Blood Feud: A Legends of Ansu Novel by J.W. Webb

Author:J.W. Webb [Webb, J.W.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2020-07-15T22:00:00+00:00

17

Keep Them Close

Vian counted nine men, all seated in various positions around their dismal campfire. A dark night, the misty freckle of snowflakes spinning down, winking then fading on the hard, dry ground. He leaned on the Chiang spear and listened in. The round-faced one with the heavy moustache was poking a stick in the sorry-looking fire. He must be the leader, as most were listening to his words in silence. If these were outlaw robbers—and surely, they must be—then they had fallen on hard times of late. All nine, lounging idle or seated on logs, looked hard done by, some recovering from wounds, their eyes bloodshot, the faces lean and hungry.

All looked exhausted, a few angry, a few more dangerous with shifting eyes, as though looking to blame someone for their plight. Vian smiled, sensing an opportunity here. They were angry, too, looking at their leader who was still poking the fire. Finally, a gaunt-faced, snarly-looking one couldn’t hold back any longer. “We’ll starve if we stay in this wood much longer. No fucking game to hunt, on account of the bastard Magister claiming it all for himself.”

“I doubt Chulan’s involved personally,” the leader said, glancing around in the dark. Vian shifted his stance slightly and smiled. This older man was cleverer than the others. Calmer. A thinker, thus one to watch. He stopped poking the fire and glared at the thin one who’d just spoken. “What do you suggest, Roile? We stagger out into the fields and wave fucking flags? I don’t fancy Chulan’s rusty saw chewing into my neck.”

“I’m just saying—stay here and we’ll be a lot thinner, on account of being dead. Fuck Drolly and that red-haired bitch—left us to die.”

“Doubt she had much choice,” the older man said. “That Card patrol leader didn’t look like the type who’d spare the sword on a woman. I miss the lass,” he said after a moment’s repose. “She was bright, feisty—and a lot better looking than you, Roile.”

Vian chose that precise moment to walk out from his hide.

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.