by Alex Avrio
But we do need your help.
We need to find another job. Please help us find one by posting a review on Amazon, Goodreads and anywhere else that you think is appropriate. The Merchant Blades rely on reviews and word of mouth to get jobs, and by spreading the word you’re helping us immensely. Spread the word, dear friends, and do not be stingy with your praise. You can also find out more about our skills and what jobs we’re currently on by going to the website www.alexavrio.com and signing on to the mailing list, to get updates about the fantastic new adventures we’ll be on once we get out of our current situation.
Now, please spare a thought for a man who has to go and meet the family of Regina Fitzwaters. Please help me get out of there as soon as possible!
Sincerely yours,
Maximilliam Kherr Jaeger, MB
Formerly of the Eressian 3rd Imperial Heavy Cavalry
Read on for a preview of the first chapter of
The Hidden Dragon
Book 3 of the Merchant Blades Series
1 WELCOME TO MERROVIGIA
JAEGER’s fist landed on the man’s ham face, sending him sprawling. Jaeger pulled him back up off the floor by the lapels of his waistcoat.
“Say I’m an Eressian swine just one more time–”
He punched the man on the jaw. The onlookers caught him, breaking his fall. Regina put a firm hand on Jaeger’s shoulder.
“That’s enough.”
He turned sharply towards her. “I don’t think you liked it the last time someone called you a Merrovigian sow.”
Regina’s eyes narrowed. She walked over to where the man was being held by friends who supported him enough to hold him upright and buy him a drink, but not enough to get into a fight with two mercenaries from the Merchant Blades.
“Are you all right?” she asked. He nodded, wiping his bloody nose on the back of his hand. “My good man, the proper form of insulting an Eressian is ‘dog’. Shall I buy the next round of drinks and we’ll call it a day?” The man wasn’t happy, but was pressed into it by the others’ enthusiastic acceptance.
“Are you happy now?” Regina asked Jaeger. His lip curled but he said nothing.
The innkeeper, a broad man who was built like an ox, approached the two Merchant Blades with a scowl.
“Right you two. Out. The Knight of Cups is a respectable establishment, and I don’t want fighting in here.” His expression changed as he took a better look at Regina. “Young Mistress Fitzwaters?” he exclaimed. “Is it really you?”
“It is, Blake. I do apologize for any inconvenience caused by my– associate here.”
Blake gave her a broad gap-toothed smile. “Think nothing of it. John there should have kept his big mouth shut. You’ve been missed round here.”
“I’ve missed it too. How’s everything been keeping?”
A shadow passed over Blake’s face. “Not the same since old Master Fitzwaters passed. Master William’s doing the best he can, but that son of his–” Blake stopped abruptly. “I beg your pardon, it’s not my place.”
Regina shook her head. “So how much do we owe you?”
“Nothing, Captain. There are only three decent Fitzwaters left, and I won’t take money from any of them. We haven’t forgotten what your father did for the people here.”
“What were you thinking?” Regina demanded as they rode off.
“You broke the nose of the last man who called you a Merrovigian sow,” Jaeger replied calmly.
“You went looking for that fight.”
“I was sitting there, quietly sipping my own, disgusting, beer.”
“If you‘d been sitting quietly he wouldn’t have heard your accent,” Regina pointed out. “You were finding fault with everything. We’re deep in Merrovigia and people here still remember. The pain of their losses in the war runs deep.”
“People haven’t gotten over it after six years,” Jaeger pointedly remarked. He took his hipflask and took a swig. Regina snatched it from his hand and put it in her coat pocket.
“You will not arrive at my home three sheets to the wind. We’ve enough of a problem getting you off the laudanum.”
“I do not have a problem with laudanum.”
“Max, you have a problem. You are not getting another drop, even if I have to lock you in the attic.”
“Was it not enough that you and Briggs locked me in that room for three days?” he said, pulling his horse to a halt.
“I was in that room with you for three days, and I’d like to forget it as much as you would. You were as inebriated as a pickle from that stuff. You should have known better than that. You knew you couldn’t stop taking it. How could you think you could hide that from me?” Regina said, slowing down. He nudged the horse with his heels so they were in step again.
“I can’t hide a fart from you these days,” he muttered.
“As long as we’re linked together by this curse, I can’t even get far enough not to smell them without getting a nosebleed. I’m not sure what’s worse. The smell or the pain!”
“At least in Merrovigia we’re a long way from Nephthys and Nat, and no one keeps calling us Hunters, and making damn prophesies about us. I’m sure you folk killed off all your Merrovigian supernatural beasties long ago, just like you did with the bears.”
