The Dieya Chronicles - Incident on Ravar

by John Migacz

CHAPTER 63

  The next morning found them all on the wall watching the Sevoal camp. An uneventful night had passed. The troops manning the walls appeared tired, but in fair spirits. No one could have been unaffected by yesterday’s slaughter. No one, that is, except Eli Hawke.

  Balthus found Hawke waiting for him when he mounted the stairs to the parapet. Balthus nodded to him as he walked by. Hawke stopped him with a hand placed on his chest.

  Balthus looked first at the hand on his chest, then at Hawke. “What do you want?”

  Hawke lowered his hand. “We have to talk.”

  “All right, come with me and have your say.” Balthus walked down the parapet nodding and smiling to his troopers.

  “The Sevoal are building siege equipment on the other side of the rise.”

  Balthus stopped dead in his tracks and stared at Hawke. “How do you know?”

  “I went for a little walk last night and saw them beginning construction. They have wagons lashed together for movable bases and are constructing towers.”

  Balthus found it hard to believe what he was hearing. No man would voluntarily scout the Sevoal without orders.

  “You went for a little walk, eh? I know it wasn’t to calm your nerves because you don’t have any. How and why did you go?”

  Hawke shrugged. “A rope over the red wall. I wanted to get a closer look at a Sevoal camp. They are very careless. There were no guards; I guess they expected their grots to wake them, but the beasts were busy feeding on the dead.”

  “Learn anything else?” asked Balthus.

  “Yes. They die just like normal men.”

  Balthus felt compelled to ask. “Did you kill many?”

  “Oh, about eighteen or nineteen. Only the last four were awake, though. They raised a fuss and I had to leave.”

  Balthus closed his eyes and tried to shake the vision from his mind. He felt he needed to wash up again, but Hawke always made him feel that way. “Well, thanks for the information. I’d better go and let the Sorcerer know.” He turned on his heel and quickly walked away.

  He would never like nor understand Eli Hawke.