BooksBarbecue
Back Shadow of the Hawk
Chapters (96)
  1. Cover
  2. By David Gilman
  3. SHADOW OF THE HAWK
  4. Copyright
  5. Dedication
  6. Contents
  7. CHARACTER LIST
  8. Map
  9. Epigraph
  10. PROLOGUE
  11. PART ONE
  12. CHAPTER ONE
  13. CHAPTER TWO
  14. CHAPTER THREE
  15. CHAPTER FOUR
  16. CHAPTER FIVE
  17. CHAPTER SIX
  18. CHAPTER SEVEN
  19. CHAPTER EIGHT
  20. CHAPTER NINE
  21. CHAPTER TEN
  22. CHAPTER ELEVEN
  23. CHAPTER TWELVE
  24. CHAPTER THIRTEEN
  25. CHAPTER FOURTEEN
  26. CHAPTER FIFTEEN
  27. PART TWO
  28. CHAPTER SIXTEEN
  29. CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
  30. CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
  31. CHAPTER NINETEEN
  32. CHAPTER TWENTY
  33. CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
  34. CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
  35. CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
  36. CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
  37. CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
  38. CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
  39. CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
  40. CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
  41. CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
  42. PART THREE
  43. CHAPTER THIRTY
  44. CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE
  45. CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO
  46. CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE
  47. CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR
  48. CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE
  49. CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX
  50. CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN
  51. CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT
  52. CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE
  53. CHAPTER FORTY
  54. CHAPTER FORTY-ONE
  55. PART FOUR
  56. CHAPTER FORTY-TWO
  57. CHAPTER FORTY-THREE
  58. CHAPTER FORTY-FOUR
  59. CHAPTER FORTY-FIVE
  60. CHAPTER FORTY-SIX
  61. CHAPTER FORTY-SEVEN
  62. CHAPTER FORTY-EIGHT
  63. CHAPTER FORTY-NINE
  64. CHAPTER FIFTY
  65. CHAPTER FIFTY-ONE
  66. CHAPTER FIFTY-TWO
  67. CHAPTER FIFTY-THREE
  68. CHAPTER FIFTY-FOUR
  69. CHAPTER FIFTY-FIVE
  70. PART FIVE
  71. CHAPTER FIFTY-SIX
  72. CHAPTER FIFTY-SEVEN
  73. CHAPTER FIFTY-EIGHT
  74. CHAPTER FIFTY-NINE
  75. CHAPTER SIXTY
  76. CHAPTER SIXTY-ONE
  77. CHAPTER SIXTY-TWO
  78. CHAPTER SIXTY-THREE
  79. CHAPTER SIXTY-FOUR
  80. CHAPTER SIXTY-FIVE
  81. CHAPTER SIXTY-SIX
  82. CHAPTER SIXTY-SEVEN
  83. CHAPTER SIXTY-EIGHT
  84. CHAPTER SIXTY-NINE
  85. CHAPTER SEVENTY
  86. CHAPTER SEVENTY-ONE
  87. CHAPTER SEVENTY-TWO
  88. CHAPTER SEVENTY-THREE
  89. CHAPTER SEVENTY-FOUR
  90. CHAPTER SEVENTY-FIVE
  91. CHAPTER SEVENTY-SIX
  92. CHAPTER SEVENTY-SEVEN
  93. CHAPTER SEVENTY-EIGHT
  94. Author’s Notes
  95. About the Author
  96. An Invitation from the Publisher

Blackstone raised an arm and the column halted. Santos rode on oblivious that the men were no longer following. Blackstone glanced at Ariz, who looked uncertain. ‘Let him ride ahead alone for a while,’ he said. ‘Just in case.’

Ariz nodded. There was nothing he could do. He eased one hand from the reins as the stationary horse shifted its weight. He patted its neck by way of a distraction and then returned his hand to his belt, letting his hand curl around the knife there. If Blackstone suspected an ambush, then Ariz would slash and run. Blackstone watched the hawk a moment longer. He thought he glimpsed its yellow eyes glaring at him. It was a trick of the light, he decided. The hawk was too high but such a bird liked to hunt in forests and if there was woodland around the bend in the track on the other side of the plateau, then that’s where de Hayle’s men would be.

Santos finally realized that Blackstone was no longer following him. He turned in the saddle and the waiting men saw the look of alarm on his face. Confused, he hesitated. As Santos looked back and forth, Blackstone knew his instincts were correct. He lifted his shield onto his left arm, and his men followed his lead, all except Ariz, who knew their plan had been foiled.

‘Did you expect me to follow you and Santos to my death?’ said Blackstone.

Ariz swept the knife towards Blackstone’s face. Meulon, a yard behind him, struck him with his mace. Ariz slumped across his horse’s withers; the horse shied, tumbling him to the ground. Panicked, Santos spurred his horse away.

‘Drag him off the path,’ shouted Meulon, turning in his saddle towards two of the men.

‘Let’s flush them out!’ Blackstone said and spurred the bastard horse. There was a heave of saddle leather and jangle of horse bridle in a gathering surge of energy as horses’ hooves clattered on the stony path. Blackstone pulled Wolf Sword free, raised it high, ready to strike the moment they swept around the corner and charged into the men waiting to kill them.

CHAPTER FORTY-ONE

Ranulph de Hayle saw the panicked Santos pound around the corner. He knew at once what had happened.