The Fox and the Bowman: A Short Story of Magic and Archery

By Sebastien de Castell

Never cross a master of the bow . . .

A young archer bent on revenge against the knight who impoverished his family encounters an enigmatic stranger who promises him a far more potent form of retribution. But when Thomas finds himself hurled by magic to fight battles in faraway lands, he soon discovers that the vengeance his mysterious benefactor offers could change not only one archer’s destiny, but that of the entire world.

A masterful short historical fantasy full of magic, archery, and intrigue by the author of the acclaimed Greatcoats and Spellslinger series.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Dashing Blades
• Release date: Oct 14, 2021
• ISBN: 9781990354014

Book preview

The Fox and the Bowman

The Fox and the Bowman

A Short Story of Magic and Archery

Sebastien de Castell

Dashing Blades

Contents

1. The Fox and the Bowman

Afterword

Other Books By Sebastien de Castell

Want More Stories?

About the Author

THE FOX AND THE BOWMAN

Copyright © 2014, 2021 Sebastien de Castell

An earlier version of this story originally appeared in The Book of the Emissaries in 2015

All rights reserved.

Published by Dashing Blades 2021

Vancouver, B.C., Canada

No parts of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the copyright owner.

This book is sold subject to the condition that it shall not, by way of trade or otherwise, be lent, resold, hired out, or otherwise circulated without the publisher’s prior consent in any form of binding or cover other than that in which it is published and without a similar condition including this condition being imposed on the subsequent purchaser. Under no circumstances may any part of this book be photocopied for resale.

This is a work of fiction. Any similarity between the characters and situations within its pages and places or persons, living or dead, is unintentional and co-incidental.

1

The Fox and the Bowman

The faint creak of the bow let Thomas know he’d drawn it as far as the yew would allow before breaking. Two hundred yards at least, he thought, and prayed that his position atop the hill would help him bridge the distance. If he couldn’t hit Sir Hammond from here, if the steel tip of the arrow failed to pierce the bastard’s armour, then all his sacrifice would have been for naught.

Thomas squinted, barely able to make out the golden eagle crest on Sir Hammond’s tabard.