“I’m glad to hear,” Sonja said. She looked at the creature, the kehrip. It was sleek and agile like a snake, but it had claws, and was quite tall. At least as tall as Sonja. “How many of these things did you slay?”
“Hmm…” Ivan hummed. “Too many to count. Still, not enough.”
“The things even started to plead with him,” Vivian said. “Asking him to spare them! Can you believe that?”
Sonja raised a brow. “They can talk?”
Ivan stood with his arms crossed, somehow the man seemed more intimidating than he did a year ago. “The bigger ones can, yeah,” he said.
“Did you?” Sonja asked. “Did you let them flee?” She couldn’t imagine murdering something that was backing off. That said, war might be slightly different from defending a town.
“At first, no,” Ivan confessed. “I’m a killer, not a saviour.”
“But then,” Vivian urged him to continue.
“My time is coming up,” Ivan said. There was no fear in his voice. “I thought it’d be best to bring one to the Bristrunstium upon my return.”
“My brother will love you for this,” Sonja said with a laugh, “both of you!”
Vivian smirked. “As long as he doesn’t want me to hang around for another round with the shroud! I’ll need to return to Silverton sooner than later.”
“When do you head back?”
“Next sun,” Vivian said.
Sonja shook her head in disbelief. “Do tell me, what merchant would bring you all the way here? With, that thing?” She pointed at the kehrip. “Then begin the return trip the next sun?”
“Hello,” the merchant driver called out. “That would be me, Orad!” He didn’t climb down from the wagon, just moved closer so he could join the conversation.
Sonja shook her head again. “Well, if you need a place to stay for the moons, I can host you both. I’m sure my father would be willing to host you again too.”
“Ah, I’ll be staying with Jansen,” Orad said. “I have to take Ivan out to the farm, he belongs with Glacious Divine Ones after all.”
Ivan groaned, rubbing his mark.
“I wouldn’t mind having a drink with you and your slayers,” Vivian said. “Rigst, Volk, Knoch, Bernard, if it wasn’t for them I’d probably be dead!”
“Probably?” Sonja laughed.
“Fine, I would be dead,” Vivian corrected.
“What’s this?” Knoch emerged from the stables. “You’re buyin’ the drinks these moons?”
“Why not!” Vivian pat the slayer on the back. “I’ve had a pay rise, and I owe you lot.”
“Shh,” Sonja hushed. “Not too loud, or you’ll attract the whole garrison!”
Vivian laughed. “I haven’t scored that big of a pay rise! Maybe next time?”
“Well,” Orad said, “Ivan and I must keep moving. Still plenty for us to do, especially if we are leaving first thing next sun?”
“Yes,” Vivian confirmed. “First thing. I’ll meet you here at first sun.”
Orad grumbled to himself, then said out loud, “I shall see you then.”
Ivan leapt up to the kehrip’s cell. He held on to a bar with one hand—Sonja was sure that if anyone else did that, the serpent would fill them with tooth and claw. He then gave a mock salute. Vivian reciprocated the solute. An in-joke between the two?
“So,” Vivian started, “where to for a good drink in Holtur?”
“Did I ever take you to the Wounded Wyvern Tavern?” Sonja asked.
“I don’t believe so.” Vivian shrugged. “Last time I was here, I was too busy running, hiding, having my limbs chewed off, and generally shitting myself at every moment.”
Knoch laughed. “I’ll report to Commander Maver, then I’ll catch ya up the Wounded Wyvern!”
***
Once the sun had gone down, Sonja and Vivian entered the Wounded Wyvern Tavern. It was packed full of slayers, which was perfectly normal after a sun filled with strikes against the town. Sonja nodded to a few slayers as she made her way to the bar, with the Silverton man following closely behind.
“I like what you’ve done with your hair,” Vivian said, admiring the shoulder length locks that danced around her neck.
“What do you mean?” Sonja raised a brow “Was their a problem with it last time?”
“No, well, you looked like a man before,” Vivian said with a smile. “Now you look more like a woman, I’d almost say you look pretty!”
Sonja offered a disgruntled throat noise, then punched his arm. “It’s a good thing you’re buying the drinks!”
