Merlin's Shadow - Brossura

Treskillard, Robert

Brossura

ISBN 10: 0310735084 ISBN 13: 9780310735083

Casa editrice: Blink, 2013

Riassunto

Betrayal. Fleeing from enemies on all sides, Merlin vows to protect young Arthur with his life and restore him to his rightful throne - but when Merlin's past reveals itself, he is left with few choices.

After destroying the sinister Druid Stone and freeing his people from its dark control with God's might, Merlin finds himself to be a royal advisor without a king. Along with his friend Garth and Natalenya, his betrothed, Merlin treks north with the orphaned Arthur in hopes of keeping the young ruler safe from soldiers misled by their turncoat captain. Relentlessly pursued by his nemesis Vortigern, Merlin and his band make for the fortress of Dintaga.

But dangers multiply when Merlin realizes that Vortigern is not his only enemy. Even his own sister appears bent on Merlin's destruction. As the threat on all their lives increases, Merlin discovers their only hope is sailing to the lands of eternal darkness and once again cleansing the world from an ancient and powerful evil.

The thrilling sequel to Merlin's Blade, Merlin's Shadow includes:

• Christian, faith-based retelling of the Arthurian legend
• map, character guide, and recap of Merlin's Blade
• rich historical detail
• perfect for young fans of Stephen Lawhead 

Don't miss the other titles in The Merlin Spiral trilogy: Merlin's Blade (Book 1) and Merlin's Nightmare (Book 3)

Su questo libro

Informazioni sull?autore

Robert Treskillard has been crafting stories from his early youth, and is a software developer, graphic artist, and sometime bladesmith.  He and his wife have three children and are still homeschooling their youngest. They live in the country near St. Louis, Missouri.

 

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Merlin's Shadow

The Merlin Spiral

By Robert Treskillard

ZONDERVAN

Copyright © 2013 Robert Treskillard
All rights reserved.

ISBN: 978-0-310-73508-3

CHAPTER 1

STUMPED

The Wilds of KernowIn the year of our Lord 477

The sun had long ago sunk below the granite-boned horizon,and Merlin crept up the mound hoping to catch the strangerasleep. Halfway to the top he drew his sword—gashing his arm on ablackthorn bush. He bit his tongue and continued to climb throughthe shadowed grass, once again thankful he could now see, and seeclearly. Unfortunately, the miracle that had restored his sight hadnot made him a perfect scout.

Whoever this man was who had camped so close to them, Merlinand Garth had to find out. Hopefully Garth would quietly scale theother side of the hill and not disturb the man's horse they had heard.If the stranger was alerted to their presence, and if he was one ofVortigern's men, Merlin might need to capture—or kill him.

They had all been wary ever since yesterday, when three ofVortigern's warriors rode past their hasty hiding place. Natalenyahad cried afterward, and the orphaned Arthur had studied her withhis gray-blue eyes, his little fists holding tight to her long, brown hair.

So when Colvarth had spied some flitting smoke near theirnighttime camp, he had thought it wise to make sure they weren'tbeing tracked.

The beeches lining the hillside twitched their ovate leaves in thelight wind as if sensing Merlin's presence. At the top of the hill, thetrunks reflected a ghostly flicker from the man's fire as the mold-scentedsmoke curled upward.

Leaves crunched lightly in the distance, and Merlin sucked in hisbreath, praying Garth wouldn't make any more noise. Merlin founda foothold and lifted himself enough to see over the grass where theman sat stiffly near a fire. His back was turned and his green cloakcovered his head to keep the chill off. In the distance, his horse stoodsilently tied to a tree.

Setting his sword on the ground in front of him, Merlin pulledhimself up and crouched behind a towering oak. The man didn'tstir and must have fallen asleep before the fire, which would makeit easier for Merlin to sneak up and see if he was one of Vortigern'ssoldiers—as long as Garth could keep his big toes off the branches.

