Tower of Silence by Larry Correia

Author:Larry Correia [Correia, Larry]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Tags: Fiction, Fantasy, Epic, Military, Action & Adventure
ISBN: 9781982192532
Google: itE5zwEACAAJ
Amazon: 1982192534
Publisher: Baen
Published: 2023-04-04T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter 20

Jagdish was uneasy. This errand had already taken him away from his duties at the border for longer than he liked. He had left solid officers in charge of the defenses, but they weren’t him. A warrior shouldn’t let his pride dictate his actions, yet if he let this level of offense pass, he wouldn’t be much of a warrior at all. Troubling him also were thoughts of his daughter, currently traveling toward the relative safety of Vadal City. Pari had her maid and guards and would surely be excited to go on such a journey. She’d probably miss him, but she was brave like her mother.

Being away from family was a warrior’s lot in life.

The northern woods were thick, overgrown with moss, and teeming with game. The fact they saw no hunters told him that Joshi’s assessment was accurate. The workers of Vadal weren’t hungry enough to hunt someplace they thought to be haunted.

Like all Law-fearing men, Jagdish had no use for such myths, but if things went bad with the Inquisitors, he’d happily leave a few more dead bodies to haunt the place. Except he’d have preferred to tend to that sort of affair in front of loyal warriors only and without outside witnesses. Rada and Karno had complicated his life once again.

As their horses plodded down the uneven trail, Jagdish turned back to check on his guests. He was honor bound to help Rada because she’d saved his life—and he genuinely liked the curious woman—but her presence now was unfortunate. It was one thing to have a member of the first poking her nose into disreputable warrior business; it was another to have her accompanied by an unbending servant of the Law.

Karno was the second Protector he’d ever dealt with. The first had been a difficult man to get to know, but in comparison this one was an absolute cipher. Karno made Ashok seem talkative and friendly. If there were ever any gregarious sorts obligated to that particular Order, they must have beaten it out of those children in their cold mountain fort.

Rada was busy identifying all the butterflies based on illustrations she’d seen in a book, but Karno caught Jagdish watching and gave him a small nod. Their agreement would hold. The two of them were to stay back out of sight when the time came. Or at least that’s how Jagdish took it, since the man of few words managed to convey a great deal with very little.

The Protector’s presence simply meant that Jagdish would have to be more careful than he was normally inclined to be, but he was still in the right here. The Inquisition was frightening, especially to a regular soldier, except Jagdish had to remind himself that he was no longer a regular soldier. He was a man of rank and status now, recipient of Vadal’s highest award for valor, and the wronged party. Inquisitors weren’t above the Law and couldn’t go about ruining a great house’s defenses with impunity. This confrontation was a necessity.

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