A Sword Named Vengeance by Ryan Kirk

Author:Ryan Kirk [Kirk, Ryan]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Waterstone Media

23

Tomas stood outside the general store, wondering once more if he’d made the right choice in coming here alone. Ben’s final words had crawled under his skin, worming their way deep into his stomach, pulling it into a knot.

He’d crossed blades with the church a few times. For a group that proclaimed to carry the light into the darkness, they preferred to work in the shadows. Everyone knew the church was powerful, but few understood just how deep their roots extended. They preferred it that way. For all their scheming, they were rarely disruptive.

Their actions in Razin were too aggressive.

He should get Angela. She’d know how to approach the situation.

But she had at least a dozen problems competing for her attention. And it was just a general store. Hardly a place to fear.

He pushed the door open before he could talk himself out of it.

And immediately regretted his choice.

A giant stood behind the counter, his chest as wide as a cannon. When he spoke, his voice boomed like one, too. “Greetings!”

Tomas couldn’t see the man’s lips move. He had an enormous mess of facial hair, a full beard that covered the whole bottom half of his face and stretched down low enough that Ben’s children could swing from it.

Tomas gave a small bow and began. “My name is Tomas and I—”

“I know who you are!” the giant interrupted. “We all do! The man who saved Hadwyn. Whatever you need, you will find Yanric offers you the best deals, on account of your heroism.”

Tomas wasn’t quite sure what to say. “Thanks. But I actually came here because I had a question I hoped you might answer.”

Yanric frowned but shrugged. “An odd request.”

“Angela and I believe that all these attacks in town are coming from someplace outside Razin. We think they are all hiding in a farm somewhere.”

“No one in Razin would do what these scum have done,” Yanric agreed.

“It occurred to me that such a group would have need for supplies,” Tomas said, claiming credit for Ben’s idea. “Has there been anyone in here purchasing more supplies than normal, or anything suspicious?”

Yanric thought for a moment, then shook his head. “Nothing comes to mind.” He pulled out a ledger from behind the counter and opened it. He flipped page after page over, running his finger down the column of figures. Elzeth burned gently, allowing Tomas to run his own eye down the figures.

Yanric’s claim was supported by the ledger. None of the numbers were terribly large. Not enough to supply the number of people Tomas imagined.

Tomas swallowed hard as he considered his next question carefully. “I don’t suppose there’s anyone not in the ledger? People you simply have promises with?”

Yanric stood up to his full height. Tomas didn’t think the man would attack, but it had definitely been the wrong question. “If it comes through my store, it’s in the ledger,” he said.

“Right.” Tomas didn’t press the issue, and besides, he believed Yanric. The man oozed pride in his town. He didn’t seem the type to help the church tear it down.

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