I can’t just wander in there like this. But I have to find him.
He considered asking one of the waitresses if they’d seen a man fitting Hacksaw’s description when he had the urge to look up. The cajolers were in full swing on the porch above.
“No,” he said with a sharp breath.
Out in the open, leaning against the rail, Hacksaw stood, pipe in mouth. He jabbed two fingers toward the stage. Behind him stood Nina, her arms wrapped around Hacksaw’s waist. She affectionately talked with her lips to the burly knight’s ear. She had a playful look in her eyes. Hacksaw was all smiles.
“Traitor,” Nath said underneath his breath. He started straightening his back. His blood boiled over. Everyone he’d met had lied to him one way or the other. He couldn’t believe Hacksaw had him fooled. The legionnaire was one of them. A part of the Black Hand. Out loud, Nath said it again, “Traitor!”
The people on the porch front looked right at him. Their faces tilted to one side. The ones on rockers stopped rocking. Their eyes became fixed on Nath holding out his hammer with a gem on the top that glowed like purple fire.
Nath pulled down his hood. Chest heaving, hammer gripped in both hands, he looked right up at Hacksaw and Nina. “Traitors!”
Nina’s eyes grew as big as her biceps. “You!”
Nath’s voice carried over all the commotion as he said with wroth anger, “Woe to the man that lies to a dragon!” With golden eyes full of fury, he cocked the hammer over his shoulder. Jagged tendrils of energy erupted from the gem in Stone Smiter. With a howl, Nath put his back into it and swung.
CHAPTER 65
Hacksaw went rigid. His tongue clove to the roof of his mouth. He wanted to cry out to Nath and tell him to stop. But the misunderstanding he saw deep in Nath’s eyes was clear. In a moment, the confusion in the youth turned to rage. Nath’s golden eyes became molten storms. The head of the hammer sparked with fire. There would be no turning back the time. The young man exploded like an angry god. Lords of Thunder, brace for the storm.
***
The men and women standing on the Oxen Inn’s porch scurried like rats. They trampled one another as fast as their legs would take them away from the voice of his wrath. Stone Smiter collided with the center post that supported the porch above. The wood shattered into one thousand splinters. Above, Nina, Hacksaw, and the porch came down. Patrons above tumbled through the gap, landing on top of one another. Nina and Hacksaw were buried underneath a tangle of limbs.
“Get up!” Nath shouted. He grabbed woozy men by the arms and slung them aside. He found Hacksaw’s face, grabbed the man by the beard, and pulled him up. Choking up on the handle of his hammer, he stuck the glowing head of the hammer in the man’s face. “You are a liar! I hate liars!”
“No, Nath! Listen to me, I did not deceive you! This is a misunderstanding. Focus on Nina!” Hacksaw pleaded as he tried to push Nath away.
“You are one of them!”
“No! I am not!”
There was the gusty sound of a woman’s laughter as Nina pushed bodies aside and came to her feet. “There’s no need to lie to him any further, Hacksaw. You led him right into our trap, just as we planned.”
“She’s lying, Nath!” Hacksaw pleaded. “Let go of me, so we can take her down. You have to believe me, I’ve never seen the woman, or been in this town before today.”
“He’s the best liar,” Nina said, dusting off her elbows. “One of the best.” She looked at the gathering crowd. “People, do you not remember this man named Nath, who two years ago kidnapped our precious Princess Janna? He’s invaded our sanctuary again! It’s time to take him!”
The crowd turned into a murmuring mob.
“Nath, listen to me, I’ve never lied to you, not once,” Hacksaw said in a harsh whisper. “This woman is full of lies and deceit. If you want to kill me, kill me, but right now, you need to trust me. Have faith, and trust me. Let’s ride the lightning.”
Nath shoved Hacksaw to the ground. He raised the hammer over his head. “No more lies!” He started to bring down a strike that would pulverize the hardest stone. He adjusted his swing and turned it toward Nina. “You will pay!”
Stone Smiter whipped down on a collision course with Nina’s skull. She grabbed the handle of the hammer just underneath the head, using the Gauntlet of Goam. The gemstone on the leather gauntlet blazed with wavering light. She tossed her head back and laughed. “Do you think you can defeat me with this little toy? I’ve mastered the powers of Goam, you fool. I am invincible with it!”
