The Godling Chronicles (Shadow of the Gods, Book #3) (12 page)

Jacob nodded sharply, and helped Darius to
his feet. The merchant stumbled to the door and into the street,
nearly falling on his face.

Lee backed away towards the door, his hand on
the hilt of his sword. The two men followed. Once in the street,
Lee called to Jacob. “Take him to our room. I'll be along shortly.”
He smiled fiendishly, as the two men exited the tavern and drew
their swords.

“
You need—” said Jacob.

“
I need you to take care of our new
employer,” said Lee. “Isn't that right, Darius?” The merchant
nodded his head vigorously. “These two brutes are mine.”

Jacob decided it best not to argue, and led
Darius away.

“
I hope the fat man was worth your
life,” said the first man.

Lee widened his stance, but did not draw his
blade. “I'll not dirty my steel with the likes of you.” He waved
them in. “Come and get me.”

The first man charged in like a mad bull,
swinging his sword in a wild arc. The second tried to skewer him
through the gut. Lee stepped aside, easily dodging both blades, and
brought his fist down across the first thug’s jaw. Blood and teeth
went flying as the man spun and tumbled to the ground, unmoving.
Stunned the second man paused, staring at his comrade.

“
You should run,” said Lee.

This enraged the second thug. Reaching in his
belt, he drew a small dagger and hurled it at Lee's throat. Lee
moved aside and the blade disappeared into the darkness. The thug
brought up his sword and charged. Lee almost laughed at the clumsy
effort. He side stepped and brought the back of his fist across the
man's temple. He stumbled and fell to one knee, his sword falling
to the ground and sliding a few feet away. Lee kicked him to the
ground and brought his boot down on the man's neck.

“
If you or your friend trouble Darius
again, you won't walk away,” said Lee.

The thug's eyes were wide with fear, and he
was only able to nod his head.

Lee released him, and after taking a moment
to view the crowd that had gathered from inside the tavern, made
his way to the lodge. There he found Darius and Jacob sitting
quietly at a table.

Lee took a seat next to Jacob. “They won't be
troubling you anymore.”

“
That coward of a guard abandoned me,”
muttered Darius. “I'll see him skinned alive.” He reached in his
belt and pulled out a flask. The sweet scent of brandy filled the
air as he opened it.

“
He's long gone,” said Lee. “But it
seems you are in need of protection. My friend and I would be happy
to oblige...for the right price.”

“
Wha—?” He shook himself to his senses.
“Yes, yes. Of course.” He swallowed a mouthful of brandy. “But you
may not be so eager, once you hear where I'm going.”

“
And where is that?” asked
Lee.

“
I go to Whiterun Pass,” said Darius.
“Just on the other side of the Angrääl border. Not too many want to
go there. Especially with all the soldiers gathering.” He handed
Lee the flask.

Lee took a long swallow, and passed it to
Jacob. “Then why are you going?”

“
War is profitable,” said Darius
flatly. “I have twenty wagons full of raw cotton, and the Reborn
King pays triple what it's worth anywhere else.”

Hearing that name sent Lee's heart pounding.
“I see. Well it sounds like just the kind of job Jasper and I are
looking for.” He reached across the table and held out his hand.
“I'm Barath, and this is my nephew, Jasper.”

Darius shook Lee's hand, then pulled two
silver coins from his purse. He tossed Jacob and Lee each a coin
then took another drink. “Then it’s good to have you with me. This
is for what you did for me in the tavern. Normally, I pay eight
coppers per week...” He studied Lee for a moment. “But I think
you're worth nine.”

“
I'd say we're worth twelve,” said
Jacob.

Darius rubbed his chin. “Done.” He stood up.
“Grab your gear. My camp is just a mile north; and a sight more
comfortable than this place.”

Lee instructed the innkeeper to gather their
horses, and he and Jacob retrieved their belongings. Lee offered
his horse to Darius, but the merchant refused.

“
I've had far too much to drink to stay
on a horse,” said Darius. “It will do me good to walk it off.” He
patted his round belly. “Besides, I may break the poor beast’s
back.”

