The Hungering Flame Read Online Free

dismounted and advanced toward them, under cover of their archers who remained at the water’s edge with bows drawn, but not firing.
    “ I’m sorry, my friends, ” Cabre sighed, “ but it is an honor to face this hour at your side. ”
    “ Likewise, ” Marla said.
    “ Well, Garrett, ” Warren said, “ Happy Deathday! ”
    Garrett wasn’t listening. His attention was drawn by something moving in the water. “ What? ” he mumbled.
    “ Been good knowing you and all, ” Warren said, sounding annoyed, “ What are you looking at anyway? ”
    “ I don’t know... ” Garrett said, “ just... ”
    The dark surface of the water roiled all around them as though a school of fish were passing by the island.
    The Chadiri captain, leading the advance, and already waist-deep in the black water, noticed the movement as well. “ Trap! ” he shouted, and, suddenly disappeared beneath the churning waters with a great splash.
    Pale arms reached from the water, clawing at the Chadiri and dragging them down. Soldiers cried out, hacking and beating at the undead creatures that surged up from the depths of the swamp. For every one they destroyed, two more rose from the water, dripping and trailing long streamers of dark weeds.
    The archers let fly their arrows, many of them thudding into the unheeding flesh of the zombies. A few struck true, and here and there a zombie would go limp and sink again with a feathered shaft through its brain. Prince Cabre turned his horse’s flank to shield his rescuers, but Marla had already leapt in front of him. Her daggers flashed, and the few arrows that made it to the island fell in pieces at her feet.
    Cabre looked at Garrett with a blanched expression, and Garrett shrugged. “ Vampires are really fast, ” Garrett said.
    Shouts of alarm filled the woods behind the Chadiri, and with them the sounds of steel against steel. A horn blared once, cut off abruptly.
    The last of the archers had dropped their bows and each one fought to the death with the short sword they carried at their belt. Soon, the sounds of battle died away, and even the tramp of dead men’s boots grew silent. An eerie calm descended on the swamp once more as the zombies, finding no one else to fight, slouched motionless, awaiting their next command.
    Then came the sound of laughter echoing through the trees, and Garrett grinned.
    “ Max! ” Garrett shouted.
    From the trees emerged a crowd of zombies, still clad in torn Chadiri uniforms, and with them came a man astride an undead horse. An archaic longsword hung at his side, and he wore black armor with a silver skull-faced visor, now lifted to reveal a familiar face.
    “ Well then, Garrett, did you decide to run away and join my circus after all? ” said Maximillian Zara.
    “ We are really glad to see you! ” Garrett said, his voice cracking a little in relief.
    “ I must thank you for playing such enticing bait for my little trap, ” Max said, “ though I admit that I wasn’t expecting you. Otherwise we might have shared the pleasure of springing it. ”
    “ Yeah, no problem, ” Warren growled.
    “ No deathday party for you today, I’m afraid, Warren, ” Max laughed, “ but, if you stick with me long enough, I’m sure you will find ample opportunities. ”
    “ Thank you, Master Zara, ” Marla sighed, sheathing her daggers before crossing her hands over her chest and inclining her head in respect.
    “ It was my pleasure to be of service, Lady Veranu, ” Max said with a creaking parody of a florid bow, mounted and armored as he was. His eyes fell upon the prince then, and his expression went suddenly cold.
    “ My thanks to you as well, sir knight, ” the prince said, “ Astorra is in your debt. ”
    Max barked a bitter laugh. “ I would be a lean creditor to rely on the repayment of an Astorran debt! ” he said.
    Cabre flinched at the necromancer’s rebuke. “ My apologies, sir, ” Cabre said, “ Have I given offence? ”
    “ You don’t