Song Of Fury (Gods Of Blood And Fire Book 2)

by A. J. STRICKLER

  All in all, Upton seemed to be a fine young man, a bit on the haughty side but always courteous and pleasant. There was just something about his character that distressed her, but she couldn’t quite put her finger on the reason for her feelings toward the man from Pantorini. The accusations about him hurting a woman didn’t help matters. Lucan told her that K’xarr had questioned him and Upton had denied that the alleged transgression had ever taken place. Lucan and Captain Strom believed him, so why didn’t she? She glanced over at the comely mercenary. Was it jealousy that was causing her to try and find fault with the man? She didn’t want to admit it, but it bothered her to share Lucan’s attention with someone else. Maybe that was why she sought to find flaws with the foppish fighter's charming nature.

  She would have to try and do better. When Lucan left, she would feel better if he had a friend to watch his back. She would just have to put aside her unfounded concerns about Upton and try and be friendlier to the man, for Lucan's sake.

  “Do you think K’xarr can win?” she asked Upton in as pleasant a voice as she could manage.

  “Who can say? The captain is as hard as they come and a good man with a blade, but I have never seen the other two fight, though I have heard Cade is known for his prowess with a sword and Fews looks to be able to handle himself. The captain’s problem is both men will be trying and kill him. If they do, they can call off the challenge and each can keep their company.”

  Ashlyn’s brow wrinkled. “Why would the captain fight them both at the same time? I mean, that sounds like a rash decision for him to make.”

  “I was wondering that too,” Lucan added.

  Upton grinned and flipped his hair back. “Apparently, the code does not make allowances for more than one captain being challenged at a time. So Cade and Fews went to the guild and asserted that since Captain Strom challenged them at the same time, he should have to fight them at the same time. The guild upheld their claim and the king had no choice but to honor it or the whole challenge would become invalid.”

  “What happens if Captain Strom loses?” Ashlyn asked.

  Upton raised his hands. “I would guess they would split us between the Wolves and the Silver Swords, though I would say Cromwell and some of the other officers would have something to say about that.”

  “I hope the captain wins. Neither of those other companies would take me on when I tried to join them. If the company is split between the two, I might not have a job,” Lucan said, biting at one of his fingernails.

  Ashlyn patted Lucan on the back and frowned sympathetically, but her heart was racing, thrilled by what she had just heard. If Captain Strom losing meant there was a chance Lucan would have to go back to the stable, she hoped the other two captains would kill him. She felt a little ashamed of herself for hoping the captain would die, but if it kept her sweetheart in Gallio, she could bear it. Her new found allegiance would have to be kept secret from Lucan and Upton, but inside, she would be cheering for Cade and Fews. She hadn’t cared much about the outcome of the bloody contest, but now it had become very important to her who the victor would be.

  The crowd came alive as the three captains headed for the center of the circle the populace had formed. It was hard to see with so many people standing in front of them and Ashlyn’s height didn’t help matters at all. Lucan tapped her on the shoulder. The young man bent down and pointed to his back. Ashlyn climbed on and Lucan stood up with her on his shoulders. He had little trouble holding her. Despite her voracious appetite, she had never been the least bit heavy.

  “Can you see?” Lucan yelled.

  “Yes, I can see everything.”

  Upton patted her on the leg, smiling up at her playfully. “Let us hope you like everything you see.”

  ***

  The two women stood on a roof overlooking the small square. Their magic kept them unseen by the noisy crowd. The three captains had just entered the large circle of sellswords and citizens. A member of Gallio’s mercenaries’ guild was explaining the rules of the challenge to the combatants while everyone else anxiously awaited the contest to begin. “I still don’t know why you dragged me away from the mountain. What do I care about some mortals trying to kill one another?”

  The Mistress slowly turned her head toward the woman that accompanied her. “I didn’t bring you for the spectacle; I brought you along so we could speak freely about breaking the queen’s law. I have already told you this once, Drusilla. If you paid as much attention to what was going on around you as you did to your looks, you would be more formidable than I.”