“Ouch!” Vivian smirked. “Remind me to never say you look pretty or feminine again!”
Sonja went to strike him again, then just laughed instead. “You’ve changed, Patressi.”
Vivian eyed her hair. “So have you!”
“Happy moon, Sonja,” Taringa said suggestively from behind the bar. “What can I get you… and your friend?”
“Have a guess?” Sonja rolled her eyes.
“Ale?” Taringa flicked her head towards Vivian. Her long, red hair danced as she moved, then fell dead straight when she stopped. “Maybe this one has a taste for different ales, is there a particular brew you’d like?”
“No, sorry. It all tastes the same, doesn’t it?” Vivian said, looking somewhat apologetic for a moment. “I think all my taste was in my left arm, and a bargetier ate that.”
Sonja burst out laughing, grabbing Vivian’s shoulder.
“You are… that man?” Taringa asked, her eyes widening. “The one that killed the Eye? The one who faced Glacious?” Her rosy cheeks grew redder.
He leant against the bar, resting his chin in his palm. “The one who is very thirsty,” Vivian responded.
“Right!” Taringa bounced into action. Before they knew it, she had a mug in each hand, filling both at the same time.
“So, Vivian,” Sonja said. “How’s your old assistant, Donna? I noticed she didn’t come with you this time.”
Vivian sighed. “She’s dead.” They grabbed their drinks and began walking towards a table.
“Dead?”
“The bargetier messed her up pretty bad,” Vivian said, wincing as he sat. “You know what those things do to people, to women. She didn’t seem quite right on the trip back to Silverton. I took her to the best doctors I could find, her wellbeing was my priority. Then… one day…”
“It’s alright Vivian,” Sonja said. “At least we killed the fucker. I’m incredibly fortunate I never had to go through what she did, thanks to you.” She raised her mug.
“What ya drinkin’ to?” Knoch asked. He’d just arrived with Volk, each with a beverage in hand.
“My old assistant, Donna Castate,” Vivian said.
“To the death of the bargetier,” Sonja added.
“To the death of the bargetier,” Knoch and Volk both repeated at the same time, clinking their ales together.
“So what’s brought you back to town then?” Volk questioned Vivian.
“Your mate, Ivan,” Vivian said. “I had to bring him back for Glacious Divine Ones.”
“Ah, the curse of the marked.” Volk nodded thoughtfully. “You’ve met with Glacious, what do you think will happen to Ivan when the time comes?”
“Well, I didn’t quite see the thing.” Vivian took a swig of his drink.
“I thought you saw it?” Knoch scrunched up his face. “After your tango with the Eye?”
“I went before Glacious, yes,” Vivian said, widening his eyes. “But it is big—gigantic—too big for a man to see. Plus its body seemed to freeze the air, I couldn’t see through that haze it created.”
Volk shuddered at the thought. “Do you think it will spare Ivan?”
“I have no idea how gods think,” Vivian said. Sonja almost spat her drink when he referred to Glacious as a god. “Maybe he will be spared? Maybe he won’t? Only Glacious knows.”
“Ivan’s a brutal bastard, I imagine he’ll only get what he deserves,” Sonja said
. “And please, don’t tell us you’re starting a Glacious faction in Silverton?”
“Of course not!” Vivian laughed. “Too warm up my way for such a thing! I won’t argue with your thoughts on Ivan, but he most certainly helped us in our war. There were a lot of upset soldiers when it was time for him to go home.”
Sonja narrowed her eyes. “Certainly they knew he had to return?”
“We were very clear his presence was required in Holtur within the year,” Vivian said. “That doesn’t mean any of them liked or understood why, or that we didn’t have people trying to stop us! If you have any other slayers that need a year off, I am sure I can find them a place within Lord Stryjak’s forces!” He gave a dry, but hopeful, smirk.
Sonja shook her head. “Holtur’s people are for Holtur’s defence. I probably shouldn’t have let Ivan run off with you!”
“He’d just have ended up with Glacious Divine Ones,” Vivian said. “That could have been more trouble than it was worth.” They all laughed at that. Ivan was a great—yet, somewhat insubordinate—slayer. He would never make a decent farmer.
