Corruption of Honor, Pt. III: The Divide by A.M. Rycroft

Author:A.M. Rycroft [Rycroft, A.M.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Amazon: B07ZBT2HWC
Publisher: Mighty Quill Books
Published: 2020-01-29T05:00:00+00:00

18

Taking Sides

THE SALT breeze tugged at Thomas’s cloak and lifted the hood on his head, blowing through the gaps and down the back of his neck as he watched men on the deck of the Griffin readying the caravel for launch. Another raid. Another set of dead to bring back and bury. Maybe it would be his body among the dead this time.

One had to be realistic about these things.

He already felt dead tired from the search for Shaun and Alyssa, then the rest of the night spent tossing in his cot. The rise and fall of the deck under him was making him vaguely nauseous.

If given the choice, he’d rather still be in his cot, but the soldier sent to rouse him was clear about Farrash wanting him dressed and at the docks before the sun hit the horizon. So here he was.

Jak stood next to him, arms crossed tightly across his chest, fighting the wind the same as he was. “I don’t like you being here. Not after last night. I think it only fair to let you know that.”

His nose was considerably less swollen and purple than the night before. He must have taken a detour to the infirmary on his way back to his tent. The crook in it was unchanged, however. Aesthetics were apparently unimportant to whichever healer tended to it.

“I am not anymore keen on this than you.”

Jak nodded, shivering in the wind. “I miss Riverend. Whether it’s cloudy or not, always the wind blows here, cold and salty. It’s hell on the skin.” He looked over at Thomas and fell silent, staring.

The constant salt in the air was the one thing that didn’t bother him about The Twins. Perhaps it had something to do with his darker skin tone. Jak’s was far paler, though right now his cheeks were blotchy and red.

Jak muttered, “Well, it’s hell on my skin at least.” He turned his eyes back to the sea.

Thomas changed the subject, tired of his whining. “Why haven’t we shoved off already?”

“We’re waiting for Fredrik.”

Now he understood why Farrash wanted him here. “Why is he going to the mainland?”

Jak shrugged. “All I know is a scouting party came back from the mainland last night and reported that they saw a slew of Mordwellians swarming a hillside eastward of Verik. I imagine that’s where we are headed.”

Interesting. Verik was near Cressor’s border. He would have expected the Mordwellians to pull back and regroup, if the reports about their heavy losses in the battle in Cressor’s capital were true.

Jak snapped to attention a moment before the Griffin’s first mate called out, “His majesty on deck!”

Thomas came to attention with the others as Fredrik and his entourage swept off the gangway and onto the wide planks of the ship’s main deck.

The Griffin’s captain, Fentin Lindock, addressed him, “Sire, what is our destination?”

The interim king looked almost like he belonged in the job with his dark green cloak over bright chainmail and polished greaves strapped to his legs.

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