  The Goddess of the Moon turned from side to side, exhibiting the dress she wore. A black and silver affair, the gown was slit down the back to the curve of her buttocks and past her navel in the front. She dramatically shook her wavy black hair back, revealing solid silver earrings in the shape of crescent moons. “Many are very glad I pay so much attention to my appearance.”

  “You look like quite the whore, if that’s what you were going for,” the Mistress hissed through her veil.

  “Well, if you were a little more of a whore, you might still have your husband.”

  A gloved hand lashed out and grabbed Drusilla by the throat, the Queen of Hell’s talon-like fingers digging into her sister’s flesh. “Careful what you say, I might just find I don’t need you after all.”

  The queen squeezed a little harder then released her grip. “Have you forgotten who I am, Dru?”

  Drusilla stepped away from the veiled woman coughing and rubbing her neck. “I was wrong to say that. Forgive me, sister. I had forgotten how sensitive you are about Octavian.”

  The Mistress sighed and pulled Drusilla into a brief embrace. “I let my temper get the better of me sometimes, but if you say something like that again, I will kill you.”

  Drusilla nodded and looked at her sister suspiciously. “Your power has increased.”

  “Yes, and soon I will have more. Now let us watch the proceedings while I explain the task I have for you.”

  ***

  The fight had only been going on for a few minutes and it was clear to all present that the sun was already taking a toll on all three combatants. The ground of the little square where they fought was cobbled and the dark stone drew heat to it like a hog to slop. The air was thick and muggy, and the throng of people that surrounded them blocked any chance of a breeze getting to the men in the center of the circle.

  Sweat ran down K’xarr’s neck from beneath his helmet as he tried to draw the sultry oxygen into his lungs before they came at him again. Blinking back the stinging sweat from his eyes, he tried to gauge what his opponents would try next.

  Fews was good with his blade, though K’xarr thought he could easily beat him, if he had just been set against the Wolves’ captain. It was Saran Cade who was the more dangerous of the two. For a man almost twice his age, Cade still possessed a fine sword arm. In just the short time they had been at it, the older man had almost drawn his blood three times, and each time he had cursed Malric for talking him into this.

  As he predicted, the two captains had joined forces against him. K’xarr was no master swordsman like Kian or some gifted Celonian duelist. His skill came from years of trying to stay alive in the unforgiving mountains of Camir. He had to find a way to change this contest from a test of skill to a fight for survival. If he didn’t find a way to even the odds, he wasn’t going to last much longer.

  The crowd had cheered and clapped with each attack when the fight had begun. Now they had grown quiet and focused. It was as if they were holding their breaths, just waiting for one of the warriors to make a mistake. They knew just like K’xarr did that if he made one misstep, the fight would be over.

  Fews came in low, K’xarr sidestepped a nasty thrust and turned just in time to keep Cade from taking his head. He was between them now and both men charged him at once. He turned his back to Cade and ran headlong at Fews. Knocking aside the Wolves’ captain’s attack, K’xarr lowered his shoulder and flipped the ma
n over his back, using Fews' momentum against him. His adversary landed hard on his back but he had no time to finish him. K’xarr pivoted, but wasn’t quick enough to avoid Cade's flawless downward slash. The crushing blow landed on top of his helmet, cutting through the steel just enough to slice a deep gash in his scalp. The jarring blow staggered him; dark spots swam before his eyes as black blood poured down his face from the head wound. Ripping his helmet from his head, K’xarr looked like a madman, wild-eyed and covered in ebony blood. “Come on, old man, I not finished yet,” he screamed as he hurled the ruined helmet at the captain of the Silver Swords.

  Before Cade could answer, K’xarr felt the point of a sword punch into his back. In his rage, he had forgotten about Fews. The captain of the Wolves had gotten to his knees and quickly attacked K’xarr from behind, thrusting his sword into the right side of the Camiran’s lower back. His armor had prevented the blade from going through his body, but it was still a terrible wound.

