Sky Knight and the Pirate Problem: Sky Knight, #1

By Matt O'Connor

Air Pirates have raided Whitecliffe and made off with an important hostage.
Can Ed find them and put a stop to their plans before it's too late?
Will he risk everything to save the day?
Join Ed as he flies into danger, intent on becoming a Sky Knight.

• Language: English
• Publisher: M.J. O'Connor
• Release date: Dec 3, 2018
• ISBN: 9780987301116

Book preview

1

Edward whipped lightly on the reigns forcing the hawk he was riding to dive.

Wind whistled past him, causing Ed’s fringe to dance across his forehead, and his jacket to flap violently. They approached The Halls, war hawk and rider working as one to avoid colliding with the large formations of rock that jutted from the ocean.

Yeeha! Ed yelled in delight. The favorite part of his job as a hawk minder was flying the gigantic birds to make sure they were healthy or healing properly. War hawks stood taller than an armored knight, and when saddled like this one was, could carry a knight into combat. The saddle was a modified horse saddle, with two girdle straps instead of one – in front of the wings and behind the rear legs, which was then secured to the neck of the bird by a leather collar.

One day Ed dreamed of being a Raptor. A knight of the sky, taking on the creatures of the Bad Lands on hawk back.

Using the reigns, Ed pulled the hawk, named Striker, around one column. A twist and Striker rotated one-hundred and eighty degrees and whipped past a second. Levelling out they flew through a ring of rock and then dove beneath a large bridge of granite frightening several small sheep walking across it.

Striker looked back at them but Ed forced him to keep flying straight, You can have dinner when you’re done. Now, let’s see what you can really do.

The Halls were one of several proving grounds where the minders took the various hawks to check their progress. It was in between these spires that Ed and Striker would have to fly to prove that the hawk was fit for combat.

Pulling on the reigns Ed imagined two large dire-bats swooping in on him from above. Claws reached for them, trying to kill them. Striker dove gracefully and sped between two small bridges of rock. Then looping around a thin tower, Ed could see the bats, black as night and eyes glowing red as Master Alfred’s wine. They had split up!

Fangs dripping the bat attacked.

With another twist of the reigns Ed found himself upside down. His stomach suddenly pushed into his throat as Striker dove. That’s it Striker, show them bats who’s boss!

Exhilaration turned to panic as they dropped, hurtling at full speed towards another ring of rock. A ring so small there was no way they would fit through it. Ed’s imaginary bats disappeared in an instant.

He pulled the reigns. Nothing. He twisted the reigns. Nothing.

Striker’s eyes were closed. They were going to crash!

Aarrrgggggghh! yelled Ed.

At the last second Striker’s eyes opened. His wings folded close to his body, the soft feathers rattling against Ed’s arm. The hole was so small. Ed flattened himself to Strikers body and hoped that his small saddle wasn’t sticking out behind him.

SHOOM!

Lightning fast they were through on the other side. Heart thumping, Ed pulled lightly on the reigns and sent Striker into a long loop back towards the coast. He didn’t trust himself to speak.

Striker had suffered a head injury in combat, which is why Ed, his Master Alfred and the other apprentice hawk minders were looking after him. Turning upside down was not only dangerous, but had probably caused the hawk to black out.

Ed sighed, Guess you won’t be going back to battle just yet, buddy.

Striker shrieked in what Ed took to be agreement and they flew together in silence.

The setting sun in the distance highlighted the coastal town of Whitecliffe, their home,