Revelation of the King: Third Archive of the Magi (Paperback)

Description

Melchior and Balthasar stood together, convinced that trying to escape would be futile as they braced for the arrival of the only other assassin remaining on horseback. Melchior held daggers in each hand while Balthasar tightly gripped his olive staff. Waving a long sword, the attacker charged toward the two mobads.

Motivated to action from a well of reinvigorated anger and hatred, Balthasar fought not for self-preservation but for Melchior, for Caspar, for the child king, for humanity. He faced the black hooded attacker with feet firmly planted on the desert sand, face stern and determined. With a loud yell filled with malicious intent, Balthasar struck his staff on the horse's chest, causing the animal to rear upward, both front legs raised and prepared to trample the dark-skinned priest. Balthasar evaded the dangerous hooves, directing his attention at the rider, and again, swung his wooden weapon with such ferocity that it only had one purpose in mind--to kill. But neither the beast nor the man reacted to the powerful blows. As he watched the muscular stallion recover, the Ethiopian instinctively blocked the assassin's swinging blade with his dula and shuffled toward the backside of the horse to avoid the continuous pommeling. But to no avail; the horseman skillfully redirected his mount, pulling on the reins to follow Balthasar's movement.