  K’xarr spun, wrenching Fews’ sword from his hand. The mercenary captain tried to get to his feet but it was too late. K’xarr buried the edge of his sword in the side of Fews’ neck. Blood spurted into the air, covering both of them in the dying captain’s gore. K’xarr tore his sword free just in time to parry another attack from Cade. The older captain’s heavy strike stung his hand and sent powerful vibrations up his arm. His strength was waning and he was having problems focusing. He had to act fast or Cade would have him.

  Kicking the older man back, K’xarr dropped his sword and rushed forward. Catching Cade’s sword arm with his left hand, K’xarr used his remaining strength to punch the rival captain in the head. The chin strap on Cade’s helmet snapped and the captain of the Silver Swords reeled backwards. K’xarr saw his chance and delivered a sharp kick to the side of Cade’s knee. The man went down awkwardly with K’xarr on top of him. He didn’t hear the crowd roar to life as he ripped Cade’s helmet from his head. The Camiran straddled his enemy, his gauntleted fists raining down blow after blow while he held the fallen man’s arms down with his knees. Cade’s nose was shattered and one eye was nothing but a milky pulp when K’xarr finally relented. The leader of the Silver Swords lay on the ground, spiting blood and teeth, unable to rise.

  The applause from the crowd quickly dwindled as they watched K’xarr crawl off the defeated captain and throw up twice on the hot cobbles. Struggling to his feet with Fews’s sword still in his back, the black-blooded warrior staggered over and pick up his fallen sword. He swayed drunkenly as he stood above his foe. He made ready to plunge the sword into Cade’s body when a shout from the silent crowd made him hesitate.

  A young man in fine set of armor ran out from the circle of spectators. “Hold! He yields. For God’s sake, have mercy.”

  K’xarr stared at the man, blinking rapidly with his mind still cloudy from the blow to his head.

  “Captain Strom, I am Daniel Cade. I ask that you grant my father mercy,” the young man said as he slowly walked toward K’xarr with his hands in the air. “You have won the company, just let him live, please.”

  K’xarr wobbled back and forth. A ringing had started in his ears and he didn’t quite understand what the young, blond man was asking of him.

  Cade’s son stepped closer to the bloody captain. “Just spare him, Captain. I swear by almighty God and the codes my great grandfather set forth that you are the new captain of the Silver Swords. Let no man say otherwise.”

  K’xarr touched his head with his gauntleted hand; he saw that blood still continued to leak from the wound. “You say all you want is your father’s life?” he asked, squinting at the man before him.

  “Yes, please, I beg you, as one mercenary to another,” the younger Cade said, clasping his hands together as if he was going to pray.

  K’xarr’s brows lowered. “I will spare him.” He swung his sword in a deadly arc and the young man’s head jumped from his shoulders. The headless body stutter-stepped and fell quivering to the ground. Blood spewed onto the street from the grizzly wound and began to puddle at his feet. “You can take his place,” K’xarr said, spitting on the gruesome corpse.

  The captain winced as he reached awkwardly for the sword in his back. He tottered on one foot for a moment, trying to pull the blade free, and then he collapsed onto the hot cobbles of the blood-stained street.

  ***

  He stared up into the faces that surrounded him. The room was dim and his vision blurry. At first, he did not recognize any of men looking down at him. He closed his eyes for just a moment. When he opened them again, the world slowly came back into focus and his mind cleared a bit. A large bandage was wrapped tightly around his waist and he felt another tied around his head. “Where the hell am I?”

  “You’re in the barracks. You collapsed after the challenge. Do you remember any of it?” Rhys asked, bending down close to look in his captain’s eyes.

  K’xarr had to think hard, his mind was still addled. Then he recalled the blow he took from Saran Cade. “Yes, I remember. My head is pounding like an Illairian war drum and I feel as weak as a kitten. And you can get out of my face, Rhys, I’m having enough trouble seeing without your fat head in the way.”

