Draconian Measures by Margaret Weis & Don Perrin

Author:Margaret Weis & Don Perrin [Weis, Margaret & Perrin, Don]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: General, Fantasy, Fiction, Historical, Science Fiction & Fantasy, Fantasy - General, Fiction - Fantasy, Fantasy - Series, Dragons, Modern & contemporary fiction (post c 1945), General & Literary Fiction
ISBN: 9780786916788
Publisher: Wizards of the Coast
Published: 2000-12-01T05:00:00+00:00

Chapter Thirteen

Kang and his men left the keep in the gray dawn. They were offered breakfast, but Kang refused, saying quite truthfully that they had a lot of territory to cover and that they would eat the trail food they had brought with them on the road. His stomach clenched at the thought of the mutton they had devoured so carelessly last night. A bit of poison slipped into the meat and no one would have been the wiser. Yes, they would have, Kang reflected. If he died, Groupcommander Zeck would have had to explain the shattering explosion when Kang's bones blew up. Much quieter to kill them on the road and blame the goblins. Not even Slith would think to question their disappearance. Certainly General Maranta would not.

"He'd probably figure we deserted," Kang muttered to himself. He wondered briefly what Huzzad had meant about new dragon Overlords, served by powerful dTaconians. He wished they'd had more time to taik, but he didn't propose to hang about and discuss world politics.

He and his escort took the main road for as long as they were visible from the walls of the keep. Rounding a curve, they continued on the road down a steep hill. When they could no longer see the towers of the keep, Kang was certain that the watchers on the walls could no longer see them.

"Do you think we're being followed?" Kang asked. Granak and the others sniffed the air.

"No, sir," Granak said.

"Of course, they wouldn't," Kang answered his own question.

"Why should they? They know where we're going. They're down the road waiting to ambush us."

At this point, the road ran alongside the river. Kang continued on a short distance until he found a place where the river narrowed slightly. The water was ice cold and ran swift after the rain, but the draconians were all strong swimmers. Taking care to obliterate any tracks they had left on the muddy ground, Kang plunged into the water and swam ahead, using his powerful arms to fight the current that sought to carry him back in the direction of the keep. They reached the other side, hauled themselves out, and proceeded along the riverbank. They could keep the road in sight and yet not be seen. The pass Huzzad had mentioned was beyond where they had met up with that mounted patrol. Kang figured that they should reach the bridge some time late that afternoon. Once there, they could safely return to the road.

They traveled along the river's edge, screened from the road by the trees and the expanse of the river. They could hear and sometimes see people traveling along the road, Knights on horseback and once a company of pikeman. They saw no signs of any ambush, however, and Kang was starting to think that Huzzad had been wrong. Not about Groupcommander Zeck. Kang had no doubt the groupcommander would be happy to be rid of him. But ambushing a few draconians probably just wasn't worth the effort.

"After all, the goblins are going to kill us anyway," Kang said to himself.

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