“No one is invincible!” With a grunt, Nath tried to rip the hammer from her grasp. Her vise-like grip didn’t budge an inch. He heaved against her again. “Hurk!”
“You are still a young fool,” she said, drawing him right into her face. “I don’t know how you escaped, but you will not find vengeance today, you will only find death. Now, let me show you the full power of the Gauntlet of Goam!” She tried to rip the hammer from Nath’s fingers. He would not let go. She turned her hip into her next effort and flung Nath and the hammer over the porch and through the tavern’s bay window.
With a loud crash of glass, Nath landed in a heap of tables and chairs. The people spilled out of the doorway and scurried up the stairs. Women screamed.
Nath shook his head and sat up. He found himself face-to-face with Little Shirl. Not caught up in the chaos or commotion, she said to Nath, “I knew you would be back. I missed you, Nath.”
“Little Shirl, uh, I’d like to talk, but as you can see, I’m very busy.” He came to his feet and patted her head. “You need to find safety.”
“As you wish,” she said, making a big smile that showed no teeth. “Try not to let her hit that pretty face of yours.”
“Pretty?”
Nina stepped through the front entrance. “Nath! You owe me a window! Now get out of my inn!”
Nath slung a chair at her. It skipped over the floor, and she caught it with her hands. “Oh, don’t forget about the tables and chairs, Nina.” He stomped on the wooden planks that were hollow beneath him. “Or the floor.”
“What?” She tilted her head. “The floor’s fine.”
“You mean, it was fine. Now, it has a giant crack in it!” He lifted Stone Smiter over his shoulder.
“No, Nath!” she said, shaking her hands in front of her. “If you damage any more of this tavern, I’ll kill you.”
Tapping into his anger, Nath said, “Wrong answer!” He brought the hammer down. The planks burst. Nath kept swinging. Whack! Whack! Whack! The boards quavered and split. The floor bowed beneath them.
Nina screamed with rage, “Nooooooooooooo!” She flung herself at Nath.
Nath braced himself for impact. The brutish woman plowed him over. Pinned to the ground, Nina crushed him underneath her unnatural weight. Gads! What is she made of? In the recesses of his mind, he felt the Gauntlet of Goam had something to do with it, but he had bigger concerns. The wild-eyed Nina pounded her glowing fist into his chest like a hammer. Wham! Wham! Wham! Every blow jarred his limbs and rattled his bones. Guzan! She’s going to kill me!
CHAPTER 66
Soldiers of Riegelwood shoved their way onto the scene outside of the Oxen Inn. Using the shafts of their spears, they pushed the people back. “Back away! Back away!” They made a wall along the porch, beyond where the upper porch had collapsed. The sergeant in charge started asking questions, and the drunken people blurted their accounts of what occurred.
The inn shook from within. The soldiers’ eyes grew as the porch shifted underneath their feet. One of the sergeants peeked inside through the busted window. He hollered back to the sergeant. “It’s Counselor Nina. She’s in a tussle with a stranger.” The building rocked again. “He has a hammer that strikes like thunder. Oh, she’s got him now! Giving him a beating!”
Hacksaw burst into action. The mead had slowed his blood, but the charge of battle fed him again. He needed to help Nath or die trying. He rushed through the crowd, making a beeline for
the front door. The soldiers walled him off.
“Where do you think you are going?” The sergeant poked a spear at Hacksaw. “Step back or I’ll skewer you and let the revelers roast you. Do you understand, old man?”
With three soldiers pointing their spears at him, Hacksaw replied, “When I want to go somewhere, no one will stop me. It’s you that needs to step aside.” There was something about the rugged soldiers that ate at him. Their tunics were unkempt and not as crisp as the soldiers he’d witnessed earlier. And their trousers were plain trousers, and not part of the city garrison’s uniforms. “I warn you, I’ll have no problem whittling down rogues like you today.”
“Rogues? How dare you!” the sergeant said.
“You might fool the rest of these drunks, but you won’t fool me. That insignia on your chest is upside down, and your clothing is sloppy. I know who you are, Men of Whispers. Now step aside, or taste my steel.”
