The Serpent Kings (Serpent Kings Saga Book One) by James Somers

Author:James Somers [Somers, James]
Language: eng
Format: azw3
Publisher: Grace Publishing
Published: 2013-02-23T05:00:00+00:00

UNSAVORY DEEDS

Ezekiah sighed as he stood staring down the main entrance corridor of the castle. The main door had just been kicked open by Varen on his way out; fuming over Ezekiah’s denial for weapons he had just requested. The escort guard had followed with instructions by the prophet to be sure Varen’s company, all of them, made it down to the base camp before they left them.

“Well, that couldn’t have gone any worse,” Donavan stated, half a grin sidling across his face.

Ezekiah nodded solemnly. “I had not expected much to be accomplished,” he admitted. They turned and began walking leisurely back into the castle. “I’m still not sure what the point was. Why would Varen come?”

Donavan kept pace with the prophet, feeling exhausted by the evening with Varen and his men. “He had to know how you would respond to such requests,” he said. “I know I would.”

Ezekiah nodded, pondering the evening’s events. “Strange,” he murmured, more to himself than Donavan.

As they rounded the corner, shouts echoed to them from the bisecting corridor ahead. “Master Ezekiah! Come quickly!” Tobias shouted.

Donavan noticed the boy first as he ran toward them. “Isn’t that the boy from the Conroy massacre?” he asked.

Ezekiah started toward Tobias, answering Donavan’s question with a sidelong glance.

“Master Ezekiah,” Tobias shouted again as he reached the two men, gasping for breath, having ran all the way.

“What is it, Tobias?” Ezekiah said, not imagining that there could actually be any real trouble here inside Thorn Mountain.

Tobias locked eyes with the prophet. “There’s a dead man in your room, sir.”

Donavan seemed as though he hadn’t understood what the boy had said. “A what? Dead man?”

“Are you sure?” Ezekiah asked, gripping Tobias by the shoulders.

“Yes, sir, I think it might be a guard,” Tobias said.

Ezekiah could sense only truth emanating from the boy. He didn’t know how it could be, but either Tobias thought he had seen something, or he was right.

As he let go of the boy, Tobias shot ahead of them, leading the way down the corridor toward Ezekiah’s room. Donavan and Ezekiah followed on his heels, both growing more concerned the closer they came.

Reaching the doorway, Ezekiah’s heart sank in his chest. He could see that the lock had been forced, letting the door stand open slightly. Inside his room, they found the body of Bartholomew, one of the infantry soldiers who had volunteered to stand watch over Ezekiah’s room while Varen and his party were at Thorn Mountain for their conference.

The young soldier laid face down looking as though he’d merely fell over dead. Ezekiah knelt next to Bartholomew’s body, examining him for any apparent wounds. His face was beginning to discolor, and his eyes were fixed and dilated. “Let’s roll him over,” Ezekiah said, beginning to reach under the corpse for leverage.

Donavan knelt beside him and together they turned the body. Both men looked at Bartholomew and then one another, puzzled. “Where’s the wound?” Donavan said, asking the obvious question.

“Very strange, indeed,” Ezekiah said, taking a closer look at the man’s neck.

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