Page 82 of Steel & Thunder
Chapter Nineteen
The forest is quiet. Calm. Khazak and are walking to... Where were we walking to again? I look over at him to ask, but when I speak, the words don’t sound right. When he turns to answer me, I can’t understand what he’s saying either. Suddenly, something in the sky swoops down at our heads. Then another, and another. A large flock of birds circle us in the sky overhead, their feathers pitch black. They’re huge. I’ve never seen so many. They dive at us again, attacking and driving us further into the woods. Their talons claw into my skin as I struggle to pull away. No matter where I turn, they just keep coming. I can’t—
“—avid. David!” I freeze when I hear my name, opening my eyes a second later.
Khazak lays in front me, hand on my shoulder.
“You were struggling in your sleep.” He runs his hand down my arm. “Are you alright?”
“Yeah.” I nod, rubbing my hand over my face. “Just a nightmare.”
“I gathered from the thrashing,” he jokes. “What was it about?”
“Angry birds.” I shake my head. “It’s nothing.”
“Do you have nightmares a lot?” He keeps stroking my arm.
“No, not really.” Not until recently at least.
He seems happy to leave it at that. After allowing us to be lazy in bed a little longer, he gets us up and moving to get ready for the day. No time for morning sex today; it’s just bathroom, clothes, and breakfast. We grab lunch and are off to the station, same as yesterday.
I’m a lot less anxious when we arrive this time. I even work up the nerve to say hello to some of the people I met yesterday. Ragnar pops his head into Khazak’s office when he gets in, but the rest of the morning is pretty quiet, and I end up cracking open my language book sooner rather than later. I’m at Khazak’s desk asking for his help in pronouncing something when someone walks into the room.
“Attention,” Khazak whispers the order to me before standing and saluting his visitor. “Krisur Mara’ok.”
“Kritar Uzigar.” This new orc is older and gruffer looking than Khazak but wearing a similar uniform. Khazak relaxes his stance as the two speak while I continue to stand in place at his side. Whatever they’re talking about seems important. When they finish, the new orc looks me over for a minute before turning to Khazak, who salutes him once more before he leaves.
“Who was that?” I ask when we’re alone again.
“That was Commander Grandfist, my superior.” Khazak answers before moving around the desk. “He also oversees the city’s militia forces.”
“That was your boss?” Considering how high up Khazak is in the food chain, that guy must be really important.
“Correct.” He starts to leave the office. “Come with me. I need to discuss this with Ragnar.”
We walk across the hall to Ragnar’s office where he is seated behind his desk looking bored out of his mind.
“Ragnar.” Khazak pulls his friend’s attention away from his paperwork.
“Khazak.” He points at the door. “Was the commander just here?”
“Yes.” Khazak nods “There has been a potential robbery he wants me to look into personally.”
“A robbery?” Ragnar sounds skeptical. “Isn’t that a little below our pay grade?”
“Normally I would agree with you,” he admits wryly. “However, this was a shipment of supplies meant for the militia, including some dwarven-smithed weapons and armor.”
“Shit.” That seems to cement the seriousness for him. “Do you need backup?”
“Not yet.” He shakes his head. “David and I are going down to the shipyard now to see what we can learn.” That actually sounds kinda fun.
“Alright, I will be here.” Ragnar turns back to his paperwork and sighs.
“So, we’re looking for stolen weapons?” I ask as Khazak and I go back to his office.
“We do not know for certain they have been stolen yet,” Khazak responds while grabbing his sword from the wall.
“Then is that really necessary?” I point at the weapon.