The sergeant’s eyes narrowed on Hacksaw. “Kill him.”
***
Tobias stood proudly with Princess Janna on his arm. In less than a day, he would be the most powerful person in Riegelwood. His seed would be firmly planted. Having full control of the local government, the Black Hand would be able to run their corrupt operations unhindered. He patted Janna’s hand. “Tomorrow will be a grand day, Janna. You need to enjoy it. Your father would be glad to see you wed to the likes of me. We were great friends.”
Janna held her tongue. She pulled away, but Tobias held her fast. Then, head down, she said, “My father would stretch your neck from here to Riverlynn if he only knew what I knew.”
“Oh, come now, Janna, do you really think that your father was that blind to the Black Hand? We are the ones that kept him in power.” Smiling for the crowd, he whispered in her ear, “Who do you think kept the other rival families at bay? Lord Janders always said, ‘See to it my hands stay clean, but get yours as dirty as you want.’”
Janna looked at him, aghast. “He said no such thing.”
“Regrettably, I must inform you that he did. Janna, there comes a price for power, but you will reap the rewards of it.”
“And you will reap what you have sown.”
“I know. That’s why it’s so wonderful to be me. Don’t worry, you will get used to it. They all get used to it.” He gave her a dashing smile. “Power is delicious.” He waved to the crowd.
A commotion of voices started behind them. Janna and Tobias glanced behind them. One of the commanders was in an excited conversation with Cullon, Worm, and Virgo. All three sets of their eyes grew big. Cullon and Worm slipped off the back end of the stage. The commander started toward Tobias, but Virgo hooked the man’s arm and pulled him back. Gracefully, she made her way to Tobias. She waved slowly to the crowd and motioned to the entertainers to begin another round of songs. The music began.
“What is it, Virgo?” Tobias said to her.
Virgo gave Janna a look.
“I’m not going anywhere, Virgo. Whatever you have to say to him, you can say to me. After all, I will soon be the lordship’s wife and you are my subject underneath my full authority.”
Coldly, Virgo replied, “Don’t get carried away. But if Tobias approves.”
He gave the sorceress a nod. “Out with it, Virgo. What has happened? Have the Men of Whispers botched another assignment?”
“That wouldn’t surprise me, but no, there is trouble at the Oxen Inn,” Virgo replied.
“What sort of trouble could there be that Nina couldn’t handle? Lords of the River, men quake underneath her stare. Don’t tell me Prawl walked into the tavern and demanded her precious gauntlet.”
“No, I believe the situation could be direr than that.”
Tobias’s radiant smile dulled. “Really, how so?”
“Nath Dragon has returned with a hammer that calls thunder and strikes like lightning.”
The blood drained from Tobias’s face. “Commander!” he shouted to the soldiers behind him. He shoved Janna into the man’s arms. “Lock her in her room, and post plenty of guards.” He put his hand on the pommel of his sword. “I have some work to do.”
CHAPTER 67
Stupid!
Nath couldn’t believe he let the brunt of a woman’s power drive him to the deck. Now, she hammered her fist into his armor. If not for the breastplate, his ribs would be jelly. He could feel it. He groaned. “You think you would have greeted me with a hug and kiss.”
Nina pinned him down by the neck and aimed for his face. “I’m going to knock those pretty teeth out of your mouth and pulverize the rest of you!”
“Not with my gauntlet, you won’t! And stop spitting when you talk. It’s disgusting!”
Grunting like an animal, brows knitted together, Nina let loose a punch with all of her might.
Nath squirmed aside. Her fist punched through the planks. Still being choked, he said in a mocking way, “You missed.”
She ripped her hands out of the busted floorboards. “I won’t miss again!”
“Not with your spit, anyway.” The boards below Nath groaned. Lording over top of him, Nina’s eyes grew big. The floor collapsed underneath them. They plummeted into the wine cellar. Glass bottles busted. Nath squirted out of Nina’s clutches. Wine spilled into the broken glass all over the floor. “You really have a lot of wine down here. I bet it’s worth a fortune.” He slugged the nearest wine rack with his hammer, shattering the bottles. “Whoops, I must have slipped. You weren’t going to drink or sell those, were you? They looked so old and dusty.”
