Honor Among Thieves: The Druid's Call by E.K. Johnston

Author:E.K. Johnston [Johnston, E.K.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Random House Worlds
Published: 2023-02-27T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 12

“Have any of you ever fought anything before?” Palanus asked as they ate breakfast several days later. They’d arrived home from their impromptu camping trip the previous night after a few days of roughing it in the woods, mostly hale and healthy, though very much in need of baths and, in Leander’s case, a remedy for poison oak. They were all attacking Open’s hot breakfast with considerable gusto.

“I used to push my brother in the creek,” Gragwen said. “Does that count?”

“Did he fight back?” Palanus asked.

“Well, yes,” Gragwen said. “And he did try to dump me first.”

“Then it counts,” Palanus declared. “Anyone else?”

There was no answer. Doric wasn’t really surprised, though she was a bit curious as to why Leander hadn’t also admitted to scrummaging with his siblings. He always wanted to look more experienced. Maybe he was an only child.

Palanus finished eating and neatly wiped the corner of their mouth before polishing each tusk.

“When you’re finished, come out to the clearing,” Palanus told them. “Don’t take too long.”

They were less than two minutes behind Palanus. No one wanted to fight on a full stomach anyway.

Palanus took them to the far end of the clearing, to the area where the rangers had set up their targets. These had been pushed out of the way this morning, opening the dewy grass for whatever Palanus had in mind. After the camping trip, Doric felt like anything might happen, but at least they were still within sight of where they slept. She could handle anything here. Probably. The idea of combat made her a bit nervous. She hunted, and she argued, but the thought of turning the spells she’d learned to fighting was altogether different.

“Druids do not fight for good, and they do not fight for evil,” Palanus said. “We fight for balance, for nature. Today we will practice what you already know.”

Around the half-orc, the wind picked up. It didn’t escape farther than six feet in a circle around them, which meant they held it perfectly under control. Doric felt herself shifting away from them instinctively, not knowing where the strike would come from or what it would be. There was nothing to hide behind here, and nothing she could see that could be called for defense. They hadn’t even stopped to get armor and shields on their way out. Her sling was in the pocket on her belt because she hadn’t clipped it to her arm yet, and she had only a few stones in that same pocket.

The earth rumbled around Palanus’s feet, the effect rippling out around them, as though they were the epicenter of an earthquake. Jowenys and Cassa tried to jump to avoid the shaking, but the ground they landed on was still moving, and they didn’t stay standing. Remigold and Gragwen tried to stay on their feet and were unsuccessful. Mistral at least fell gracefully. Doric dexterously maneuvered over the unstable ground until she escaped the range of the tremors. She was aware that Leander had done the same thing, and they were the only two still on their feet when the ground stilled.

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