Dragonlance: Ergoth, Book 03 - A Hero's Justice by Paul B. Thompson

Author:Paul B. Thompson [Thompson, Paul B.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 978-0-7869-3397-6
Publisher: Fanversion Publishing
Published: 2015-12-31T16:00:00+00:00

Word of Tylocost’s coup reached Tol, causing excitement among the landed hordes. A cache of treasure would be a welcome addition to their war chest, which, as Egrin wryly pointed out, previously had comprised whatever coins they happened to have on them.

Tol left Egrin and the bulk of the army to continue harrying the nomads from the country and rode swiftly to meet up with Tylocost. With him, he took Riders from Lord Trudo’s Oaken Shield Horde and Argonnel’s Iron Scythe Horde, some one thousand men on the swiftest horses. Trudo and Argonnel came as well.

Arriving at Tylocost’s camp, Tol was cheered even more to discover Kiya there.

Kiya took him by the shoulders and shook him. “Husband! Are you getting enough sleep?”

“Only in the saddle,” he joked.

After this characteristically brief reunion, Kiya led him to Tylocost.

The elf’s rough tally of the treasure cache-even with all the kender “borrowings”-was impressive. Unwilling to burden their ponies with too much heavy loot, the nomads had made the airless ravine the repository for nearly all the wealth stolen from the eastern provinces.

Tol went to pay his respects to the queen of Hylo. Casberry’s first words brought a smile to his face.

“Don’t forget your loyal allies, my lord, when it comes time to divide up all that lovely gold!”

They grinned at each other. The queen’s face was partially. obscured by a jewel-encrusted tiara made to sit upon a brow much larger than hers.

Kiya took Tol aside and told him how they had found Helbin. It was her considered opinion the Red Robe was spying for the emperor. Tol acknowledged this was possible. Unlike his high-minded, White Robe colleagues, Yoralyn and Oropash, Helbin had always struck Tol as an opportunist.

Kiya, Tol, and an escort of warriors then went to where Kiya had left the wizard. They arrived just in time to discover Zala standing before the wizard with her sword at his throat. She told them the Red Robe claimed to be on their side, to be working for the same patron as she.

“That remains to be seen,” Tol replied. “Master Helbin, you’ll be judged by how you behave, so no tricks.”

With great dignity, Helbin nodded once. Tol cut his tether and bade the wizard follow him. They returned to the campfire. Casberry was sitting in her sedan chair, which rested on the ground. Front and Back lay nearby, snoring softly.

In spite of Helbin’s tacit cooperation, Tol left the wizard’s wrists bound. Two guards stood behind him. Folding his beringed hands in his lap, Helbin settled himself on the ground across the campfire from Tol.

“Speak, wizard,” Tol said at last. “Why are you so far from your tower?”

Helbin met Tol’s eyes squarely. “I cannot talk freely before so many, my lord. There’s no telling to whom all these ears belong.”

“Hang him and be done with it,” Tylocost commented.

Judging by the expressions around the fire, most agreed with this suggestion. Either offended or frightened, Helbin remained silent.

“So you claim to work for Zala’s patron…” Tol said. Like the half-elf, he avoided using Valaran’s name openly.

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