by Gavin Zanker
‘You betrayed your friends to survive. Your choices killed them. That makes you a killer whether you like it or not.’
‘I wouldn’t call them my friends, and doing nothing to save someone isn’t the same as killing them.’
‘If you say so.’ Trent scratched his eye, looking bored. ‘My men tell me you were raised in that pathetic cult down south.’
‘The Dawnists? I grew up there, yes.’
‘No desire to go back? Maybe see some of the old faces?’
‘None. As far as I’m concerned, that chapter of my life is over.’
‘I suppose it’s only natural you’d hate them after they brainwashed you.’ Trent leaned forward over his desk, resting on his knuckles. ‘I’m curious though, what is it that inspires someone to betray everything they’ve ever known?’
Blanc met Trent’s gaze, seeing his eyes dance with amusement. He clearly took pleasure in toying with people, pushing their buttons and finding out what made them tick.
‘Maybe one day I’ll tell you,’ she said.
Trent snorted a laugh and clapped his hands. ‘You’re more fun than most of the retards I have around here,’ he said, pointing at the door behind her. ‘Anyway, enough shooting the breeze. I assume you’re here for a reason?’
Blanc took a breath, feeling some of the tension leave her stomach. ‘Some of your men thought it would be okay to try and force themselves on me.’
‘Savages,’ Trent said, tutting loudly. ‘I’ll see that it won’t happen again. You’re a Kiln Boy now and you’ll be treated like one.’
‘I don’t need you to protect me. I doubt they’ll be trying it again. I just thought I should let you know what happened.’
‘I’ll talk to the boys anyway. A lot of them have manners no better than a city rat. Like animals they are, and I won’t stand for it. Most of them seem to think women are property.’
‘You don’t agree?’
‘I think women are like wine,’ he said, pacing behind his desk. ‘They should be treated with respect, their taste savoured. Not smashed against the wall so the liquid can be lapped up off the floor.’ Trent glanced at the clock on the wall. ‘Speaking of which, I have a tasting soon. Was there anything else?’
‘I was out collecting taxes in the market with Josh today, and I saw someone there. Someone I think you’ll be interested in.’
‘And who’s that then?’ Trent asked, raising an eyebrow.
‘A Seeker. She must have survived the battle and been in hiding since.’
A slow smile spread across Trent’s face. ‘Well now that is interesting. Clever too. Hiding in the one place I wouldn’t expect to find them. My own back yard.’
‘I tailed her back to a run-down house on the east side of town. I can show you the place.’
Trent rubbed his chin. ‘Good, nicely done. Don’t go far, I’ll have Wesley come find you. You can show him where the house is so he can keep tabs on the place. No need to go in guns blazing when she’ll have to leave again at some point anyway. And with any luck she won’t be alone in there. ’
‘Okay, I’ll wait downstairs in the bar,’ Blanc said. ‘I heard mention of a reward?’
‘Don’t worry, I’ll see you get a little extra something for bringing me this.’
Blanc turned to leave, then stopped. ‘I overheard some of the merchants in town talking about Ravager raids hitting further west. Closer to town than ever before.’
‘Idle gossip,’ Trent said, waving his hand. ‘Believe me, most of the attacks are our own handiwork. That bloated crowbait who sits on his rusty throne in the south sells out his own people for a profit.’
‘I’ve seen the aftermath of the raids myself,’ Blanc said, remembering the destroyed village. ‘I think you should consider the threat of a real attack on the town.’
‘They’ve never pushed this far west before, why would they now?’ Trent rummaged in the drawers of his desk. ‘Have you seen a pair of handcuffs around here?’
Blanc excused herself, then left the office as Trent continued to clatter around his desk. She closed the door behind her and leaned back against it. This town was even more dangerous than she had anticipated. If she appeared weak around these people for even a second, she would be torn apart like a sheep among wolves. She had survived this long on sheer audacity. She hoped she would soon have enough of a reputation to be left alone.
She checked the blade on her hip was still sharp, a habit she had formed recently which she put down to stress, then took a deep breath and headed downstairs to the bar to get a drink while she waited for the hunter Wesley.
