The Gravemen by North Melissa

Author:North, Melissa [North, Melissa]
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Tags: fantasy, M/M romance
Publisher: Less Than Three Press
Published: 2013-04-16T05:00:00+00:00

Chapter Ten

If Asdelar had held any hopes the game would help ease the tension between his companions, those hopes were quickly shot down by sunrise the next day and continued to plummet for the remainder of the day.

He had spent the majority of the journey teasing and baiting Hinego, but to see Fikin do it only made him sympathetic. Fikin seemed to find his new game immensely entertaining and heckled Hinego throughout the morning. Hinego managed to keep a leash on his temper for the most part, but every now and then he would snarl back a fierce retort. Asdelar guiltily promised himself he would not tease him so much in the future, then promptly forgot the vow an hour later.

"Why so grumpy, Red?" Fikin sneered, obviously delighted at having earned another outburst after his merciless badgering. "Didn't get enough sleep?"

"I wonder whose fault that is."

"You do snore," Asdelar said with a wry grin. "Rather loudly, in fact."

"I never!" Fikin feigned shock. "I sleep silent as the dead, I do."

"If you say so."

Hinego snorted loudly in derision.

Fikin retaliated by wrapping his arms more firmly around Asdelar's waist from where he rode behind him. He returned Hinego's dark look with a cheeky smile.

"You won't fall off," Asdelar assured him over his shoulder, misreading the move. "Have you never ridden a horse before?"

Fikin shrugged, refusing to slacken his comfortable grip. "Once or twice. Horses are too expensive, and they're not as tough as mules. Big beasts. I feel too far off the ground."

"You're not a bad rider," Asdelar complimented. "I've seen worse."

Hinego cut in before Fikin could twist that innocent statement around. "There's a rest stop just ahead. We'll stop for a moment to water the horses and make sure we're still on the right track."

"A rest stop?" Asdelar looked at him in confusion, already reaching for his map. "How do you know?"

Hinego pointed at a slender stick thrust in the dirt alongside the road, a red ribbon flapping from its end. "That's a makeshift sign post. A band of Imalt-wor is doing a customs check on this road. It's customary to do so every hundred miles or so, to weed out smugglers and look for bounties. This group must have come from Lehaim." He stopped suddenly, suspicion and surprise flashing across his face before he carefully concealed his emotions. "Later," he mouthed when Asdelar sent him a curious look.

As Hinego had predicted, two miles down the road they came across a pair of tents and a small band of Imalt-wor. Two were on horseback off the side of the road, obviously ready to pursue anyone stupid enough to attempt to rush through. They nodded in recognition of a fellow Red as Hinego led the way towards the man waiting just outside one of the tents.

Fikin looked increasingly uneasy as they approached, and Hinego seized the opportunity to get him out of his hair. "Water the horses," he ordered, nodding towards a trough as he dismounted. "We'll take care of this."

Looking relieved,

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