Merlin picked up his sword and stole quietly through the trees.At the outer ring of the campsite he paused, spotting Garth behinda pine on the opposite side.

The boy waved to him, eyes bulging.

Merlin signaled for him to be quiet, and began circling lefttoward the hunched man. If he could glimpse the man's cloak pin,he would know what type of man he faced. For all of the warriors—thosewho now served the traitor Vortigern—had their cloakspinned with a golden boar, a symbol of the recently murdered HighKing Uther. If this man had such a pin, then Merlin and Garth couldslip away. They would then break camp and travel through the night... despite their aching weariness.

But if the man awoke ... Merlin tensed his sword arm for action.

Garth walked out, gesticulating and pointing at Merlin. His headshook wildly. The only thing he didn't do was ruin their ambush bythrowing a rock at the man.

Merlin made a face back at Garth and stepped farther sidewaysto peek at the dozing man's cloak—only to have someone grab hishair tightly from behind and slide a blade across his shoulder veryclose to his neck.

"Toss your sword or you're dead," the man said.

The metal edge bit into Merlin's skin as he felt his blood pulsingthrough the nearest vein.

He stiffened and dropped his blade.

"Good. Now tell your foolish friend to toss his knife in that pileof brush."

Garth snarled at Merlin and tossed his dirk away. "Why didn'tyou listen to me signals? I tried to tell you he was sneakin' upbehind."

"Why'd you just wave your arms then?" Merlin said, lookingsideways at the blade on his shoulder. It was of good quality—sharpand lethal.

Garth pointed at the hunched man. "I didn't want to wake thisguy up."

"Lot of good that did us."

"Enough," the second stranger said. "Why were you sneakingup on me?"

"You mean you and your sleeping friend."

"Only me."

The stranger, pushing Merlin forward, approached the hoodedman hunched near the fire and kicked him. He cracked and fell over,exposing a rotten, mushroom-spattered stump. A balled-up saddleblanket had sufficed for the head.

Garth snorted. "How'n did you know we were comin'?"

"Those that are quietest ask the questions. Tell me your names."

Merlin felt suddenly cold with the blade at his neck. "I'm calledMerlin ... mab Owain ... sworn servant of Uther." If the warrior wasloyal to the High King—and he wasn't purely Vortigern's man—maybethat would save their lives. Possibly even allow them toclear their names and tell the truth about Vortigern, who had slainArthur's father two days ago to usurp the High Kingship. Merlin,Garth, and Natalenya had been living as vagabonds, along withUther's ancient bard, Colvarth, in an attempt to save their lives andthat of Uther's young son and the future king, Arthur.

"Either you're lying or you're a fool. The High King is dead."

The fire flared up for a moment, and Garth dropped his hoodback and peered closer at the man standing in the dark behindMerlin. "Caygek ... is that you?"

The blade shuddered as it pulled away from Merlin's neck. Theman let go of his hair. "By Crom's mound," the stranger said, "Garth... Garthwys? What are you—?"

Merlin spun, the blade now pointing straight at his chest. Theman wore a blue tunic over brown breeches, and stood a littleshorter than Merlin. His arms and face bore the spidery blue scarsof a druid—meaning this was likely the same man who had helpedMerlin save his father and the monks at the Druid Stone. Thoughnot much older than Merlin's eighteen winters, Caygek had a blond,curly beard that hung thick to the middle of his chest, and a head oflong hair to match. But his eyes were what caught Merlin's interest.They were red and the skin around was puffy—almost as if he'dbeen sick. Perhaps weeping.

Merlin backed up, almost stumbling over the rotten log and intothe crackling fire. "If you mean us no harm ... then you have nothingto fear from Garth or me. We thought you were following us—thatyou were one of Vortigern's men."

Caygek squinted his eyes. "I don't follow anyone. Not anymore."

Distant sounds of crashing, cracking, and rustling from thewoods to the east made the three freeze. Soon they heard the cloppingof hoofs. Merlin lunged to grab his and Garth's blades. "Thefire," he realized. "Vortigern's seen the smoke!"

