Askalon's Reckoning by Shannon Blake

Author:Shannon Blake
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Areion Media, LLC

TWENTY-FOUR

It didn’t take long for Jared’s men to arrive. Dressed in Triumvirate uniforms, they had cut straight through the Village, not fearing any interference from the other patrols. As soon as they had Gervais safely gagged, with his hands bound behind his back, Deor and Rafe clambered back up onto the road.

“Take him back to headquarters,” Rafe told the soldiers. “I’m sure Jared will want to ask him plenty of questions.”

They continued their trek up the boulevard. Sahara glanced back over her shoulder once and saw Jared’s men half-carrying, half-dragging Gervais back down the road into the city. She shivered a little.

“I’m glad you caught sight of him,” she said to Deor. “That could have been the end of us, no question.”

Deor shrugged and grinned at her. “I’m just glad I got the jump on him. Did you see the size of the man?”

The gray sky overhead had reached its lightest when they finally gained the summit of the hill. The road ended abruptly at the massive arched entrance to the Great House and transitioned to a drive of finely crushed white rock. Even in the dull light, Sahara could still see the slight shimmer of the stones.

“I bet this was something to see in the sunshine,” Rafe said, gesturing to the drive.

“Where are the guards?” Deor asked, his eyes searching to the left and right of their position.

It was all eerily still and silent within the curving walls. They stepped inside the arch and stopped again, scanning the area for any sign of movement. Huge skeletons of trees marched in even lines down the sides of the drive, the gray remains of a greener world, but nothing stirred.

“Let’s move,” murmured Deor, beckoning them forward.

They moved quickly, following the lane until the trees halted at the edge of a drive that looped around what must once have been an exquisite garden of flowers and stone. Only the stones remained. A rectangular pool, which had once reflected the sun-soaked sky in its still waters and was now parched and cracked, occupied the central space.

Sahara shook her head, feeling her throat tighten as she drank in the barrenness around them.

“What?” Deor asked, seeing the motion.

“It’s just so sad,” she said softly. “Isn’t it? I mean, you can see what it used to be...it’s like a ruined icon. Maybe one day it will all be restored.”

“Men who are consumed by greed and hate have no time for love or beauty,” observed Rafe. “All this...it’s like looking into their souls.”

Sahara regarded him in surprise. “How philosophical of you!”

“I have my moments,” Rafe grinned.

“At last. Someone’s finally come to greet us.”

They turned to see Deor pointing toward the manor house. Two soldiers, dressed in the black Triumvirate uniforms and carrying heavy pikes, were headed across the courtyard.

“Here we go,” Deor murmured, taking a deep breath. “Let’s give them a show.”

He strode forward to meet them, and Rafe and Sahara fell in behind him. “You there!” Deor shouted, waving at the soldiers. “Is there no ceremony left in Askalon?”

They met beside the pool, and the taller of the two guards shook his head.

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