“You!” Nina rose to her feet with her chest heaving. Her wine-splattered arms bulged with muscles. The veins in her neck rose up like snakes. “Don’t you dare break one more bottle. I swear I will—” Thunk! A wine bottle skipped off her forehead and busted on the ground.
With another bottle in hand, Nath casually said, “I know, you will kill me.” He flipped the bottle in the air and caught it. Checking the label, he said, “Say, this is elven.”
“Leave that one alone, Nath! Listen to me! Just set it down. We can talk about this.”
“Give me back my gauntlet and I’ll leave your precious wine cellar alone.” His eyes quickly swept through the basement. There were long rows of racks filled with wine bottles and keg barrels. There must have been enough to last for centuries. “Or I will take this hammer and destroy every bottle and barrel in this cellar.”
“You wouldn’t!”
“I’ve been in prison for over two years, thanks to you. I’ve had plenty of time to think about this. I seethe!” He glared right at her. “Give me my gauntlet and I’ll show mercy. Fail to do so and perish.”
Nina shrank under his hard gaze for a long moment. Then, her hapless expression turned back into a wicked snarl. “You’d never kill a woman. You don’t even have it in you to kill a man.”
“Prison changes a man.” He tossed the bottle of elven wine up through the hole. “You better catch the bottle before it hits the floor. It’s going to have to last you a while.”
Nina looked up, eyes locked on the bottle, stretching her fingers upward. She caught the falling bottle. “You’ll never make it out of this city alive, Nath. There are too many of us. Now, stop this madness!”
Stone Smiter in hand, Nath had backpedaled alongside one of the support beams. “Sorry, but the madness has just begun!” He swung the hammer into the eight-inch-thick post. The beam exploded. The roof sagged, groaned, and started to collapse.
“Noooooooooooooo!” Nina screamed. She raced toward Nath, who skipped away to the next post. She tried to hold the broken post in place. Using her mighty strength, she pushed the floor up with a grunt. Her muscular arms knotted up like tree roots. Layers of sinewy muscle heaved with life.
“You know what your weakness is,” Nath said, spinning the hammer in his hand. “First, you love this tavern too much, and second, you can only be in one place at a time.” He spun the hammer with a twist of his wrist and took it to the support post.
Crack!
The post splintered in half. The roof wobbled. Dust and debris showered down on Nath. It created a fine mist.
“Stop it! Stop it!” Nina shouted at the top of her lungs. “You’re killing my tavern!”
“Exactly!” Nath ran from one post to the other. Stone Smiter flashed in streaks of purple fire. Every strike was a clap of thunder. The heavy posts, designed to hold like a rock, splintered one by one. Sections of floor came down in hunks. The entire inn swayed, but the outer walls of the building held. Cracks suddenly spiderwebbed along the walls. “Oh no,” he said, looking at Nina. She was surrounded by rubble, trying to hold the roof up. “Nina, the tavern’s coming down! Get out of there!”
“Never!” she said.
All at once, the Oxen Inn collapsed, top to bottom, burying the both of them.
CHAPTER 68
The soldiers converged on Hacksaw with jabbing spears. He snaked his sword out of the scabbard. Green Tongue flashed before the soldiers’ eyes. All three spear heads were lopped off. “Do you lying fools still want to fight me?” Hacksaw said in a bold voice. The feel of battle was upon him. The old knight came to life. “Because I’ve plenty of fight left in me!”
The sergeant who’d hung back chucked a spear at Hacksaw. Hacksaw slipped his head out of the way. The spear sank into a man that had crept in behind the knight with a dagger in his hand.
“You dirty little backstabbing thieves!” Hacksaw roared. He stormed the porch as the brigands disguised as soldiers went for their swords. Hacksaw plunged his sword into the heart of the one in the middle. He hated liars, brigands, and thieves as much as he hated goblins and orcs. He detested men who didn’t live by an honest day’s work. “Come on then, worms! It’s time to let the blades dance!” Shimmering like a metal blade of grass, Green Tongue flashed right past their noses.
Enslaved: The Odyssey of Nath Dragon - Book 2 (The Lost Dragon Chronicles) Page 20