“Vivian!” Kallum called out the name, uncharacteristically enthusiastic compared to every other time Sonja had heard him say it. Kallum then raced up to their table with the biggest grin upon his face. “That thing, it is so awesome!” Of course, Vivian brought him a new—live—monster to play with.
“It’s good to see you too!” Vivian said in response. “I take from your excitement that you have seen the kehrip already?”
“Indeed!” Kallum’s excitement showed no sign of waning. “It is magnificent! Without wings, but far more agile than any wyvern I have seen. The teeth and claws on the creature, they seem so sharp, no sign of breakage or dulling. It’s almost as if the creature grooms and cares for its body.”
“Did you hear it talk?” Vivian asked.
Kallum’s mouth almost hit the floor. He steadied himself on the table. “What?”
“I’ll take that as a no then.” Vivian smirked.
“How? What language?” Kallum shook his head. “Are they intelligent? How much so? Can they sing?”
“I don’t think so.” Vivian shrugged. “They more hiss than sing. And it wouldn’t say a word to me. Ivan was the only one that could get it to talk, even then, it was only the odd word here and there.”
Vivian noticed that the slayers had all turned their mugs upside down on the table. Sonja picked hers up and started to rattle it, inching it closer to Vivian’s face. “Another round?” she suggested.
“Right!” Vivian looked into his own mug, it was evident he had been talking a lot. “You want a drink Kallum?” He then proceeded to guzzle the last of his ale.
“Why not?” Kallum said. “I’m meeting Eltra later, but if my mind stays completely sober, I’ll only be thinking of one thing!”
“Eltra?” Vivian asked as he stood up from the table.
“No, the kehrip!”
“Of course, but who is Eltra?” Vivian asked, making his way towards the bar. Kallum stalked him like a shadow, slightly annoyed at answering the menial questions, but happy to do so in order to learn about the kehrip Vivian had delivered.
“Ah, so we’ll finally get to see this Eltra,” Volk said. “The woman Kallum fancies more than monsters!”
“About time he’s found one!” Knoch added.
“Hopefully she doesn’t get too jealous over Vivian,” Sonja said. “This creature he has brought has really excited Kallum!”
“I’m confused,” Knoch said, scratching his bald head. “Why didn’t Kallum stay working ‘till later?”
Sonja sighed. “His condition has been worsening. He can’t work late without someone else assisting him.”
“I thought he had fully recovered?” Volk’s eyebrows sloped down towards the outside of his freckly face, and he pulled his mouth to the side. It looked as if discovering this brought him pain. “What happened?”
“Yeah, we all thought that,” Sonja said. “He just started having episodes again, about a month ago. They’re getting progressively worse too.”
“Shit,” Volk swore. He liked Kallum, all Sonja’s friends liked Kallum—even though he could be a pain in the arse sometimes. “Well, if there’s anything I can do to help, let me know.”
“I’ll help ya out too,” Knoch said. “He’s a good kid.”
“Don’t let him hear you say that,” Sonja said. “The kid’s twenty-seven now!”
“Really?” Knoch looked confused. “He doesn’t look it!”
“Yes Knoch,” Volk said. “He’s always been two years younger than you. That won’t ever change.” Poor Knoch didn’t quite have the greatest of memories or intellect at his disposal.
“Another round!” Vivian announced, returning to the table with a collection of drinks on a wooden tray. Volk relieved the one armed man of the tray, not wanting to risk a catastrophic spillage.
“Where’d Kallum get to?” Sonja asked protectively. Not all the slayers—those she wasn’t as close to outside of work—shared an affectionate view of her brother. And his witty mouth had set some against him on more than one occasion.
“With his friend, Eltra,” Vivian said with a wink.
After Vivian had seated himself back at the table, Kallum slowly emerged from the crowd with Eltra in tow. They all sat tightly around the table. It could comfortable fit six normal people, but Sonja and Knoch alone were easily twice the size of the average person.
The drinks flowed freely, thanks to Vivian’s generous purse. He even bought drinks for Eltra. As far as he was concerned, a friend of Kallum’s was a friend of his. Perhaps he was more generous than Sonja had remembered, or perhaps the ale’s influence on him had made him so? Not to matter, it was a fine moon.
