Page 51 of Storms & Sacrifice
Thog looks at Ragnar, then down at thetabletop.
“Please,” Ragnar pleads. “Thog, people are going toget hurt.”
For a split second, I see a look of hesitation on Thog’s face, like he wants to say something, but it’s gone in an instant, and he’s stonily staring down again. “I told you. I do not have any idea what you are talking about.”
Ragnar watches Thog’s face closely for a moment, looking for any sign that he might change his mind, but no. He’s done. “Alright, take him back to his cell,” Ragnar says with a sigh as he stands. The three of us exit the room, moving to Khazak’s office where Ragnar takes a seat onthe couch.
“I really thought he was going to tell me something.” He sounds dejected, and so much more tired than he did fifteen minutes ago.
“I did too,” I speak up. I don’t want Ragnar thinking he did a bad job. That was almost inspiring. “There was a second there, right at the end, where it looked like he wanted to say something, but then itwas gone.”
“You did some good today, Deputy. I am honestly impressed with how you ran that interrogation, and all of your hard work from the last two days.” Khazak puts his hand on his friend’s shoulder. “If Mr. Grimrock does not want to talk, there is not much we can do to make him. Which means I needyouto go home and get some rest because unfortunately for the rest of us, this is going to mean a lot of extra work.”
I groan inwardly.Yaaaaay.More work.
Chapter 10
It’s dark in the forest, the trees blocking out most of thestars and moonlight. Pretty spooky. Good thing I’m only here to—Wait, why am I in the forest at night? Before I can think about that too much, I hear some rustling ahead of me, and I’m frozen in place as a large, black, wolf slinks out from behind the brush. Its fur is like an empty void, and its eyes are red as blood, almost glowing. As it comes toward me, two more wolves appear, each just as large as the first one with the same red eyes and pitch-black fur. I start move away, and when the first wolf growls, baring its bright white teeth at me, I trip, falling backward over some dammed tree roots. Seeing an opportunity, the wolf leaps at me, jawssnapping—!
“...and then I woke up,” I finish recounting mynightmare.
“Thatisa really weird dream,” Liss agrees with me.
“And they’ve only been getting weirder.”This is the second one about wolves, too.
“Do you normally have dreams like that?” Corrine asks from her seat on Liss’s right.
“Not before coming here.” I shake my head. “They didn’t start until...shit, maybe when I hit my head in the temple ruins?”
“Is that why you look so tired?” Liss doesn’t beat aroundthe bush.
“...Partially.” I narrow my eyes. “Work has been...rough.”
“Oh? Has work been rough for you?” I wince at Liss’s sarcastic tone.
“I know, I know. Sorry.” I sigh, wondering how much I should tell them. “There’s been these robberies over the last few weeks. We haven’t had much luck in tracking down the people behind them, and it’s starting to look like they might be planning something really dangerous. Everyone’s been working extra shifts.”Longerones, too.
“I’m sorry, David.” Corrine frowns. “I wish there was something we could doto help.”
“...Yeah, sorry.”Aww, Liss actuallymeans it.
“It’s fine. I think you guys have more than enough to worry about in here. And in a few more weeks, it won’t be any of our problems!” I try to sound positive, but something about that statement makes me feel a twinge of sadness. “Actually, that reminds me: Can you let Adam know I’m gonna miss visiting day next week? We’re on patrol duty in the forest again.”
“Maybe a week in the woods will do you some good.” Corrine tries to cheer me up. “You can relax.”
“Trust me—with everything going on, it’s going to be anything butrelaxing.”
We leave for the patrol camp after lunch the next day, this time through the north gate. I’m so mentally worn-out from all the long shifts lately that I don’t even think to ask about or pay attention to our path there. I just trail after Sir like a mindless drone. I’m not even surehe’spaying that muchattention.
The north camp looks pretty similar to the east camp we were at four weeks ago. It’s also more crowded, thanks to Khazak deciding to double all the patrol shifts. I’m not really complaining, or at least I’m trying not to. If these assholes are somehow getting in and out of the city without using the gates, then we have to do whatever we can to catch them, hopefully in the act. At this point, that’s all we canhope for.
After dropping our stuff off in our tent, we join the othernineorcs crowded under the large open tent. Everyone salutes as we approach, but as soon as Sir returns it, several of themimmediatelystart to talk at the same time. I wouldn’t be able to understand them even if we spoke the samelanguage.
“I know, I know.” Khazak holds his hands out in front of him in surrender. “I need to speak with Druid Darkwolf first, then I will answer all of your questions.”
He leaves us and heads for the tent on the other side of the fire, the orcs going back to talking amongst themselves while we wait. I notice now that everyone else still has their bags or packs on them. I see Glasha and Arik as well as some familiar looking officers, but everyone else is a new-ish face. All exceptone: Orim!
“Hello, David,” he says with a smile as I approach. “It is good tosee you.”