  The healer gave him a pinched look and leaned back. “It’s no wonder you feel feeble, as much blood as you lost. If your armor had been thinner or Fews’s thrust more accurate, you would be dead. Luckily it pierced your side and didn’t sever your spine. I don’t know if I could have fixed that. Cade also nearly crushed your skull. It will take some time on your back before that damage is healed.”

  “Get off my bed and take all that drivel with you. I don’t have the time to be laid up,” K’xarr said mockingly.

  Rhys stood up with a very fictitious smile on his face. “Why, thank you, Rhys, for saving my life. If it weren’t for you, I would be dead in the street laying in my own piss and shit.”

  K’xarr grunted and gave Rhys a slight nod.

  “Well, I will take that grunt as a sign of your undying gratitude,” Rhys said as he began putting his instruments into his old leather satchel.

  “That was quite a nasty piece of work, even for you, K’xarr. Too bad you slept through the battle that went on after you killed Cade’s boy,” Cromwell said, chuckling.

  “What battle? How long did you let me lay here?”

  “You have been unconscious for three days. It was the blow to your head. There wasn’t much I could do for it, just stitch up the gash and hope for the best. I told them to leave you be till you awoke on your own,” Rhys said defensively.

  Rufio walked over from where he had been leaning against the wall to stand beside his captain’s bed. “You have missed much.”

  “Well, don’t stand there like a halfwit, tell me what has happened,” K’xarr said, massaging his temples.

  Rufio raised his eyebrows and put his hands in the air. “We would have tried to tell you sooner, but the company physician told us not to wake you under any circumstances. So we handled things on our own.”

  K’xarr glared at his healer, throwing back the blankets that covered his naked body and standing up. A wave of dizziness hit him and his knees buckled. If not for Cromwell, he would have toppled to the floor. “Get your filthy paws off me, I can stand on my own.”

  Ignoring his captain’s order, Cromwell scooped K’xarr up like a child and tossed his captain back onto the bunk. “I don’t think you can. Now stay down, you stubborn bastard, and we will tell you what happened.”

  Rhys reached up and slapped the Toran on the back of his head. “Are you completely insane? You don’t throw a wounded man like that. You might have started him bleeding again or ruptured something in his head.”

  “You told us to keep him down, I was doing what you said. If you slap me again, I will drive you down into this wooden floor like a nail.”

  “Go on, brute, I don’t think the company will care for you beating on the man that keeps them alive.”

  “Both of you shut up,” K’xarr yelled, rubbing
his eyes. “You sound like Endra’s demons with all that bickering.” K’xarr winced as he situated himself in his bunk. Rhys rechecked all of his stitches, silencing his captain with a look before K’xarr could complain. “Your wounds look fine; you might heal if that ogre can keep from tossing you around.”

  K’xarr held up his hand before the Toran could continue the fight. “Stop arguing with Rhys and tell me what has been going on.”

  Cromwell gave the healer a flinty glare before turning his attention back to K’xarr. “After you killed Cade’s son, all hell broke loose. We were in the middle of it about to have our heads handed to us when Malric sent in his men. It took them till late in the night to get everyone separated and the whole thing broken up. The next morning, the Wolves reported to us. They grudgingly honored the challenge and agreed to accept you as their captain.”

  “What about the Silver Swords?” K’xarr asked.

  “Many of them had a problem with you killing Cade’s son. Apparently, he was well liked by the men of their company. They quarreled among themselves about honoring the challenge. It ended up a bloody affair; Malric stepped in again and executed the men who were refusing to serve under you.”

  “What happened to Cade?”

  Cromwell smiled grimly. “You made a mess of that bastard's face, blinded him in one eye and his nose is as crooked as an Ardakian merchant, but it didn’t stop him from gathering the leaders of the guild and going before Malric as soon as he was able. He outright refused to honor the challenge and demanded you be hung for murder. Word had it, he even threatened the king himself.”

  K’xarr rubbed his chin with his hand. “What did Malric do?”

  “First he hung the leaders of the guild, and then he had Cade stripped naked, tied on a horse backwards, and lashed out of town by the city watch. That was all after he had Cade gelded.”