and of Havenbrook. I think it be a trap,” Tuk drew out his dagger. “What ye think, Kos?”
    Kos tried to settle his nephew’s nerves. “No, no, no, we shall take ye on to Havenbrook.” Kos said, with Tuk's eyes shooting daggers at him. He muttered under his breath. “We need be takin’ him to town for any chance of reward.”
    “I still be not likin’ this and feel he would be better off on his own. I think we should let him go,” Tuk whispered, but Kos shook his head in disagreement.
    “Hop back in the cart, and we shall take ye. Tuk, why ye be standin’ around, gather the horses and get them hitched up to the wagon,” Kos said as he commandeered the driver’s seat.
    The man bowed his head toward Kos. “I’m in your debt, Kos.”
    Kos licked his lips as he pondered the huge reward they would receive once they reached Havenbrook. Seeing how angry his nephew appeared, he shot him a glance, indicating he should get to work.
    Still upset, Tuk strolled over to the horses to gather them up. He led each one over by the bridle and hitched them back up to the cart. He hated the situation and muttered curse words under his breath. He climbed up onto the seat next to Kos, who snapped the reins, putting them back on the road to town.
    They rode in silence. Tuk looked angry, Kos seemed nervous, and the man in the back sat pondering. Kos decided to break the silence. “That be quite the sword you be carryin’ thar.”
    The man hadn’t even noticed. He pulled the blade free of the sheath attached to his back. He marveled at the brilliance of it. He grabbed the hilt when a blue hue filled the length of the blade. It’s enchanted , he thought. Who am I ? he wondered. He realized Kos still stared at him and expected an answer. “Thank you. I bet if you had known of its enchantment, you would have stolen it and left me for dead.” He chuckled, not really meaning the comment. He slid it back into its sheath with apprehension, feeling even more befuddled.
    “You mistake us,” Kos said. “We be law-abiding Goblins. No such thoughts ever crossed our minds.” He lied.
    The silence returned as they continued toward the capital. The man felt a throbbing in the palm of his left hand. He decided to remove his gauntlets so he could see why it hurt. He discovered a large burn in the palm. It looked a few days old, and a shape had formed through the skin. He turned his hand to better identify the shape, and when he rotated it, he saw an hourglass. It appeared similar to a brand—as is customary with livestock to mark them to a pasture. It sent an irritation up his arm, and he could see it had festered. He massaged it, trying to assuage the discomfort.
    How can I know so many details, but everything pertaining to myself is lost? It made no sense, and he felt ill at ease. His thoughts reeled from one