In the distance came a faint splash, followed by several more. But as he continued to listen, the sound didn’t repeat.
“Did you hear that?” he asked.
But Fath had his head down and was breathing steadily. He coughed a few times but settled back into slumber.
“I guess not.”
The gnawing sense that something lay just out of eyesight lingered. But soon the boat vibrated. The bow line went taut. They were once again moving. Whether Hog was pulling in the correct direction was impossible to tell.
But Spicy was glad to be underway.
Chapter Sixteen
The troll, dragon, and goblin prints led off-trail and up into the hills. Their trail was impossible to miss, even for an inexperienced tracker. Alma made regular stops to listen. She knew the troll was capable of ambush. Her only advantage was that none of the creatures knew she and her small squad were following.
She came across clear-cut sections of forest. There were human tracks all around, and signs of recent activity, including the dragging of lumber downhill towards the sea. Surely it meant a camp was nearby or even a village.
Her four companions remained on the road. She caught up with them and led them to a place where they could bed down near the shore.
“We rest for now,” she said. “This evening, I’ll go out and see who’s nearby.”
“I’ll go with you,” Billy said.
“I want you to keep the camp safe. This is our fallback in case I run into trouble. I’m taking Blades.”
Billy nodded and Blades didn’t say anything, for which she was glad. She found a dry place on the ground and was asleep in moments.
As the sun set, the two moved out.
“Why do want me along?” Blades asked as he limped after her.
“Because you have a good eye for trouble and we’re going up against men who might belong to the zealots.”
“Cut the crap.”
She grinned. “Okay, I want someone slower than me in case we have to run. But there’s a camp nearby. If they look unaffiliated, we might try to make contact.”
She was surprised when he didn’t complain. She was doubly surprised when he kept up. Soon they came across planted fields. And instead of a woodcutter camp, they found a village with a wall.
“They have to be Empire,” Blades said.
“Undoubtedly. But that doesn’t mean they’re not traders first.”
“Why don’t you go up to the gate and ask them if the town’s open for business?” Blades said.
“I might just do that.”
They hunkered down in the cover of brush and listened. The sun had set. Something was going on inside the walls. Dogs were barking. There were a few audible calls of alarm, and then it grew silent. For a village, it was well guarded and the wall respectable. Made sense to Alma. With trolls and mountain tribes, a settlement wouldn’t last long without defenses.
Blades shivered. “How long are we going to wait here?”
“Let’s see if they have enough men to rotate a watch. That at least will tell us something.”
The village only got darker. The night was deathly still. Alma stood to stretch and work a growing cramp out of her legs and back. While the guards didn’t appear to be rotating, the walls led her to believe that such a fortified place would have little in the way of easy pickings.
Bypassing the village would be the best choice. But before she could tell Blades they were moving, an alarm went up. They watched as men ran towards the end of the harbor, where a boat appeared to be pulling away.
“Let’s get out of here,” Blades said.
“Look. There in the water out in front of the boat. There’s a shape there. Something is pulling the boat along.”
“I can’t see it.”
“I can. It’s the troll. It has to be.”
The boat was difficult to see in the darkness as it moved beyond the lantern light of the guards. Before long it was out of sight. But the men of the village remained active. Soon the gate opened and men came riding out. A line of eight horsemen, accompanied by dogs, were out on the road and heading their direction. She and Blades kept low as they charged past. But they didn’t go far.
She motioned for Blades to stay put. He followed as she crept along and watched the men ride down to a nearby beach.
“They must not know what they’re up against,” she whispered.
Something at the water roared. The loud cry shook the air and was met with a fierce growl. It was impossible to tell what was happening with the dogs barking and the horses whinnying. As the men got closer to the commotion with their torches and lanterns, Alma gasped at what she saw.
The dragon was fighting with the troll. The long serpent tore into the large humanoid, but the troll seemed to be impervious to the many wounds being inflicted upon it.
The boat that had departed the harbor was in the shallow water nearby.
Still on their horses, the men from the village hesitated. Their horses twitched, their ears flat, and protested with high-pitched neighs. The dogs were worked up into a frenzy. Alma too marveled at the battle, but she had seen both beasts before and knew the damage they could do. Perhaps the men knew of trolls. But she would wager none of them had laid eyes on a dragon.
Finally one man led the rest forward. He slid from his saddle and barked orders. Others were trying to fire their bows from the saddle, but the arrows seemed to fly everywhere but at the oversized targets. Finally, the dogs were released and they charged towards the creatures.
The action was obscured as someone dropped a lantern and it shattered on the ground. The troops juggled their equipment and some dismounted. Finally, when the lights were held steady, they revealed both creatures had retreated. The troll was in the water, the dragon in the boat. The men began to fire their bows with greater accuracy, but the troll pulled the boat away into the night.
“All right, stop shooting,” their captain said.
The men obeyed but none appeared willing to move closer to the water. One soldier whistled and the dogs returned, only to once again begin barking, this time in Alma’s direction.
She strode forward, arms wide, the bow in her hand raised. “Hello, you men.”
