The Elf and the Amulet by Chris Africa

Author:Chris Africa [Africa, Chris]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: UNKNOWN
Published: 2017-10-03T22:00:00+00:00

18: Northmen

Pounding shook Chassy out of the first sound sleep he'd had in weeks. Andrev, nearest to the door, stuck out his head.

"What do you want, waking us up this time of night?"

Samuel, the guard’s son, was in the hallway, banging on every door. Angry sleepers spilled into the hallway, including more than a few unfamiliar faces.

"Here, what is all this lad?" William grabbed Samuel's arm before he could knock on another door.

"Northmen have come—Dalatois and half-giants from Across. There’s a messenger at the gate, says he was sent to warn you to run!" Samuel's voice was breathless, excited. "He says you must leave immediately."

William frowned. The entire crew was now gathered around them.

"This makes no sense," he asked. "Are you sure you’re waking the right people?"

Samuel nodded. "Yes, sir. The messenger described Nita," he said.

"This messenger... what did he look like?" Chassy asked.

"Skinny blond fellow. Hair down to here. He wears a messenger’s badge, come all the way from Orchard Vale," Samuel said.

Had the Dalatois and half-giants been there, too? Chassy’s stomach churned. More creatures from stories, come to life. These were the monsters he had always imagined fighting. And yet, now that the opportunity was upon him, all he wanted to do was run.

"All right, then, we ride!" William said. "Let’s move."

"You’re going with us?" Chassy blurted. "Right now? In the middle of the night?"

"Of course we’re going with you, boy. Do you really think the three of you could face Northmen alone and live to brag about it?" Yosef said, clapping him on the back.

"Besides," added William, "they will know now that we're one party, so we're in as much danger as you. Now dress, and stop talking."

By the time Chassy and Andrev finally emerged from the inn, Captain Longboat was shoving freshly baked loaves of bread into their hands. It was nicely browned and covered in little seeds. Nita tossed hers from hand to hand, but Chassy just ripped off a piece and shoved it into his mouth. An unhappy looking Robert emerged with the team and wagon.

"Boy said to hitch them up straight away. What I want to know is how you expect this team to move again in full dark without even—hello, what's this?"

"It's my own team, Lor—William, sir," Captain Longboat stuttered to William. "Yours is better bred, but mine is good horses, sir, and fresh to boot. Won’t spook in the Blackwood, nor anywhere else you're likely to go. And seeing as how you need to leave in a hurry..."

William smiled. He seemed not to notice that the captain had nearly called him "Lord William," but Chassy had noticed, and Andrev was giving him a significant look.

"For your troubles, Captain," William said, pressing a coin to the innkeeper's palm. "We need three more. No wagon rides tonight, I'm afraid."

"Three?" the captain’s mouth was hanging open, but William closed it with a few more coins pressed to his palm.

"Tell the boy to hurry. Now, where is that messenger? I want to speak with him personally.

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