The Whisperer: The Way to Freedom, #7

By H.M. Clarke

The path walked is not always the path chosen.

 

A Dearen and her uneasy allies are on a rescue mission to free Adhamh from his Arranian capturers.

Kral Tayme, on the other hand, has given himself his own mission to remind Dearen at every available moment of who she really is.

Kalena Tsarland, Hatar Kalarthri.

Embark on a journey filled with magical combat, bold heroes, and non-stop action in The Whisperer, book 7 in The Way to Freedom series. H.M. Clarke weaves an unforgettable tale that will keep you on the edge of your seat. Get your copy now and join the adventure!

• Language: English
• Publisher: H.M. Clarke
• Release date: Mar 29, 2018
• ISBN: 9781386445142

H.M. Clarke

In a former life, H M Clarke has been a Console Operator, an ICT Project Manager, Public Servant, Paper Shuffler and an Accountant (the last being the most exciting.) She attended Flinders University in Adelaide, South Australia, where she studied for a Bachelor of Science (Chem), and also picked up a Diploma in Project Management while working for the South Australian Department of Justice. In her spare time, she likes to lay on the couch and watch TV, garden, draw, read, and tell ALL her family what wonderful human beings they are. She keeps threatening to go out and get a real job (Cheesecake Test Taster sounds good) and intends to retire somewhere warm and dry – like the middle of the Simpson Desert. For the time being however, she lives in Ohio and dreams about being warm…

Book preview

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Do not give up, the Beginning is always the hardest.

-A Saying of the Pydarki

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Chapter one

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The quiet night was broken by the intermittent snoring of sleeping men and by the occasional clinking of chains from the immense, dark figure huddled at the far end of a large, grassy clearing.

‘They have two roving guards running the edges of the camp.’ Hauga said as he crept up next to Dearen and Tayme. He had just finished his reconnaissance of the Arranian encampment. And Trar was relaying their mind talk to Tayme so that he could be involved in the discussions.

‘There looks to be nearly thirty of them here with a small command tent in the center near the main fire.’ Hauga stroked his whiskers with a free hand as he used the other to steady his crouch.

‘I caught a glimpse of the commander, but something about him doesn’t look right.’

Dearen frowned.

‘What do you mean?’

Hauga’s face crinkled in thought as he tried to explain himself.

‘The man did not look like a warrior. He wore a uniform but he just looked…soft.’

‘Soft?’

‘That’s the best word I can think of for it.’

‘Kral says that he might mean that the man is more suited to the indoors than out campaigning,’ Trar’s voice interrupted. Trar was passing their conversations through to Tayme and then giving his response.

‘The last reports he had heard before leaving Foxtern were that some of the Arranian groups had Spellcrafters with them.’

‘Spellcrafters! You really think Hanton was right and that we may have a Spellcrafter with this lot?’

Dearen could not help the hint of fear that tinged her response. Only a few nights ago she had burned a Spellcrafter and his men to ash. She did not want to do that again.

‘It would explain how they could have captured Adhamh. Maybe this could be the one that had knocked you and Adhamh from the sky.’

Dearen ignored this from Tayme. She did not want to think about who she might be at this moment and did not need this distraction. She needed to be focused.

‘This might put a dampener on our plans. We need to come up with a way to combat the Spellcrafter.’

‘I could squish him from above,’ Trar piped in.

‘No, you can’t. It’s dangerous,’ Dearen heard Tayme reply.

‘I’m quick. I could be on him before he could blink. You’ve seen me while hunting game, Kral.’

‘It’s an idea,’ Dearen cut in before Tayme and Trar could continue. She had the impression that an argument between these two might continue for some time.

‘If we could distract the Spellcrafter, then maybe Trar could take him unawares.’

‘There are only four of us. How would we distract a Spellcrafter?’ Hauga asked.

‘This is where we need to be a little creative,’ Dearen replied as she adjusted her crouch to relieve the pressure on her ankles.

She studied the camp from the cover of the surrounding underbrush. Most of the men were in their bedrolls sleeping. The only proper tent was the one Hauga saw in the center, though the opening was not facing in their direction so Dearen could not see any of the comings or goings. Though at this time of night, the only movement was from the sentries that Hauga had marked.

‘It would help if Lieutenant Peana were here with his men. Those extra swords may come in handy,’ Trar echoed Tayme’s comment and Dearen had to listen carefully as both voices sounded in her mind.

‘The extra swords may help, but would Peana direct his men as we want?’

Tayme/Trar paused a moment, then. ‘No. No, he wouldn’t. He might listen to us, but still, decide to act as he wished. He is on