Page 145 of Silverbow
Dragon’s tits, these things are heavy.Heavy and lumpy now that they contained the Silverbow’s plunder. That plunder was worth more than any bounty they’d ever recovered. The Nine on High would shower them in gold and jewels when they reached Highgard, as long as Drulougan didn’t have a change of heart and decide to make them barbecue first.
Aiden grinned as he whistled a raunchy little pub tune. He saddled Lanta and Kez, leaving the red and black demonic duo to Hal. The man was paid to see to the horses after all.
The mare was all fire and brimstone by the time Liam Marsh appeared to saddle his own horse and relieve a frightened stable boy. Aiden watched from the corner of his eye as the lovestruck little fool ignored the mare’s threats, seemingly immune to them. Still, the mare tried to a kick when he approached to mount and Aiden chuckled.
It was one of the many things they’d debated after her return, crowded around the satchel of treasure. On the off chance a report of the girl on a red horse had circulated, they’d switched and Aiden had been made to surrender his papers for Linus McGowan to Liam Marsh. He sighed. He would have to be Ronard Crane today.What kind of name is Ronard, anyway?
Ronard Crane and Linus McGowan would have the honor of escorting Lady Silverbow and her plunder through Northgate. It was a plan that much to his delight made Oryn sulk, as if he and his warhorse were not two of the most recognizable figures in all of Elaria.
No alarm had gone up from Blackash Keep in the night. All eyes had been turned on the Gold Quarter where Pallas Davolier’s air and water wielders had to choke and drown the flames before they took half the city. It seemed the boy was an even better arsonist than the Silverbow, or perhaps, Misthol just made better kindling. It was probably the latter.
At dawn, they set out with one egg nestled behind each of their saddles just as they had discussed. They didn’t dare risk putting the bulging saddlebags all on one horse in case the worst should happen. So with the ruby egg behind him, Aiden led them out to meld into the streams of Sun Day revelers flowing for the countryside, or at least, the ones who hadn’t spent the evening drowning themselves in fire wine.
Just a couple of farm kids in for Sun Day, nothing to see here.Certainly no gifted demi-elves. Oryn and the others rode a good half mile back. Far enough the eggs would be well down the road before the guards took notice of them. Far enough they wouldn’t be of any bloody help if Ronard Crane met any trouble.No trouble today.
Aiden ensured his damper was firmly held over his gift as they meandered through the mess of carts and wagons, trying not to appear in any particular hurry.He would not have a repeat of Midbury. He shuddered.How had that bloody spirit wielder known?
The whisper of a thought of Midbury made him want to seize his gift, seize it so he could not so easily be cut off from it. Instead, he cast around for a distraction. One conveniently rode in the back of the cart ahead of them. The axles creaked under the weight of the farmer’s brood, but the pretty one was making calf-eyes at him.
Aiden gave her his best smile and a wink.
“Unbelievable,” Lady Silverbow muttered from beside him.
“Jealous, wife?” He grinned. His smile spread as her eyes flashed murder in his direction.
That had been his favorite part of this little plan. If anyone asked, Enya Silverbow was his newlywed wife, a little fib that rankled both Oryn and the stable boy. Two birds with one gloriously easy stone.
He chuckled as he turned his smile back on the girl. He had the distinct feeling this was going to be awonderfulride to the Vale. Likely the most fun he’d had in ages.
He sighed, sizing up the guards from the corner of his eye, all too aware of the black clad wielders swarming atop the battlements. They were out in droves today.
“I thought you said they don’t normally check papers,” she muttered under her breath.
Aiden shrugged. “Sometimes they do, sometimes they don’t.”
Despite his words, he felt a pang of worry.Just because they put you in a bloody collar…He shuddered again. He’d been to Misthol more times than he cared to count, each less pleasant than the one before, but even if he was imagining the little itch between his shoulder blades, something had the guards worked up. They usually flung the gates wide on days like this, eager to drain the sludge clogging up the city streets. It was probably the stable boy’s stunt in the Gold Quarter or the bounty for the girl on his left. He shook off the feeling. Only two wagons separated them from the gate now. It was too late to turn away without drawing notice anyway.
“Halt!”
A flurry of black above and the scuffle of boots from the guard tower indicated the wielders found something of interest. Aiden fumbled with the damper on his gift, but it was still firmly in place even as his heart drummed along at anincreasingly frantic tempo. A pair of them emerged from a door beside the inner portcullis as more peered down from the battlements.
He clamped down even harder when he saw one wore the triangle badge of a fire wielder, the other the two parallel lines of an air wielder.My bloody favorite.His gift seemed to raise its head like a dragon getting ready to belch flame. Beside him, Lady Silverbow was muttering whatever it was she was always muttering.
Colm would probably have something reassuring to say in this kind of situation. Bade would probably have a choice insult. Oryn…Oryn could probably rip that little air wielder into ribbons with half a thought. But Aiden could do nothing but sit frozen as they stalked down the lengths of the wagons, circling around behind their own horses.
Solignis burn them all.
He didn’t dare twitch a brow toward the dragon egg that was tucked in a saddlebag behind his thigh. He didn’t dare dart a glance to the tight faced mortals at his side. He couldn’t let them see his panic or stand to see his own reflected there.I will not be leashed.Flame seemed to lick along the damper, trying to burn it to cinders.Burn me. I will not be leashed.
The blasted black clad air wielder walked up beside Kez, the edge of his cloak nearly brushing his boot as he prowled toward the wagon. The farmer’s family had gone still as death. The girl that had been making calf-eyes at Aiden just moments ago looked like she might see her breakfast again, but it was the boy next to her the wielder pointed at.
He did lose his breakfast as the pair of black coats dragged him from the wagon. The woman who had to be his mother let out a sob, but the family didn’t dare protest as a silver collar was clasped around his throat.Cowards.A street full of people, and none of them did anything but stare at their own boots, even when the screaming started.I bloody hate Estryia.
The sound shattered the silence that had settled over the crowd. Aiden clenched his jaw, straining not to reach for his gift. The crimson coats went about their business checking papers as the poor wretch writhed on the paving stones, clawing at that blasted silver collar. The bloody screaming would be his undoing.
May Simdeni’s cool earth and Nimala’s warm embrace welcome you home.
The prayer was normally reserved for the dead, but the boy was as good as, as far as Aiden could tell. He tried not to look at the weeping woman handing over her own papers, whether for the grief or the shame, he wasn’t sure. You never could tell with these blasted Estryians. He didn’t know if he cared. He just wantedout of this blasted city. He just wanted away from the gut curdling screams that seemed to rake down his spine.
