Steel and Sorrow: Book Two of the Blood and Tears Trilogy by Joshua P. Simon

Author:Joshua P. Simon
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Tags: Fantasy
Published: 2012-08-28T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter 23

“Get up you worthless piece of garbage. No son of mine would be lying on the floor like that.”

Kroke growled as he heard his father’s voice inside his head. The man had been dead going on twenty years, yet Kroke’s hate for him had never waned. At the age of twelve he had killed his father, tired of the man’s abuse of him and his family. The rape of Kroke’s older sister had pushed him over the edge.

He rolled himself off the stone floor and sat up in a foul mood. The smell of molding straw from the corner of his cell didn’t help his demeanor.

And no one even thanked me. They all thought me the bigger monster for taking his life. He swore under his breath. I hope they all go to the One Below.

Kroke lifted a hand to his face, feeling first the dried blood, and then the knot above his eye where the spear butt had struck him.

Against his better judgment he had allowed himself to be captured.

That woman is going to be the death of me. I should have fought them. Better to die fighting than like this.

Three plain stone walls and one of iron bars faced outward to what appeared to be a long hallway. The flickering light provided by torches hanging on the wall sconces didn’t allow him to see much else.

He spat. Worse than Jeldor’s dungeons.

“Psst.”

Kroke jumped at the sound and his hand went for a knife. Naturally, he found none.

“Kroke. Is that you? Are you awake?”

“Who’s there?” he hissed.

“It’s Geran.”

“Who?” asked Kroke.

“Geran. I’m a member of the Royal Guard.”

“Ah,” said Kroke, wishing he had paid attention to the names of the men he had traveled with. “What happened to Elyse?”

“I think the queen is being held on a separate level. I know she isn’t down here.”

“Who is down here?”

“Four others from the guard. We’re the only ones who survived when we were attacked.”

“Four? Can any of you still fight?”

“Not all of us. Niken and I are ok. The captain is also with us, but he’s still unconscious after Markus questioned him earlier. They’re doing the same to Faust right now. It seems like we’re going to be next.”

“Do you know what they’re looking for?” asked Kroke.

“Not specifically,” said Geran.

“Were you all awake when they brought us down here?”

“Yes, why?”

“Start giving me details. Anything you can remember. How many floors down we are, the number of guards, possible routes of escape, potential problems—anything you can think of.”

“Why? It’s not like we can get out of here.”

“Just do it,” snapped Kroke.

“Sure,” said Geran, his voice a little shaky. “But Niken has a better memory for that sort of thing.”

“Quit wasting time and someone start talking.” Kroke listened intently while he searched himself, double-checking to make sure the guards found all his knives. He had to give them credit. They were thorough.

Good thing I keep more than knives on me.

Out of habit, Kroke dressed in little armor, hating the way it restricted his movements.

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