Page 51 of The Empire and the Wolf King

Greyson kept up. “Of the Winchester John Smiths?”

“Nae.”

“You hail from Scotland?”

“Aye, my family moved here years ago.”

He spooked and turned tae see if someone was followin’ us. “What was your business back there?”

“I was goin’ tae visit the brothel, I do sometimes, but there looked tae be too much trouble about. Were ye part of the large group of men?”

“Me, no, I just had a business meeting.”

“Business in a brothel?”

“Yes, I’m the secretary of an important?—”

I nonchalantly said, “Asgall,” as I used the reins tae walk Stormy around a puddle.

He steadied the torch tae peer at my face. “You know Asgall?”

“Everyone in these parts kens of Asgall. He is notorious, tis why I hae turned around tae head back tae the village of…”

He said, “Staunton, yes, I will be getting a room there and leaving at first light.” He swung the torch around, checking the woods.

I pulled my damp shirt away from my sticky skin. Twas hot as the breath of Bram the cook after a night of stirring garlic soup. “Ye ken, yer torch flame might attract the wolves and bears... also the witches.”

He looked over his shoulder. “It will not, everyone knows that wolves prefer the dark.” He added, “So do witches. I do not know about bears.”

I slowed so he could ride in front of me. Our pace was slow, a rhythmic clopping of Stormy’s hooves, creatin’ a steady, soothing beat. I considered what I would do tae this ally of Asgall.

I casually asked, “What kind of business did ye hae with Asgall? Twas about his empire?”

He held the torch toward me and looked back over his shoulder. “You seem to know a great deal about his business.”

“Tis true, I ken he owns land here in Virginia?—”

“And other parts of the world.”

I said, “Aye, he is verra important. I am usin’ the term ‘empire’ loosely, he inna an emperor… he just has some land, and ye are just his lowly secretary?—”

“What if I told you he was a king?”

“Really now? Of where?”

“Scot — I should not say, just… heis.”

I humphed, “Well, I stand corrected, yer job is much more important?—”

Just then, verra far behind us we heard a thunder clap, howling wind, and another loud clap.

I turned Stormy around tae see lightning sparking over the trees. My heart sank, was he leavin’?

Och nae, did I miss him?

I needed tae check the monitor, I had tae get information from this man, and I was losin’ my patience.

“Ye ken, some say that when Asgall embarks on a journey, there will be a storm.”

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