CHAPTER 37
AFTER ANOTHER NIGHT on the sofa, Aiden found himself anxiously waiting for Faye to return from the market a second time. She had insisted on heading out to pick up some fuel in place of Phil, who had complained about his arthritis.
Aiden threw the last of the coal into the fireplace and stoked the flames. It had been some time since he had been this far north and had forgotten how low the temperature dropped. He stood and moved to the stove in the kitchen to pour another drink.
‘Can I get you another?’ he asked Phil who had not moved from his armchair all morning.
‘No, you’re all right,’ Phil said, drawing his blanket closer around him. ‘I’ll be up again soon enough. The cold just gets inside my bones and locks them up every now and then. Faye should be back soon and we can get some lunch going.’
Aiden walked past the sofa to the window and looked out again, frowning at the empty street outside.
‘You’re going to wear a path in my carpet,’ Phil said. ‘Stop worrying, she’ll be fine.’
Aiden nodded, and with nothing to do except wait, he headed back into the kitchen and sat at the table, cupping his steaming tea. After a few minutes, a knock came at the front door and he breathed a sigh of relief as he heard Phil climb out of his armchair to answer. Phil’s voice rose from the other room, and Aiden stood and moved over to the doorway to hear better.
‘Look, grandpa,’ an unfamiliar voice said. ‘Just let us in. We’ll have a little look around, and we’ll be on our way. No fuss, no bother.’
‘You’re having a laugh if you think you’re setting foot in my house, boy,’ Phil said. ‘I told you I don’t know what you’re talking about, I’ve never heard of these people you’re looking for. So you and your friend here can stop bothering me.’
‘Look, we got off on the wrong foot here,’ another voice said. ‘My name is Josh and this here is Milo.’
‘Goodbye Josh and Milo,’ Phil said.
The door banged and a scuffle broke out in the hall. Aiden ducked into the living room to see Phil grappling with one of the men while the other brushed past into the house. Without breaking stride, he cannoned into the advancing man with his shoulder. Taken by surprise, the man was knocked from his feet. Aiden smashed the mug he was holding against the man’s head, knocking him unconscious.
Looking over, he saw Phil drop the other man to the floor. Aiden sprinted to the front door and checked outside. Seeing no one, he slammed the door and bolted it firmly. Hitch appeared having been woken by the noise, and began sniffing around the fallen men.
‘Nice work, Phil. I had no idea you could…’ Aiden’s voice trailed off as he saw blood spreading across the man’s chest. ‘You’re hurt. What happened?’
Phil staggered into the kitchen and reappeared holding a dishcloth against his wound. ‘The lad was fast. Pulled a knife and managed to poke a hole in my chest before I put him down.’
Aiden knelt by the fallen man and went to check his pulse when he noticed the knife jutting out of his neck. The body lay unmoving, eyes glazed over and staring at the ceiling.
‘These tattoos,’ Aiden said, noting the markings on the man’s neck. ‘You recognise them?’
‘Crossed revolvers,’ Phil said. ‘These are Kiln Boys all right.’
Aiden rose and nodded towards Phil’s chest wound. ‘Let me take a look at that.’
Phil wa
ved him away, leaning against the wall. ‘I figured Faye was in trouble to have come here. I didn’t want to pry, but it’s a bit late for that now these troublemakers are on my doorstep. What’s going on?’
Aiden saw no reason to lie and explained the situation. ‘The Seekers were wiped out by Trent and his Kiln Boys,’ he said. ‘Me and Faye are the only ones who survived.’
‘And you came to Kiln Commons? How dumb are you, lad?’
‘We had no choice.’
‘Well they know you’re here now. You have to find Faye and get her out of here.’
‘She’s on her way back here, right? I go out there and there’s no guarantee I run into her. Best chance of finding her is to stay put for now.’
‘All right. What about this one, he not dead?’ Phil asked, nudging the man Aiden had dropped with his foot.
‘Just sleeping. You got any handcuffs, duct tape, or anything like that?’
‘Under the sink, in the toolbox. There’s some cable ties.’
Aiden quickly found them and returned to the hallway to bind the unconscious Kiln Boy’s hands and feet. He grabbed the tied man under the arms and dragged him to the sofa, dropping him on the floor. Phil had taken up his spot in his armchair again as Hitch watched Aiden curiously with his head tilted.