This brought a hearty laugh. Once the horses
were packed, they slowly made their way to the main avenue north,
through town. Lee looked for any sign that the two thugs were
about, but to his relief, they apparently decided they had enough
for one night. Lee didn't want to spill blood this early in their
journey. Such things draw too much attention, and even in a
dilapidated camp like Klinton, there was a constable or sheriff,
and he certainly didn't need to get mixed up with the local law.
Not that they were in danger of finding themselves in a hangman’s
noose, but explanations would have to be made and coin spent,
should men die in the streets.

The night was cold, but the brandy helped to
fight off the chill. When they arrived at Darius' camp, Lee could
see twenty large wagons filled to bursting with cotton, and
arranged in a wide circle. In the center several small fires were
burning, surrounded by sleeping men.

Darius grumbled. “Lazy dogs. They're supposed
to guard the wagons.” He straightened his shirt and belt, then
stiffened his back, standing as tall as his girth would allow.
“That’s why I only brought one blasted guard.”

“
How many swordsmen do you have?” asked
Lee.

“
Ten, not counting the two of you,”
Darius replied. “Well, nine since I lost the cur that I had with me
tonight.”

“
Why so many?” asked Jacob.

“
The roads south of Angrääl are
dangerous,” Darius replied. “You may see some action before we get
there.”

Lee nodded. “And after?”

Darius chuckled. “No one raids within the
borders of the Reborn King. Not unless they wish for death. I'll be
glad when they finish whatever war they getting ready for. At least
the roads will be safe. I gotta give them credit; they know how to
keep order.”

Lee could tell that Jacob wanted to say
something, but flashed him a glance. Darius noticed.

“
And what do you think about it?” asked
Darius. “I see you have an opinion.”

“
I think...” Jacob paused. Lee's face
was stone. “I think as long as they let people go about their
business, I don't care.”

Lee relaxed.

Once within the camp, Darius began kicking
awake the men who had been left to guard the wagons, threatening to
dock their pay. He pointed to a small tent at the far end of the
camp. “I sleep there. After tonight I want you and Jasper to keep
your fire and bedrolls nearby. For tonight find yourselves a place
with the others. We leave at dawn.”

Lee and Jacob found a spot in the center of
the camp and laid out their bedrolls. The other men scarcely looked
at them as they settled in.

“
It’s going to get even colder soon,”
remarked Lee, as he stretched out.

“
I'm a northman,” said Jacob. “I don’t
mind the cold.”

Lee smiled. His son had done well that night,
and he allowed himself to feel proud. He prayed to the Gods that
the feeling would last.

Chapter 9

For the next several days, Lee and Jacob
spent most of their time with Darius. Originally from The Silver
Isles, a small group of islands just off the coast one-hundred
miles east of Baltria, Darius had inherited a cotton plantation on
the mainland, when his uncle died twenty years prior. When sober,
he wasn't nearly as much of a loud braggart, and Lee found him to
be a man of quick wit and good humor.

The first day, he invited Lee and Jacob to
engage in a dice game with a few of the other men. Though Lee
politely refused, Jacob took great joy in the distraction, as well
as taking coin from Darius, who turned out to be a very unlucky
gambler. After a few more games, Darius chose to sit and talk with
Lee rather than lose more coin.

At night, after Darius went to bed, which was
usually early when he had too much wine, Lee tried to get to know
the others among the caravan. The hired swords were mostly from the
edge of the eastern desert. They were regarded as a fierce people
of few words and quick temper. Fortunately for Lee, he had spent
time in Dantory, and knew how to approach them. Three of the guards
intended to join the armies of Angrääl when they arrived.

“
Better to be on the winning side,”
said Fennio, a short, thin guard, one night over a few cups of
wine. He was by far the most experienced of the lot, and bore the
scars to prove it. Unlike the long swords the others carried he
preferred a short sword and small mace. “And I hear they pay thirty
coppers a week.”

