Read Daegan (The Age of Alandria: A Companion Novella) for Free Online

thrust forward then parried back to the left and then again but to the right. “For your purposes, you should be on the defense until you are more familiar with your steps and your strength. You are still small, but you are fast and can use that against your enemy. Stay out of the way of your opponent’s blade.”
    The boy nodded eagerly, taking it all in and mimicking every move Daegan made.
    “Good. You are a quick study, Silát.”
    The boy smiled either at the compliment, or because Daegan remembered his name. Daegan remembered being young and eager to learn at the hand of his father. It was a fond memory. He hoped that perhaps he was creating a special memory and a useful skill for the boy.
    “I must retire for the night, but keep practicing those steps. It is like a dance, Silát. You must perfect the steps in order to move freely with them, but do not forget to be aware of your partner.”
    The boy nodded and Daegan ruffled the hair on the top of his head.
    “Thank you, Master Daegan, I will practice all the time!” He headed back to the stables repeating the varied steps he had learned, and almost jabbed another stable hand that stepped in front of him.
    Daegan laughed and headed into the castle. He had spent all his energy and was in need of rest. The kitchen staff stopped what they were doing to give Daegan a respectful bow. He nodded to them, smiling at each of them as he passed through.
    The sun had since gone down below the tree line and the two moons, each at different stages of waning, one brilliant white and the other gradient blues, had now risen in the night sky. Even as the beauty outside the castle was rising higher and higher in the sky for all of Alandria to witness, darkness was creeping within it. Daegan could feel it like he had never felt it before. This darkness was very much alive, moving and growing. It made his skin crawl. 
    He continued through the castle using his senses, even the ones that he kept hidden that he did not like others to know about. Nothing. He couldn’t feel where the darkness was radiating from. It was subtle, nothing more than a minute vibration of energy that hummed around him, taunting him of his incompetency to protect what was his family.
    Raking his fingers through his hair, he took the stairs two at a time up to the third floor. His room was at the end of the east wing. There was an empty guest quarters next to his, but other than that it was quiet at his end of the castle. He preferred it that way. At the opposite end of the third floor was Hal’s suite and next door to Hal’s was Rheina’s room.
    His hand on the handle of the massive dark-stained wooden door, he paused as he heard the sound of a door opening at the other end. He turned to see Rheina quietly slipping out of her room, but clinging to the shadows of the darkened hall lit only by oil lanterns spaced far between one another.
    Sneaking out of her own room? She can be so strange sometimes. Just as he was about to ask her what she was doing, she raised her finger to her lips, silencing him. He stayed where he was at his door, waiting for her to approach him. She didn’t. Instead, she stopped where the last segment of shadows ended, right before the lantern in the hall would expose her to the staircase.
    He simply looked at her, unsure what she wanted from him. She beckoned him forward with her hands even though the expression on her face was entirely too bored with whatever game she was playing. Daegan was tired, but humored her. Rheina was like a sister and now he was curious as to what the theatrics could all be about. She was several things, but theatrical was usually not one of them.
    Just as he was about to stop in front of her she motioned that he pass her and head toward Hal’s room. After he had passed her, she reached out and grabbed his arm. Instantly, he could sense her concern. Daegan tried to respect those he lived with and kept a mental block up in his mind for their privacy so he