Well and truly before closing, the group had all drank their share. Eltra was the first to leave. She kissed Kallum’s forehead, then elegantly weaved through the army of intoxicated slayers. Somehow she made it out of the tavern—quite fast—without disturbing a single person. The woman was difficult to understand, her and Kallum’s relationship even more so.
“I have an early start,” Vivian slurred, “probably should call it a moon.”
“You,” Volk said, prodding Vivian’s chest, “just don’t want to buy any more drinks!”
“Actually, Volk, we’ve drunk quite a lot this moon,” Knoch said. The man always held his alcohol better than most. In fact, he seemed to grow more intelligent from the ale. Maybe everyone else being intoxicated just made it seem this way? “I think that, perhaps next time, we will owe him a drink!” Knoch laughed.
“There’s something I need to do,” Sonja said, standing up to excuse herself. “Vivian, walk my brother home, will you?”
“Alright,” Vivian slurred, “but where are you going?”
“That’s private,” Sonja responded. Noticing the look of worry on Volk’s face. She knew that he knew where she was going.
“I’ll see you next sun,” Volk said.
“Sonja!” Vivian stood up fast, almost falling over. “I’ll be gone early next sun.” He reached his hand out to her. “I don’t know when I’ll see you next, but it was good to see you again.”
Sonja grasped his hand, shook it, then gave him a hug. The man had saved her once, and the alcohol had bolstered her appreciation of that fact. Vivian was a good man. Something sharp poked her leg, she pulled away and looked down at his waist. “What… was that?” she asked.
Vivian pulled his cloak back, revealing a silver club, edged with a small collection of spikes. Where there was once an arm, there was now a weapon. Sonja began to laugh, she had no idea how the man would use the weapon, but she hadn’t expected such a thing. “Fucking Patressi!” She patted him on the head, then turned to leave the tavern.
A punch of sobriety hit her upon stumbling into the cold air. The moon’s air always did that to her after heavy drinking. Good. She still felt intoxicated, but wanted to check-in with Rigst before heading home. The man’s behaviour
earlier had worried her. Why had he suddenly become so distant from her? Was he really as sick as he made himself out to be? He would appreciate her checking up on him, or so was the conviction of her buzzed mind.
Not a single light emanated from within his residence. Odd, even though it was warm, it would make sense to at least have stoked the hearth. Poor Rigst, he must have been quite ill.
She knocked on the door. “Rider, it’s me,” she called out. No answer.
Moving around the stone building, she looked up to the bedroom window. There was enough light from the moon to see inside, but she’d have to climb up to see better. After sucking in a deep breath, she leapt up, grasping the window sill with her fingers. She hauled herself up and looked inside. The bed had no occupant and looked freshly made.
Sonja attempted to look deeper into the residence. It was difficult, but Rigst was nowhere to be seen. Had he even made it back to his residence? Sonja should have watched out for him earlier. A quick check in before she hit the Wounded Wyvern at least.
“Sonja?” a voice shot out of the darkness.
It startled Sonja, sending her falling to her backside. “Hello?”
The moon light slowly lit up a face melting from the shadows, Eltra. “What are you doing out here?”
Sonja stood up and swayed a little. “I could ask you the same thing?”
“Well, I’m on my way home,” Eltra said. Sonja didn’t actually know where the girl lived.
“I wanted to visit a friend,” Sonja said, “I’m worried about him.”
“Oh Sonja,” Eltra said, walking up to her and squeezing her hand. The pale woman’s skin was cold, she should be wearing gloves—as should Sonja. “Go home, you’re drunk.”
Sonja began mentally preparing her argument, only to realise Eltra was correct. Sonja was indeed drunk, and could do much better checking up on Rigst next sun. “Yes,” she eventually mumbled.
“Are you alright?” Eltra asked. “I could walk you home if you need me to?”
“I’m fine.” Sonja began her drunken stroll to her own residence; it was closer than her father’s, and Kallum would get home just fine with Vivian’s help. “I’ll check on you next sun, Rider,” she whispered to herself. Little did she know, she wouldn’t find him the next sun. Or the one after that. Or even in the next month of suns that followed. Rigst had disappeared.
The Holtur Curse (The Holtur Trilogy Book 2) Page 7