Caygek scanned the eastern darkness, alarmed.

Merlin yanked Garth by the cloak. "Let's go."

Garth refused to budge. "What about Caygek?"

"He's a druid."

"Take him with us ... He'll be caught, an' he knows about us."

Caygek ran to his horse and cut the reins knotted to the tree. Hehastily tried to mount the horse, but it bucked, reared, and sent himsprawling to the ground.

"There's no time." Merlin pulled Garth toward the hillside.

The approaching horses pounded closer.

Caygek held on to the reins as his horse wheeled around him,nearly trampling his face. He finally let go, and the horse ran offtoward the south.

The shouts of approaching warriors were close.

Caygek scuttled down the hill and caught up to them, clutchinghis saddlebag and cloak. "I'm coming."

Merlin called back, "Go away."

"You've no choice," Caygek said, running with them.

* * *

Merlin ran, leading the way back, and hoping they'd have timebefore Vortigern found their trail. Breaking through the pines totheir hidden camp, Merlin stopped in time to avoid the point ofNatalenya's dirk finding its way through his tunic.

"Who are you?" she said, peering into the darkness.

"Natalenya! It's me, Merlin ... Merlin."

She dropped the blade and wrapped her arms around him.Garth crashed through the branches and into Merlin's back. Thethree of them fell.

"Very careful woodsmen the lot of you are," Caygek said, breathinghard. "Now why's Vortigern chasing you?"

Merlin was about to explain that Vortigern wanted to killArthur, who was just a child, when Colvarth stepped from the darktrees holding the very boy and a small dagger. "Who is this you havebrought, Merlin? This is unex—" But his words stopped short as heand Caygek faced each other.

Merlin rolled Garth off his legs, and stood. "This is Caygek—"

The druid bowed. "Colvarth ... or should I say Bledri mabCadfan? We have not met, but I have heard much of you."

"Are you mad to bring a follower of Mórganthu into our midst?"

"He came without my permission, and I—"

Garth stepped into the center. "I can explain ..."

In the distance, the sounds of horses could still be heard.

Merlin took hold of Colvarth's shoulders. "Vortigern! We haveto leave now."

Natalenya had already mounted, and thankfully the horsesthey'd taken from Vortigern two days before had been equippedwith four-horn military saddles, which allowed her to ride fairly safein a sidesaddle position. She rode up with Colvarth's black horse.

After glancing quickly at Caygek, Colvarth shook his aged headat Merlin. He handed Arthur up to Natalenya, braced his staff, andclambered onto his horse. Within five breaths the rest of them weremounted, Caygek riding with Garth. They followed Colvarth intothe darkness and away from Vortigern's men.

Rain began to fall, and the already sodden paths became slippery.Merlin had hoped this would slow their foes as well—but theycould still hear the crashing of Vortigern's reckless men.

Merlin stirred his mount next to Colvarth, who was hunchedover, scrutinizing the path ahead. While wise, Colvarth wasadvanced in years, and they didn't have time to wait for him toweigh out a decision.

"May I lead?" Merlin asked.

Colvarth sat up, and his leather-wrapped harp jangled on hisback. "We must find the main road eastward ... or we will be lost."

"That's what they expect us to do, and that's where most ofVortigern's men are. They're trying to flush us out."

"Where then do we go? Northward and westward is only tracklesswoods ... and then the coast ... we cannot swim away."

"King Gorlas," Merlin whispered. "Dintaga, his fortress, is onthe coast."

Colvarth's eyes were dark slits in the gloom. "Gorlas is no friend.Uther was going to him out of necessity ... to raise more warriors forbattle, but there ... was no love between them. Only after Uther hadscoured Kembry, and there were still not enough warriors to fullyrepel the Saxenow ... did he consider going to Gorlas."

"Then we use that to our advantage. We remind him thatVortigern is Uther's man."