“And here I was thinking you couldn’t get any more of a grumpy old sod,” Regina grumbled. “Listen to me, and listen well, Maximillian Kherr Jaeger. You gave me your word that you wouldn’t take any more, and I’ll hold you to it. I’m only doing this is because the Emperor of Eressia himself, your Emperor, blackmailed us into finding a way to restart the trade talks between Merrovigia and Eressia. It was your Emperor who beat seven shades of shit out of you, resulting in you picking up this laudanum habit. And he also threatened not to leave a member of the Jaeger family alive. I’m doing this for you. Don’t you dare embarrass me in front of my family, or I swear on the Mother and Child, I will end you.”
“I took the laudanum so you wouldn’t be in pain,” he growled back, without conviction. “When are you going to tell them we’re married?”
“Never,” Regina snapped. “Ever since I met you I’ve had nothing but misfortune and pain. We can’t go Pella, can’t set foot in Malfi or Border Town, might get shot in Eressia, and soon, after committing treason, we will probably have to leave Merrovigia and emigrate to the South Across the Water.”
Embroiled in bitter argument, they didn’t hear the coach approaching at breakneck speed, and had just a fraction of a moment to get off the road to avoid being killed. A branch caught the side of Jaeger’s face, which rapidly developed into a deep purple bruise, while Regina escaped with just a covering of mud thrown up by the hooves and wheels. Jaeger’s steadied his horse and went to Regina’s side.
“Are you hurt?” he asked.
“I’m fine.” She was trembling with anger. She brought her hand to the left side of her face but, finding no blood, realized that it was Jaeger who’d been hurt.
“Are you alright?” she asked him.
“My teeth are all still there; I’ll live,” he said. “But if I find that bastard, I’ll horse-whip him.”
“We don’t horse whip-people in Merrovigia, Max– although for him, I might make an exception,” Regina hissed, trying brush the mud off her coat, but merely smearing it into a bigger mess. “I had a bath, payed to get everything washed so we could arrive presentable at The Briars. Now I’m going to arrive like a traveling peddler.”
“Would you prefer we go back to the inn and scrub up again?”
“We’re closer to the house than the inn, and they’ll be expecting us too arrive before midday. William will look so smug, though, when we turn up looking like this.”
As they rode up the approach to The Briars, the entire Fitzwaters family emerged from the house to greet them, with the servants lined up at a discreet distance. Climbing roses covered the facade of the manor house, giving it its name. Those of a more gossip-prone nature maintained the name refe
rred to the people living in the house rather than the roses outside.
Regina and Jaeger dismounted and bowed to the family. William’s smile faltered at the sight of their coats and the bruise on Jaeger’s face, but he did not comment. An older lady came forward and threw her arms around Regina, ignoring the mud.
“Regina, I missed you so much,” she said, sobbing. Regina’s face turned red.
“I missed you too, mother,” Regina said. Another young woman came and hugged her.
“Welcome home, sister,” she said.
“Well met, Verity,” Regina replied.
“Can we do the rest of this inside?” said the drawling voice of a young man. “It’s cold and I’m bored.”
A middle-aged woman robed in a fine dress gave him a withering look. “Don’t be rude, Whitney,” she chastised. This was William’s wife, Lady Annabelle. a great upholder of propriety. An elderly woman was next to her, a maid at her side in case the frail old lady collapsed.
Whitney snorted.
“May I present Kapitan Maximillian Kherr Jaeger, formerly of the Imperial Heavy Cavalry,” Regina introduced Jaeger, who bowed.
“Is that your lover, auntie?” Whitney scoffed.
“No. I am her husband.”
Annabelle collapsed in a dead faint.
About the Author
Alex Avrio is an author of fantasy short stories, novellas, and novels. The first book in the Merchant Blades series, The Alchemist’s Box, and her previous dark fantasy novella, The Dreaming Demon, can be found for sale on Amazon. Alex was born in Nottingham, UK, to Greek parents. She has lived both in Greece and England where she returned to study for an MBA in the University of Kent. She has also a PhD in E-business Strategy Management from the University of Kent. She has been writing stories from an early age, and after concluding the PhD she decided that it was the time to try in all earnest to become a professional writer.
Alexandra currently lives with her husband and their two cats in Newcastle upon Tyne, a place so far up north that if you go any further you’re south again,. She would love to share with you her love of fantasy and adventures. She also has a book, bingo and dessert habit to fuel, so please help by buying the books.
To find out more about Alex Avrio, and to keep up to date on her latest work please visit www.alexavrio.com.
She would love to hear from you, and can be reached by
E.mail: [email protected]
Facebook: facebook.com/alexavrio
Twitter: @alexavrio
As an independent author, Alex does not have a large marketing budget, and so relies on you, the readers, to help. If you liked this story, you can help her publish more work by leaving a review at your favorite e-book vendor.
Acknowledgements
Thanks to Ira Lightman for his editing services and inspirational writing groups. Thanks to S. Shane Thomas for beta reading the manuscript and providing lots of useful feedback. Many thanks also to Joy Postle, for invaluable final proof-reading and copy editing.
Thanks to my husband, Duncan, for being my reader number one and to my family for their support, and finally to Sout and Re, my new trainee writing cats.