The Youngest Templar: Robard's Revenge, Part 1

By Michael Spradlin

The first installment in Book Four of The Youngest Templar trilogy! Following the events in Orphan of Destiny, Tristan and his friends Robard and Maryam must follow a new path. Tristan has been knighted, and he must find a squire. He hopes to return to France to find Celia, but fears he may be posted to Outremer instead.

Meanwhile Robard and Maryam make their way back to Sherwood Forest, knowing there is unfinished business with the Shire Reeve of Nottingham. But villainy has been visited upon Hodeland and Robard is once again taken prisoner. Maryam, Tristan and the Merry Men must take desperate measures to save Robard who has once again confronted the forces of oppression that plague the kingdom.

This time they might not be able to save him. School Library Journal called The Youngest Templar series "a brilliant spin on the Robin Hood legend." With all the action, drama and humor of the first three novel, part one of book four will be sure to please fans of the series.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Michael Spradlin
• Release date: May 1, 2012
• ISBN: 9781476154862

Michael Spradlin

Michael P. Spradlin is the author of more than a dozen books for children, some of which have actually been published. He grew up in a small town in Michigan not far from the Indiana border, which may explain his irrational fear of Hoosiers. (Both the inhabitants of the state of Indiana and the movie starring Gene Hackman). Surrounded by books in his formative years, he grew up loving to read, imagining himself the hero of numerous epic battles and indulging in his favorite pastime, which was smuggling fireworks across the Ohio border so that he could blow up his collection of Plastic Green Army Men and Matchbox Cars. School Library Journal called his first book for children, The Legend of Blue Jacket, "a well-researched labor of love." His first novel, Spy Goddess: Live and Let Shop, was a 2006 Edgar Award nominee by the Mystery Writers of America for Best Young Adult Mystery. The second book in the series, Spy Goddess: To Hawaii, With Love, was given a starred review by VOYA. His newest project is The Youngest Templar Trilogy. The first book The Youngest Templar: Keeper of the Grail was published by G.P. Putnam Sons in September 2008. An international sensation, rights to The Youngest Templar series have sold in more than a dozen countries including Germany, France Russia, Spain, Italy, Brazil and most recently Denmark. It is also available as an audio edition from Listening Library. The second book in the trilogy The Youngest Templar: Trail of Fate was released in October 2009 and called by School Library Journal 'brilliant' and 'riveting'. The third book The Youngest Templar: Orphan of Destiny was released in fall 2010. Michael's first book for grownups It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Zombies, was a five week New York Times Bestseller. Published in fall 2009, the book received raves from The New York Daily News, The Baltimore Sun and many other review outlets. Since then Spradlin has collaborated with illustrator Jeff Weigel on Every Zombie Eats Somebody Sometime: A Book of Zombie Love Songs and the upcoming Jack & Jill Went Up The Hill: A Book of Zombie Nursery Rhymes. Spradlin also ventured further afield in the adult humor vein with his hilarious book Pirate Haiku: Bilge Sucking Poems of Booty, Grog & Wenches For Scurvy Sea Dogs. Visit PirateHaiku.com for details on this hilarious story told completely in haiku. In the Summer of 2012 Boy's Life Magazine will publish Michael's very first short story Running With Geronimo. It tells the story of the Geronimo campaign of 1886 through the eyes of a young boy and is based on a true story. This is Michael's first ever published short story and there is special significance in the fact it is being published in Boy's Life Magazine. Growing up Michael was an Eagle Scout and read the magazine religiously. What many people don't realize is that Boy's Life has a storied history of publishing some of the greatest writers in the world in it's 100 year existence, Jack London, Ray Bradbury, Robert Heinlein and Arthur C. Clarke among others. While he doesn't count himself as within a dozen counties of these giants, the thrill of being published in a magazine he grew up reading, one that influenced him as a writer is... well... thrilling. Michael is also the author of several picture books for children including the award-winning Daniel Boone's Great Escape, which was a finalist for the Spur Award from the Western Writers of America. Off Like the Wind: The First Ride Of The Pony Express published in the spring of 2010 was the winner of the Wrangler Award from the National Cowboy Hall of Fame and Museum for best Juvenile book. He is also the author of Texas Rangers: Legendary Lawmen and Baseball From A to Z. Upcoming projects include a novel called The Raven's Shadow, which will be published by G.P. Putnam's Sons. The Raven's Shadow is set in Philadelphia and Washington DC in the 1820’s and features a teen age Abraham Lincoln, Charles Darwin and Edgar Allan Poe who must band together to defeat an evil the modern world will come to know as Count Dracula. Spradlin will release his first adult novel Blood Riders in August 2012. Blood Riders tells the story of Jonas Hollister, a disgraced cavalry officer who must defeat a group of supernatural creatures to restore his reputation and regain his freedom from prison. He will also team with illustrator Jeff Weigel for a Summer 2012 release called The Monster ABC Book a delightfully colorful book for children. Check the Coming Soon page soon for details. When not writing, he enjoys reading, traveling, spending time with his family and worrying over the fact that he really should be writing instead of doing other stuff. He lives in Michigan with his wife Kelly, son Michael, daughter Rachel and two dogs Willow and Apollo.