Colvarth coughed. "Do not speak such of that ... traitor. I amUther's man—his bard."

Merlin trotted his mount in front of Colvarth. "Then persuadeGorlas to protect us."

"That is madness, I cannot—"

Arthur began crying, and the sound echoed through the woods.Natalenya desperately tried to comfort the boy, but he would notquiet.

The sound of the pursuing horses grew louder and clearer.

* * *

Ganieda ran to Mórganthu, who knelt to catch her. "Grandpa, ohTasgwyn." Her tears fell freely upon his cheek, and she squeezedhim tightly—all the while holding the two strange objects she hadfetched from beneath the Stone in her father's forge.

"My daughter's daughter," he said. His voice was like a warmbath driving off the chill that blew through the burned-out smithy.And its lilt was like her mother's, with that wonderful Eirish accentthat she loved to imitate. Grandpa held her close, though after kissingher cheek he pushed her to arm's length with his one hand."What have you discovered? What are these?"

Ganieda looked into his face and saw not just curiosity, but hunger.His eyes, dark and shrunken, searched desperately at the odditieshidden in her hands.

What were these things? she wondered. In her left she felt thecurved smoothness of the long fang. As she thought about its sharpness,a spark of warmth filled her arm.

In the other hand she held the cold, somewhat firm ball, throughwhich she'd seen an image of her brother. Curse him. Stringy tendrilshung out through her fingers.

Grandfather tried to pry open those fingers.

She lashed out at him without even thinking. The fang scratchedhis hand. No—she had fully gashed it, and a thrill climbed up herarm. She suddenly felt taller, stronger.

Grandpa yelled and flailed his only hand backward.

She slid the orb into her bag and hid the fang under her shift."No, Grandpa, don't touch them again." She had flung the languageof Kernow aside and now she spoke in the druidow tongue hermother had taught her. Ah, but he would understand. He spoke ittoo. He was the leader of all the druidow. The most respected o' menin all the world, ya hear?, her mother had told her during the pastmany years. And her grandpa had come to them but two weeks ago,bringing his Stone, now ruined, and all his druidow.

Sucking his wound, Grandpa nodded. The blood covered histeeth and dripped down onto his beard.

"Where, then," he rasped, "is your mother? Where is my daughter?"

Ganieda's tongue caught in her throat. She turned away andshook her head.

"What? What are you saying? Did her little infection from thatarmband get so bad that—?" He clucked his tongue, and took twodeep, deep breaths. "Oh, to think that my lineage has come down tothis," he cried, "and in such a little time."

Ganieda looked at him, and he was crying.

"And all because of that Merlin, that scourge upon my house,has this happened. And so you, little vengeful girl, you are all that Ihave left in the world. Come, then," he said. "Come ... come back tomy tent in the woods. Remember the dried strawberries and smokedmeat? You—you are hungry, yes?"

Her stomach was burning. The strength she felt from the fangdidn't fill that emptiness. She would go with him. Tellyk paddedover to her, and she stroked his fur, climbing onto his broad back.

Grandfather's smoldering gaze flitted to her bag—which hungfrom her belt over the side of the wolf—but he said nothing.

He led the way, first picking his way through the smoking debrisof the smithy and then out onto the clouded and thundering moor.

(Continues...)

Excerpted from Merlin's Shadow by Robert Treskillard. Copyright © 2013 Robert Treskillard. Excerpted by permission of ZONDERVAN.
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site.

Dettagli dell'edizione

• Editore: Blink
• Data di pubblicazione: 2013
• Lingua: Inglese
• ISBN 10: 0310735084
• ISBN 13: 9780310735083
• Rilegatura: Copertina flessibile
• Numero di pagine: 437
• Contatto del produttore: non disponibile
• Persona responsabile: Simone Casetta; 0039 275422215; casetta@mondadori.it; ; Via Mondadori 1,; Segrate Milano; 20090; Italia