They turned, one man stumbling over a shrub and cursing. Their captain faced her, his hand on his dagger. He wore a gold pendant with three rings above his white tunic, which Alma recognized immediately.
“By the Divine Mother, you almost had it,” Alma said.
Two men closest to the captain had arrows ready.
The captain’s brow furled as he studied her. “Who are you?”
“Me? I’m the hunter who’s been pursuing those creatures. And if we hurry, we can catch both of them.”
“What do you know about those monsters?”
“I know everything. Their strengths. Their weaknesses. And their value. My men and I have been chasing them for weeks. With your help, we can bring both down.”
“That’s a troll,” the captain said. “It’s in the water. That’s where they’re strongest.”
“That’s true. But the dragon is inside the boat and trapped there. I have ways of dealing with both. And if we can kill them, there’s a reward in it for you and all of your men.”
“How much?” a soldier holding a lantern asked.
Alma smiled. “More than any of us would ever make following someone else’s orders for a living.”
“You say you were chasing them?” the captain asked. “From where?”
“We pursued the goblin and its troll slave up the mountain into the tribal territories,” Alma said. “They were after the dragon. We knew of its existence from a map we bought down in Orchard City. To our surprise, the dragon joined them.”
“Then why were they fighting?”
“I don’t know, but that can only work to our advantage. Just the dragon alone, dead, is worth enough to set us all up for life.”
“You’ve mentioned that. But those creatures are an abomination
to the Three. They need to be destroyed. And they stole one of our ships.”
“We can buy you a new ship. Five new ships. But we have to pursue them now. And by the Divine Mother, we’ll kill both of them, and the goblin too, for ever cavorting with such demons.”
The captain gave the slightest nod. “You’re a true believer, then.”
“Since I took my oaths at my baptism,” Alma said.
“But the Woman’s Oath is to hearth and family.”
Alma looked down at the ground. “The troll destroyed our farm near Orchard. I’ve pursued it for over six months. Somehow the goblin holds it in thrall. Then, when I learned of the dragon, I came to realize that a greater evil than the mindless troll was at work. I speak of the reward as a means to pay for the men I have with me. But I want to see righteous punishment delivered to all of the abominations to the Mother. If gold will bring you to our cause, then I swear by my life you will be compensated.”
“Where are these men you speak of?” the captain asked.
Alma whistled. Blades came reluctantly out of the darkness. He wore a thin smile as he looked at the soldiers. Alma could tell he was sizing them up. The soldiers relaxed their bows.
“This is Martin,” Alma said. “Three more men are on the road heading this way. We’ve traveled all night.”
“You can call me Blades.” He nodded a curt greeting.
The captain looked him over. “You’re also from…”
“Orchard City,” Blades said. “Alma here is my cousin. The tragedy has cut me to my heart. Truly. I weep every night for my nieces and nephews. Torn to pieces and chewed up by that foul, foul creature. Oh, Stephanie. Oh, Junior. Oh, little Tomlin.”
Alma cleared her throat. Blades stopped talking.
“Are you a believer?” the captain asked.
Blades bit his lip. “Me? Uh, yes. Well, Alma shares her faith with me every night. She won’t shut up about it, actually. The Divine Mother sounds great. So do the other two. But my heart is so torn right now, I can’t think of anything besides killing trolls. But I believe. Every day and night and sometimes on weekends.”
“Captain,” Alma said, “we don’t have time to delay if they’re out on the water. We have no boat. Please tell me you do.”
“Our village is nearby. We have more boats.” Yet he hesitated. “Gather.”
The other soldiers drew closer to the captain. Blades opened his mouth to say something but Alma elbowed him. She stepped close to the nearest guard, placed a hand on his shoulder. Everyone dropped to one knee. To Alma’s relief, Blades did too. They listened as the captain offered a prayer to the Divine Mother.
It was a prayer for victory over evil.
Chapter Seventeen
Alma fought to show nothing but complete calm as she and her men were led in through the village gate. A half dozen older men with spears and torches waited just inside. She decided the soldiers who had rode out to pursue the stolen boat were the only prime fighting force the village could muster. Perhaps the rest were off fighting the archduke.
She kept her arms loose and remained at the ready. In the cramped streets, an experienced fighter on foot would have the advantage of maneuverability over the nervous soldiers on horseback. The most immediate concern was the dogs, but these were put into kennels near the gate.
Faces peered down at them from curtained windows. Blades waved as if they were part of a victory procession.
“Keep it together,” she hissed.
“Oh, I am. I’m playing my part, ‘cousin.’ You play yours. Maybe before this is all through, you’ll convert me to your new calling. Praise the Mother.”
They weren’t marching directly towards the harbor.
“Captain,” Alma said, “How long before we launch our boat? Every minute is precious.”
“All in good time,” the captain said. “The Divine Mother will, by her grace, give us speed. But first we speak with the comptroller.”
“The what?” Blades asked.
Alma swatted him on the arm.
“He’s our town accountant and assistant mayor while our lord mayor serves in His Majesty’s forces. He’ll make the final decision on whether we can aid you further.”
