Reader Beware

Chapter 32

            They weren’t two hours out of the city, having gone down an incline until they were level with the farms that filled the valley, when Damek caught up to them. He waited until they were well out of earshot of the cart full of wood heading the opposite direction before saying “Sorry. That took longer than I thought. The whole place is full of soldiers.”

            Elthia nodded. “We saw some on our way out.”

            Rika frowned after looking her friend over. “What’s with the gloves?” she asked, staring down at the leather and metal second skin covering his hands.

            Damek grinned holding his arms up so they could see the fingerless gloves he was wearing. “I nearly picked these up the last time I was through there, but I hadn’t see a need for them at the time. They’re leather and steel, set so my fists will hit harder and so I can deflect sword blows with them. As long as I’m careful. I’ll need a bit of practice, but it shouldn’t be too hard.”

            “Is that what you had to do before we left?” Rika said.

            “One of the things. I’d hoped that crazy old armorer still had them. Thankfully, there aren’t too many people who use this kind of thing.”

            Elthia shook her head. “Won’t it be dangerous to try and stop blades with them?”

            He shrugged. “No more so than some of my other techniques. It all depends on your skill level. I’m confident I can manage.”

            “What else were you doing?” Rika asked.

            “That’s a secret for now, stranger-girl. If we’re lucky, it’ll help us out. If not…well, no harm done.”

            “Is there a reason you can’t tell us?”

            Damek grinned. “Nope. If it works out I’ll tell you. I’ll probably be doing it again if it does anyway. I might even get Elthia to help. I’d ask him,” he said, jerking his head in Ahisu’s direction. “But I know he’d think it’s beneath him.”

            The mage glanced in his direction for only a second before turning back to the road in front, his face set in its usual blank and uncaring lines. Damek pressed the backs of his hands together then flicked them in Ahisu’s direction. From Elthia’s faint gasp then flush, Rika guessed that it was a rude gesture of some sort. She thought it looked funny rather than offensive.

            Rika was just about to ask Damek what the gesture meant, when the sound of many hooves approaching caught her attention. It sounded almost like thunder rolling towards them, getting louder with every passing moment. She moved with the others to the side of the road. The last time she’d hear that many horses approaching, it’d been an entire squad of mounted men, their shields and armor having made her wonder if they were knights.

            But this time, the beat of the hooves changed, slowing as the riders came into view. What looked to be around twenty of them, all wearing identical blue uniforms, their horses a uniform dark brown with only black markings differentiating them. Rika’s stomach had begun to sink at the sight of their clothes. She remembered the last time people with that uniform had stopped them, asking them questions. She hoped they’d buy their story a second time.

            The men reined up in front of them, forming a half-circle. Only when every horse had come to a complete stop did one of them urge his mount forward a few steps. “We represent Lord Zobah. He has requested your presence at his estate. We are to escort you there without delay. If you wish, we will loan you mounts.”

            Damek looked up at the man, meeting his eyes squarely. “What does your lord want with us? We’re just a small group, heading home.”

            “I was not privy to that information. We have been ordered to escort you to Lord Zobah’s estate.”

            “And if we refuse?”

            “We will forcibly escort you to his estate.”

            Damek sighed, rubbed the back of his head as his gaze fell to the ground. But only for a moment. He glanced sideways at both Rika and Ahisu. The mage’s head lowered only a few millimetres, while Rika gave him a thumbs-up. She thought if they could get the horses to spook or bolt, they’d have no problems dealing with these men. Even if they were outnumbered.

            She caught movement out of the corner of her eye and turned. Every soldier’s hand had fallen to their weapons, their eyes all locked onto the four of them. Rika hesitated. Their leader, looked down at Damek, his face betraying no emotion. “If you resist, we have been authorized to bind you and carry you back with us. Lord Zobah has expressed his wish to have this meeting amidst courtesy and respect. He had also expressed that he will have this meeting, even if he is forced to be less than polite to you.”

             It was the combination of the obvious disinterest of their leader, their clear willingness to fight, and the paleness of Elthia’s face that decided Rika. “Will we be allowed to leave after we meet with your lord?”

            The other three stared at her. The soldier nodded. “Lord Zobah has made it clear that he wishes no harm to come to you. He wishes to meet and has said that after, you will be free to do as you like.”

            She nodded. It didn’t look like they had any kind of choice, not with the number of men in front of them, and she’d seen a brief flash of blue behind the rise across from them. She had a feeling that there were more soldiers scattered about the area looking for, all of whom would likely come running if this group called for help. “Then we’ll go see this lord.”