‘Why tie him up? Why not just kill that one too?’ Phil asked.
‘If they know we’re here, then they’ll be back soon enough. A hostage will give us something to bargain with.’ Aiden glanced down at the man. ‘Besides, he might know something.’
Aiden pulled the blonde-haired man upright and propped him against the sofa. A faded tattoo on his forearm spelled ‘Josh’ in large italics. Aiden slapped his face and the Kiln Boy groaned as his eyes slowly opened.
‘Wake up, Josh,’ Aiden said, snapping his fingers. Still dazed, the man shook his head and tried to move before realising his limbs were bound. ‘What are you doing here? You looking for me?’
The man’s eyes focused on Aiden and a smirk spread over his face. ‘You think you can hide from him in his own town? You’re even stupider than you look.’
‘Hide from who?’
‘He’s coming for you,’ Josh said, flicking his fringe out of his eyes. ‘He’ll be here real soon, and then he’ll make you wish you were never born.’
‘I already do,’ Aiden muttered. ‘How did you know we were here?’
‘The girl. Nice piece of arse that one.’
‘Watch your tongue, boy,’ Phil growled from his seat. ‘Or I’ll come over there and cut it out of your head.’ He tried to say more but began coughing violently.
Josh’s eyes fell on the body of his friend. ‘I’m impressed you took out Milo, old man. He was a tough kid. Knew just where to bury his blade to make someone suffer.’
‘Focus,’ Aiden said, jabbing Josh’s forehead. ‘Where’s Faye?’
‘I hope she didn’t mean anything to you because it’s too late for your girlfriend. Wesley snatched her up and took her to Trent. In fact he’s probably bringing her here right now.’
‘Why is he coming here?’
‘He figured there would be more than one of you,’ Josh said, looking into Aiden’s eyes calmly. ‘He’s going to use her to draw you out and finish the job.’
CHAPTER 38
‘STOP PACING, YOU’RE giving me a headache,’ Phil said, still slumped back in his chair with eyes closed.
Aiden stopped and rubbed his temples. He had to think of a plan, but nothing was coming to him. He looked out of the window again, but the street was still empty.
‘You’re a braver man than I am,’ Josh said, still propped against the sofa. ‘If Trent was coming after me I’d be long gone already.’
‘Shut up, I’m trying to think,’ Aiden said. ‘We don’t even know anything you’re saying is true. You could just be trying to save your own worthless skin.’
‘If you say so, man.’ Josh squirmed in his restraints, trying to find a comfortable spot. ‘Hey, you got a smoke?’
‘If he doesn’t shut up, I’m going to squash his head,’ Phil said without opening his eyes.
Aiden glanced at Faye’s uncle. The colour had drained from his face and his chest juddered with each breath. Without help, the wound would be the end of him.
‘I can feel you looking and I know what you’re thinking,’ Phil said. ‘Let’s just get Faye safe and I can die in peace, right?’
Hitch pricked his ears up and looked towards the window. Aiden peered past the curtains to see a group of men on horseback halt in the street outside the house.
‘We’ve got company,’ Aiden said.
‘Told you,’ Josh said with a sneer.
Aiden ignored him and turned to Phil. ‘You have any guns in this place?’
‘Just an old shotgun, strapped under the mantelpiece.’
Aiden walked over and reached under the wooden ledge, his fingers wrapping around cold metal. He pulled out a dust-covered sawn off shotgun and broke the barrels to find a shell in each chamber.
‘This thing must be older than me,’ Aiden said. ‘You sure it still works?’
Phil shrugged. ‘No idea, never had much need to test it.’
‘It’ll have to do. Any ammo?’
‘Just what’s already in there,’ Phil said, lapsing into another coughing fit.
‘Heh, you and grandpa are so screwed,’ Josh said with a laugh. ‘You think you’re going to fight off Trent with that relic?’
‘Josh, wasn’t it?’ Aiden asked, walking over to the Kiln Boy.
‘That’s right. So you got that smoke?’
Aiden slammed the butt of the shotgun against the back of the man’s head, and he slumped sideways unconscious.
