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

There were none. It was a simple plan. Find and kill the enemy or draw them back to Will Longdon’s archers. They returned to their men.

‘Gilbert?’ said Blackstone. ‘Is there a better way?’

‘It’s exactly what I would do,’ said Killbere. ‘Except...’

Blackstone waited.

‘I would eat first.’

*

Beyard armed himself, allowing Lázaro to help him tug on his mail and then strap on his sword belt. Tears welled in the boy’s eyes but he held them back. When a dog has spent a life being beaten any act of kindness is rewarded with an undying loyalty and it seemed no different with the boy. He was frail for his age, his spirit broken. Now the signs of his recovery looked to be threatened again.

‘I must fight for Sir Thomas. You understand that, don’t you? Just like he fought for us when we were rescued?’

Lázaro nodded.

‘Then you know that there is no choice and we must find our courage.’

The lad stammered, his words blockaded by fear. ‘I... do not... want you... hurt, my lord.’

‘I have good men with me. We have fought together for many years. We are like brothers. You’ll be safe here. Master Will Longdon and Master Halfpenny are the best of comrades. They are men of strength and bravery. You must find such things within yourself. Halif ben Josef will be your companion when I am gone. I will ask him to tell you tales of cities and places that you have never been.’

Lázaro nodded but did not relax his grip on Beyard’s arm. ‘Come back... my... lord. Will you... p-p-promise?’

Beyard placed his hand over the boy’s white knuckles. ‘It is God and my destiny that decide such things. Just as we were saved together and rescued from torture and death. Shall we make a pact?’

Tears overcame the boy’s resolve and cut lines through the grime in his face. ‘A pact?’

‘Yes. An agreement that we pledge to each other. If I return you will tell me and Sir Thomas everything.’ He saw uncertainty on the boy’s face. ‘It is time for us to know the truth, Lázaro. Shall that be our pact?’

The boy released his grip and smeared away the tears. ‘I... will... tell you.’

CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

Renfred and his half-dozen men followed the riderless horse at a distance. It became confused at times and stopped, losing its sense of direction. It grazed and then trotted off again when the breeze shifted, led on when its instincts returned. Renfred waited patiently and followed downwind in case the horse caught their scent and turned back, seeking companionship and safety with their mounts.