Silevethiel Read Online Free

brushed the blanket of snow from the dead man’s clothing.
    “Something is not right, Brégen,” he said aloud, his voice thick with worry. “This is the uniform of a soldier of Dargon’s royal court.”
    «Dargon? What business would four of the king’s soldiers have in these lands?»
    “Aye,” Laegon replied solemnly as he stood. “More importantly, who killed these men, and why?”
    «We saw no sign of the attackers during our patrol. They must have fled south, intent on returning to the border. These men have been dead for an hour at most. If we make haste, we should be able to catch their killers before they cross into Dargon.»
    Brégen looked questioningly at the elf when Laegon showed no interest in returning to his horse. Instead, the prince silently walked among the four bodies once again, intently studying the men’s positions and analyzing their injuries. Kneeling before a headless corpse, he slowly closed his eyes. Calling upon his Sight, Laegon began to recreate the battle in his mind, visualizing the movements and actions each man had taken before meeting his death.
    Surprisingly, his Sight created the image of only one other man. Laegon watched with uncomfortable curiosity while the scene continued to unfold before him. He heard the men’s screams and felt their agony, as one by one, they succumbed to their wounds. An anguished cry escaped Laegon’s throat when the fourth soldier’s head was cleanly severed from his torso, leaving a lone figure standing among the bodies.
    The elf breathed heavily as he stood, allowing the image to vanish from his mind. “These soldiers were not hunted,” he informed his Guardian somberly. The lion cocked his head at the announcement. “They were a group of five companions who fought one another. There is only one man now making his way to our southern border.”
    Brégen’s response was gruff. «That answers the question of who, but it does not answer the question of why. It most certainly does not tell us what business a group of royal soldiers from Dargon had within Mistwood.»
    “From what I understand, Thaurod has become an increasing threat to King Donríel of late. The Wood Elves are one of his oldest allies. Perhaps the king had decided to request our aid, and these soldiers were escorting him to Silverden.”
    «Aye, an escort may have been the reason for their journey, but it is obvious these men were not all here on common purpose. There was a traitor in their midst.»
    “There was not just one.”
    «Oh?» The dark golden tuft of fur above Brégen’s olive eye rose with intrigue.
    “My Sight showed me that two fought against three.”
    «Our plot thickens, Protector. If these men were indeed serving as an escort, then where is their royal companion? Is the soldier returning to Dargon friend or foe?»
    A powerful gust of wind burst through the small clearing, sending a violent flurry of snow and ice across the somber battleground. Laegon shielded his unprotected face from the furious onslaught. Lowering his head, he caught a faint glint of steel near the pale hand of one of the soldiers. He knelt on the ground, watching with growing interest as the unrelenting wind blew away more of the snow, freeing the blade from its wintry tomb.
    At first glance, Laegon didn’t notice anything unusual about the small weapon, but his uncanny senses told him otherwise. He huddled his body against the harsh wind and bent lower to inspect the dagger more closely. He could see it was a weapon of excellent quality, such as he would expect for a soldier of the royal court, but focusing on the craftsmanship wouldn’t provide him with the answers he sought.
    Scrutinizing the pommel, he found himself staring at the opposing heads of two golden dragons. Their eyes were red rubies that sparkled brilliantly despite the dim gray light of the storm.
    His curiosity piqued, Laegon turned his attention to the corpse nearest the dagger. The unrelenting wind exposed part of the