Blackthorn Rising: Legends of Agora by Michael James Ploof

Author:Michael James Ploof [Ploof, Michael James]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Fantasy
Goodreads: 25137841
Publisher: Traveling Bard Publishing
Published: 2015-06-17T23:00:00+00:00

Chapter 11

Dirk rented a room outside the Hollows, closer to the central market and in a nicer part of the city. Inside he found a wash basin full of warm water and began to clean himself up. Blood had dried inside his nostrils and on his face and neck. One of his ears had been bleeding as well, and there was a large bump on his head from the guard’s sword hilt.

He checked his teeth, but luckily he hadn’t chipped or broken any. His ribs were a different story altogether, though, and he could already see bruises beginning to form. He was fairly certain he’d cracked a few.

After he was done he checked the door again and wedged a chair up against it for added security. Finally satisfied, he climbed into bed and stashed a knife under the pillow.

Dirk awoke sometime later to find it dark outside, but unable to see the moon or any stars, he had no real way of knowing what time it was. His mouth was terribly dry, and his body felt even worse than before.

With a groan, he grabbed the water skin sitting on the nightstand and drank greedily. His stomach growled and, thinking that perhaps there was some dried meat in his father’s pack, he tried to get up. His pain and fatigue, however, proved greater than his hunger, and he fell back on the bed.

“You probably shouldn’t make a habit of attacking the city guards,” came a voice, startling him.

Dirk jolted upright, instantly producing the knife and quickly scanning the room. He realized that the window was open slightly as the curtains blew in with the breeze, and then finally noticed a man’s silhouette in the chair beside the door.

“Who’s there,” Dirk demanded, his voice shaking.

The silhouette struck a fire stick and lit a pipe. In the soft glow of the embers, Dirk could see it was Bryce, and he clutched his blade a little tighter. He was unsure of the meaning of this late night visit, and more than a little unsettled.

Is he here to kill me? Dirk wondered. No, he could have done it while I slept—but then again, Bryce might be the type who likes his victims to know what is about to happen to them.

“Did you try to have me killed earlier today,” he asked Bryce finally.

The man laughed at that, shaking out his fire stick.

“I don’t try to have people killed, lad. If I wanted you dead, we wouldn’t be having this conversation.”

Some amount of relief washed over Dirk but he remained on guard.

“What are you doing here then,” he asked Bryce

“Protecting you from whoever did try to kill you.”

“Was it Rikkard?” Dirk asked, unsure of who else it could have been.

“That is unlikely,” said Bryce. “Have you made any other enemies here in the city?”

It suddenly occurred to Dirk that perhaps it had been Clarion and his supporters in the fisherman’s guild.

“I guess I might have angered a few folks here and there,” said Dirk.

Bryce nodded.

“I don’t doubt it.

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