“
I'm not servin' in no army,” said
Santino, one of the youngest of the group, though he had the look
of a hardened veteran. “I don't care if they're payin' fifty
coppers. If you ask me, they're payin' so good, because you're
marchin' off to get killed.”

“
Ha!” scoffed Fennio. “You ain't seen
how big the army is. A hundred-thousand if it's ten.”

“
You ain't seen it neither,” said
Santino. “So shut up.”

Fennio took a swallow of wine and wiped his
mouth on his sleeve. “Yeah, but I heard. They say that before long
Angrääl is gonna march. You don't wanna be in their way when they
do.”

He looked over to Lee, who was feigning
disinterest. “What about you? You have the look of a soldier about
you. You gonna join up?”

Lee shook head and forced a smile. “If war
comes, me and Jasper are going to head east.”

Fennio snorted. “East? You won't find nothin'
there but sand and ugly women. Why you think we left in the first
place?” The rest of the group burst out in harsh laughter.

“
At least Angrääl isn't likely to go
there,” said Lee.

“
You're right about that,” agreed
Fennio. They'll be busy with the elves, unless I miss my
guess.”

Lee cocked his head. “The elves?”

“
Yeah,” said Fennio. “I hear this
Reborn King fella's gonna get rid of 'em once and for all.” He
shrugged. “Good riddance if you ask me. But who knows. I hear some
of 'em are fightin' for him, too.”

“
Either way,” Santino interjected. “I
ain't fightin' an elf, and I ain't fightin' with 'em. I'd rather go
home and marry me an ugly woman, and have me some even uglier
children.” This brought more laughter. “Besides, if what those
desert dwellers say is true, there's plenty of elves wandering the
sand. 'Course most of those folk are daft. You let me know when you
head east,” he said to Lee. “I might come with you.”

Lee smiled and got to his feet. “I'll let you
know. But I wouldn't wait for the war to start if I were you. And
if they go to fight the elves, I'd think twice before I joined.” He
brushed off his trousers and went to find Darius and Jacob.

It was a week into their journey when they
first started seeing soldiers from Angrääl. Mostly small groups of
six to ten at a time. They didn't bother with the caravan, other
than to warn them to be on their guard for bandits.

“
Don't worry,” one soldier had said.
“It won't be long before the roads are safe from here all the way
to Baltria.”

Lee continued to train Jacob for at least an
hour each day. He noticed that since that night in Klinton,
something had changed. He was more focused and, in spite of current
circumstances, happier. He even seemed to enjoy the training, and
to Lee’s delight, was improving dramatically.

On the morning of the eighth day, Lee packed
their gear and loaded it on the horses. Darius had taken to walking
rather than riding, spending most of their days spinning tales of
his adventures. Though Lee could tell the man embellished quite a
bit (though not as much as when he had a belly full of wine) it was
clear Darius was well-traveled. On several occasions, Lee was asked
to tell of his own exploits. At first he was resistant, afraid to
give something away that would reveal his identity. But after being
pressed by both Darius and Jacob, he relented, and leaving out
certain details, told of the many wondrous places he had been.

Just before they stopped for the midday meal,
Lee sensed something was wrong. He called for the caravan to halt
and reached out with his senses. It was only seconds before he
found what he was looking for.

“
Gather your men,” ordered
Lee.

“
What's wrong?” asked
Darius.

Lee closed his eyes and listened carefully.
“Twenty men. Ten on either side of the road.” His eyes opened.
“They're waiting for us.”

Fear showed on Darius' face. “What should we
do?”

“
Let them wait,” Lee replied. “Organize
the men, and set up positions. If they realize we know they're
there, they may withdraw.”

“
We could sneak around and surprise
them,” offered Jacob.

Lee shook his head. “We're outnumbered two to
one. We only have nine trained men. The others aren't swordsmen. If
we set them to attack, they'll just get themselves killed.” He
examined the surrounding area. The trees and brush along the road
were sparse and on relatively high ground. Ahead, where the bandits
were waiting, the road dipped and was flanked on either side by a
slight incline. “We can defend this position, if we need to.” Lee
strode off and gathered the men.