The First Blade of Ostia (29 page)
Read The First Blade of Ostia Online
Authors: Duncan M Hamilton
H
undreds of eyes
, expectant, nervous, afraid, were locked on him as he walked to the front of the hall. Their owners had all fallen silent the moment he entered, and the thumping of the heels of his boots on the polished wooden floor were the only sounds to be heard. Hundreds of young men, deathly silent, all waiting to see what he would do next. Once at the front of the hall, he stopped and surveyed the gathered throng. It would be an uphill battle to earn the respect of his students after all that had been said about him, but in his experience that was true of everything in life. It was just one more obstacle to face, but with Ayla by his side, he would not be facing this one alone.
‘I am Banneret of the Blue Bryn Pendollo. I will be your chief instructor for the year. Take up your swords, and we shall begin.’
T
he Society
of the Sword Trilogy
S
hort Tales
of the Middle Sea
D
uncan is
a writer of fantasy fiction novels and short stories that are set in a world influenced by Renaissance Europe. He has a Master’s Degree in History, and is particularly interested in the Medieval and Renaissance periods.
H
is debut novel
, The Tattered Banner (Society of the Sword 1) was featured on Buzzfeed’s 12 Greatest Fantasy Books of 2013.
H
e doesn’t live anywhere particularly
exotic, and when not writing he enjoys cycling, skiing and windsurfing.
Y
ou can sign
up for Duncan’s
New Release Newsletter here
.
You can get in touch with Duncan at any of the below places:
