Academy of Secrets: From the Outcast Angels Christian Fantasy & Science Fiction series by Carney Michael

Author:Carney, Michael [Carney, Michael]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2016-02-28T18:30:00+00:00

SIXTY-SEVEN

Smolensk, Tsardom of Russia, 5.45 a.m. Wednesday May 19 1610

A short time later, Polish sentries hailed Shamar as he approached the main camp.

“Halt! Who goes there?”

Security was tight with the king in the camp. Shamar smiled—in such circumstances, his own supernatural abilities came into their own.

“You know who I am,” he said, “I’m with the king’s entourage. I arrived here yesterday.”

The two Polish soldiers manning the forward guard post looked at each other and nodded. Shamar’s heavenly gift was that when people looked at him, they saw a close friend who they unconsciously recognized as being on their side, whose word they would take at face value.

The guards readily allowed Shamar to have unfettered access to the camp—and everyone who saw him treated him as one of their own, despite his inappropriate clothing and lack of documentation.

Shamar walked through the camp, nodding and smiling. He was warned not to get too close to the city below, lest the Russian snipers use him for target practice.

A group of otherwise-vigilant guards recognized Shamar—or believed that they did—and he was soon directed to the command tent close to the front line, where the king was talking with his generals. Once he entered the tent, Shamar inspected the Polish and Ukrainian troops inside, searching for anyone who didn’t belong.

Shamar had barely begun his inspection when, out of the blue, King Sigismund spoke to those around him.

“What was that? I didn’t understand you?”

His generals looked at each other. One, braver than the rest, spoke up. “Majesty, we didn’t say a word.”

“Of course you did,” said Sigismund irritably. “I’m not deaf—I heard you, plain as day. I didn’t understand the language, that’s all.”

The king paused, listened. “There you go again. What is it you’re saying? Speak in Polish or be damned!”

The generals looked at each other, embarrassed and perplexed. Whatever was happening here, they didn’t want the common soldiers to see it. They ordered everybody out of the command tent except senior officers and the king’s staff. Shamar, of course, was left alone—those who saw him were convinced that he had a perfect right to be there.

That makes my task much easier, thought Shamar. He took a close look at those who remained in the tent, as the king shouted out again. “What do you want? Leave me alone!”

One of the king’s aides attempted to calm him down, but the king was having none of it. “Don’t waste your time with me. Find whoever’s shouting at me. Make them stop!”

Everyone in the tent was now openly staring at King Sigismund. Everyone, that is, except one Ukrainian Cossack officer, who was actively attempting to avoid looking at the king. Is he trying to be polite or does he have another agenda, wondered Shamar.

Shamar took a closer look. He saw a very young man, overweight, greasy black hair, wearing an ill-fitting Ukrainian Cossack uniform and sweating nervously. Surely he’s too young to be an officer. He must be the one.

Shamar walked up to the purported Ukrainian officer and spoke to him in Napoletano.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.