The Inquisition by Taran Matharu

Author:Taran Matharu [Matharu, Taran]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781444924251
Published: 2016-05-04T23:00:00+00:00

23

‘What the hell were you thinking?’ Uhtred bellowed, slamming his fist on to the table.

They were in the cellar of the Anvil, getting the dressing-down of their lives. Uhtred had arrived a few minutes before and had dragged them down there as soon as he had heard their story, afraid that people would be watching the tavern for signs of movement after the Anvil attack.

‘What if you had been spotted?’ he growled, advancing on the three of them. ‘The only dwarven soldier for miles around and you just happen to be there when the bomb goes off. We’re in the Anvil Tavern, for pity’s sake. You just got off on a charge of treason. If word gets out, your mission will do more harm than good – people will think you’re traitors!’

‘I think it’s safe to say I was seen,’ Othello muttered. ‘But with my beard shaved, they might not have taken me for a dwarf, just a very short man. It was dark and crowded and everyone was drunk. Most of the people who saw me probably died in the explosion.’

‘It was my idea to go,’ Fletcher added, as Othello shrunk under his father’s gaze. ‘But how were we to know that there was going to be an attack? We just wanted a look at the front lines.’

Uhtred opened his mouth, then grimaced and closed it again.

‘Be that as it may, you three are on very thin ice,’ he said, though his expression had softened.

‘Can you keep it down?’ Jeffrey mumbled, clutching his head. ‘I’m dying here.’

‘Serves you right,’ Uhtred grumbled, though he handed the boy a flask of water from his hip. ‘Get this down you. We need you on top form for the mission tomorrow.’

Othello groaned aloud at the mention of the mission and Uhtred rounded on him again.

‘Forgot about that, had you? The future of Hominum depends on you, both to unify the nation and to destroy the goblin threat. I dread to think what King Harold would say if he knew what happened tonight.’

Fletcher hung his head in shame, but part of his mind was busy wondering how Uhtred would react if he knew that a sleeping gremlin was in the rucksack now hanging on the bannister to the cellar stairs. He had no idea what he was going to do with the little creature, and Othello hadn’t been much help. Jeffrey, on the other hand, was oblivious, having gone into a stupor immediately upon entering the carriage.

Uhtred glanced at Fletcher’s pistols and then sighed, removing one from its holster and sighting down it.

‘Did my son at least teach you how to load and fire these while you were out there?’ he asked, though his tone suggested he already knew the answer.

‘Well … with the explosion and everything …’ Fletcher mumbled, avoiding Othello’s eyes.

‘You won’t be able to practise in the jungle, they’ll hear you miles off,’ Uhtred said, exasperated. ‘There won’t be time tomorrow either. This place is soundproof enough, though it might hurt our ears a bit.

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