Siegestone: Book 1 of the Gemstones and Giants Trilogy by E.S. Maya

Author:E.S. Maya [Maya, E.S.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2020-11-17T06:00:00+00:00

As they crossed the vast, orange expanse of Lazar’s Crossing, stepping around Titan stones both large and small, and sweating profusely from the overhead sun, Raven said not a word.

Safi gave the Anderan her most suspicious eye. If it wasn’t apparent before, now it was obvious. The girl was up to something.

They arrived upon the outskirts of the Main Camp, a fair distance from the large stone church and its tall steeple tower, thank the Titans for that. Raven seemed to know the way by heart. She led Safi down several narrow alleyways, through a maze of old wooden buildings that would have been impossible to navigate alone.

Safi did not miss how silent the girl’s footsteps had become, despite the hard and dusty ground.

When they heard voices ahead, Raven perked up and quickened her pace. Safi strode to match her. Not long after, the sounds of laughter and merriment carried through the air, filling the narrow alleyway at an overwhelming pace.

Safi shielded her eyes as the alleyway ended, and a bright and dusty main road began. It must have been payday for the whole camp, for Blessing Day celebrations were in full effect. The road was packed with blue-shirted recruits, but they looked nothing like the boys of the Fivers’ Camp. These were the fully grown men of Blackpoint, thick and weathered, who navigated the bustle with smiles on their satisfied faces. There were even a few red-dressed women among them, who were the objects of much attention. Why, they were wearing red dresses like the ones she and Raven were wearing….

She kept Raven within arm’s reach as they walked down the main road. Unlike the Craftsman’s district, the buildings here stood tall and wide, separated by a countless number of dark alleyways. To her disappointment, they passed far more taverns than restaurants and storefronts. She glanced through the open doorways, watching men, young and old alike, drinking from large wooden tankards. Drinking like they had quotas. And women as well, just as drunk and twice as rambunctious, hanging off arms and elbows. Flirting with or scolding the men, and sometimes neither, and sometimes both at once.

She nearly yelped when Raven took hold of her wrist, dragging her into the nearest alleyway and heaving her against a building. She hit the wall with a grunt. “What was that for?”

“Be silent!” Squatting low, Raven hobbled to the edge of the alleyway. Safi leaned over the smaller girl and peered down the busy avenue.

And saw them. Down the road, garbed in red, approached a pair of male enforcers. Their long capes brushed the heels of their dusty boots, only this time, their usual steady gait had been replaced by a slight wobble. They laughed more often than enforcers ought to, stopping frequently to chat with recruits and even offering the occasional pat on the back. That behavior between enforcer and recruit felt wrong, unnatural. Like it broke one of Camp Cronus’ unspoken laws. Here was a familiarity bordering on friendship.

As the enforcers came closer, Safi noticed Raven shuffling nervously in place.

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