‘About time you did that,’ Phil said. ‘So what’s out there?’
Aiden moved back to the window, keeping behind the wall as he peered out. ‘I see at least eight men on horses.’
His heart sank as he saw Faye pushed from one of the saddles, hitting the ground hard. A voice boomed out from the street as she got to her feet, and Aiden realised one of the men must be carrying a megaphone.
‘We know you’re in there. Come on out with your hands on your head and we’ll spare the woman.’
‘Don’t listen, they’re lying!’ Faye shouted.
One of the men stepped up and backhanded her in the face, spinning her to the floor. Aiden gritted his teeth as he watched.
‘You have one minute. Then we kill her, come up there, and kill you too. Decide.’
‘There’s too many,’ Aiden said, frustration creeping into his voice. ‘Going out there would be suicide.’
‘See if they want to trade for their man,’ Phil said.
Aiden unlatched and pushed open the window. The men milling in the street immediately trained their guns on the window.
‘We have one of your men,’ Aiden shouted. ‘How about a trade? Your man for ours. There’s no need for bloodshed.’
‘Bit late for that,’ Phil said with a laugh.
Aiden grimaced at the joke as the man with the microphone spoke again. ‘I couldn’t give a shit if you have one of my men up there. If he’s dumb enough to get caught then that’s his own problem. Thirty seconds left.’
Then the man with the megaphone stepped into view from behind a horse. Scarred face and knee length, brown leather jacket. Trent Reid. Aiden felt his face flush and his heart hammer as he looked on his wife’s killer again. And now he was threatening Faye’s life. Aiden levelled the shotgun at him through the open window, his arm trembling.
‘Don’t waste your ammo,’ Phil said. ‘You wouldn’t hit the back side of a barn with that thing from here.’
Aiden cursed, realising he was right. There was no chance of a guaranteed hit, even if he fired both barrels. The weapon was so inaccurate, at this range there was just as much chance of hitting Faye as Trent.
‘So what’s it going to be?’ Trent asked. ‘Decision time.’
Aiden stepped back from the window. ‘I’
m going out,’ he said as he headed towards the front door.
‘Don’t be daft. They’d gun you down the second you stepped outside. Trust me, I’ve known these thieving Kiln Boys a long time.’
‘We can’t let Faye die!’ Aiden hissed.
Phil rolled his head over to look at Aiden. ‘You know she’s already dead,’ he whispered.
Aiden lashed out, kicking the sofa. ‘No, I can’t accept that. Not again!’
Hitch whined from the corner where he lay as Aiden moved back to the window and looked out. His anger was replaced by horror as he saw Trent step up to Faye and pull out his revolver. He leaned in close and whispered something in her ear, to which she tried to slap him. With her hands bound, he caught her arm mid swing and forced her down to her knees.
‘Last chance,’ Trent shouted up at the window, spreading his arms spread wide.
‘No no no,’ Aiden repeated under his breath as he watched the scene, seemingly in slow motion. Trent raised his revolver, holding it to Faye’s temple. She closed her eyes, and Aiden could see her lips moving silently.
A single shot rang out.
Faye crumpled sideways to the ground. Aiden cried out as hot tears streamed down his face. He fell to his knees and covered his head, dropping the shotgun. A hand appeared on his shoulder, and looked up to see Phil standing over him.
‘She’s gone. Ain’t nothing going to bring her back. Now you need to get up, lad.’
Aiden sobbed, his shoulders heaving as he struggled to breathe. He could not believe she was gone. It could not be happening. Not for a second time.
‘Get up!’ Phil shouted, hauling Aiden to his feet. ‘There was nothing you could do. You hear me? Listen!’ Phil shook his shoulders roughly. ‘You can’t change what happened. But you can avenge her.’ The tears stopped and Aiden looked at the man’s ashen face. ‘You can get out of here and you can get back at that scumbag. You understand?’
Aiden wiped his face, blinking rapidly. He nodded slowly.
‘One of you is going to die, so make sure it’s that murdering son of a bitch. But right now? Right now you need to survive. There’s a back door out of here. If you’re lucky, there’ll only be one or two of them guarding it.’