Alma had to force herself not to object. Her men were close. But behind them, the soldiers on horses had them hemmed in. She wished for a god to pray to as she rubbed her thumb in the glyph on her bow.
An old man waited for them in front of a well-decorated home. He wore a burgundy bathrobe and was draped with several shawls. His thin hair didn’t conceal his pale scalp. A purple goblin stood next to him holding an oil lamp.
“Report,” the old man said.
The captain dismounted and gave a nod. “Barberos, there was a theft of a boat, as you’ve no doubt heard.”
“What?”
“A boat was stolen,” the captain said, speaking louder. “By a troll and a goblin and, er, a dragon. We’re going to pursue them but we need permission to borrow one of Favian’s boats.”
“A troll and a goblin, you say. And Favian’s boats…what about them? He has boats?”
“You’ve got to be kidding me,” Blades whispered.
The goblin nudged the old man. “Favian the fisherman,” she said in a loud, crisp voice.
“Oh, yes,” Barberos said. “Favian. He has three boats. Ask him.”
“We can’t, sir. He’s away with the others. But you’re the assistant mayor. You can give us permission.”
“Well, it’s not given. We need you here guarding the village. We’ll secure the harbor. Find out whose boat was stolen, and we’ll make a report of it in the morning.”
The captain was shaking his head but appeared to be at a loss for words.
“Good work, Captain,” Barberos said. “If there’s nothing else, it’s cold and I’m returning to bed.”
A few of the nearest homes had the three intersecting rings hanging on their doors, but this house didn’t. Barberos wore no decorations declaring his faith.
Alma stepped forward and offered a curt bow. “Lord Barberos,” she said in a slow, crisp voice. “I’m Alma of Orchard City. The creatures who took the boat have a certain value if we can catch them.”
Barberos squinted as he looked at her. “It’s the middle of the night and there’s no moon showing. You expect to send one boat out to find another? And with a troll out there?”
“And a dragon, sir,” the captain added.
Alma met Barberos’s gaze. “I know how to deal with trolls. We’ve killed one.”
“And who are you, exactly?”
“Like I said, I’m from Orchard City. I have gold, enough to buy one of your boats. If you help me with this, I’ll see you rewarded for your service.”
“How much?”
“I could rent any boat for a pair of gold. I’m offering you ten.”
“Ten? I don’t think so.” He now didn’t seem to have any trouble hearing. The goblin tugged on his sleeve and whispered something. He nudged her away. “Fifty. Plus the price of rental paid to Favian, of course.”
“Sir, the goblin and troll stole one of your boats. I’m offering my help in retrieving it. The troll, it—”
Barberos dismissed her with a wave. “I don’t care about your reasons. You’re here in the middle of the night, a stranger, and eager to take one of our boats. Consider the fee as surety placed against a probable loss of property.”
When Alma hesitated, the captain cleared his throat. “Barberos, my men and I will ensure the boat is returned.”
“And as the comptroller and acting mayor, I’ve denied your request.”
“She serves the Divine Mother.”
“Spare me.”
“Seventy-five,” Alma said. Both men turned to look at her.
“What an interesting negotiation tactic,” Barberos said.
“I’m offering you seventy-five gold. But that’s after we catch the ship, and we keep everything on board the creatures stole. It will mean I need time to sell the c
argo in Eel Port. Your men can come with me to ensure I’m keeping my word.”
“Seventy-five, you say? And what, pray tell, is on this boat which is so valuable?”
“Another creature travels with the goblin,” Alma said. “A dragon. I’m going to kill it. Its head alone will pay your fee.”
“Captain, does she speak truth?” Barberos asked.
“She does, sir. We saw it. But I don’t like the idea of taking her to Eel Port. It will leave Bliss unprotected for too long.”
“The village still has its defenders. And calm your heart, Captain. At such a price, I will be sure to include you and your men in the final accounting of the reward.”
Alma nodded. “We need to leave. Now.”
Barberos raised a crooked finger. “One more condition. We don’t know you. So far all I hear is promises and motivation. Captain, take two of her men into custody.”
The captain nodded. Both Billy and Elias were seized. Blades gripped his short sword, but Alma stopped him from drawing it.
“These two will be held here,” Barberos said. “You understand, of course. Good hunting and a speedy return. Captain, take them to their boat along with your best men. As servants of the Divine Mother, you’ll have success. And as for you, Mistress Hunter, if you choose to somehow slip away, then these men’s lives are forfeit.”
Elias jerked from the grip of the guard who held him. The guard knocked him down.
“Elias, stop,” Billy said. “We’re cooperating. Alma will catch this boat and return with the gold.”
Alma gave him a reassuring nod. He and Elias were taken away. Billy had the same faith in her as they all had felt with Lord.
She followed the captain down to the docks where they prepared a boat for their pursuit.
Six men were assigned the boat. None of them were young, and only two had been among the patrol they had met outside the village.
“Your best men, Captain?” she asked skeptically.
The captain’s face was unreadable. “These are the ones who will be accompanying you. I’m placing Sergeant Combs in charge of the boat.”
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