Book preview

The Youngest Templar

Robard’s Revenge

Part 1

By Michael P. Spradlin

Smashwords Edition

Copyright © 2012 by Michael P. Spradlin.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any format including but not limited to print, digital, audio or other electronic or digital formats without the express written consent of the author. This is a work of fiction. Any similarity to real persons or events is entirely coincidental.

THE YOUNGEST TEMPLAR: ROBARD’S REVENGE

The spring growth in Sherwood Forest was a blur as Maryam bent low over the neck of her horse, its hooves pounding across the soft packed ground. Ahead of her Robard rode as if the devil himself were chasing him. Her senses were on high alert and she scanned the underbrush and trees for hidden enemies. Robard held his bow across his saddle and focused only on the trail before him. He was nearly mad to reach Hodeland.

As they made their way back from Scotland to Sherwood the day had started like any other. With an argument.

You’re just jealous, Maryam had said as they kicked dirt over the ashes of their cook fire.

It had been two weeks since they had left Rosslyn. Their long quest finally at an end. It had been hard to leave Tristan. Beyond hard. But she hoped he had found happiness now. And she missed Angel, the little golden dog who had traveled with them all the way from Tyre, in the Holy Land. Once they were done with it all and Tristan had defeated Sir Hugh and found Sir Thomas’ brother Charles, Angel had simply disappeared.

And now Robard was being his normal irritating self. Besides that, he had taken a long, circuitous route back to Sherwood Forrest and Hode Land. Robard, as he was wont to do, made an enemy of the Shire Reeve of Nottingham before they had left for Scotland. And since they had spotted wanted posters for him for the last three days he was being doubly cautious. At first he had been proud of his outlaw status, but now he was realizing the Shire Reeve had not forgotten him.

"I may be many things but jealous is not one of them," Robard had said, mounting his horse and smiling at her as he also did every morning before they began to ride. His hair had grown longer about his shoulders and his whiskers were thickening.

You most certainly are. I’ve only been practicing with the bow for a few months now and I’m nearly as accurate as you, Maryam said. It bothers you.

There’s nothing to be bothered about. I come from generations of bowmen. It’s in my blood. Hunting in the woods since I was a sprout, two years with the Kings Archer’s in the Crusades. You’re good, quite good for a…

If you say ‘for a girl’ I will knock you off that horse, Maryam interrupted. Something had changed in Robard the last few days as they drew nearer Hode land. He had become cautious, nervous almost. It was unlike him. This forest was his home. He could travel every inch of it with his eyes closed. But now he was distracted and cautious. They had camped in the same place for the past two nights, giving the