Chapter 1 by Unknown

Chapter 1 by Unknown

Author:Unknown
Language: por
Format: epub
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00


Chapter Four: Cost of Living

There are only a few things I hate worse than people who betray my trust. One of those, sadly, is being suspended by my wrists. I looked at my surroundings—the room was obviously in the same dilapidated building I’d been in before, or at least one with a similar decorating style. My shoulders throbbed where my weight tugged on them. They’d bound my arms behind me, and then lifted me until my feet barely scraped the floor. It served as an effective deterrent to escape attempts—without something to brace my feet against it hurt too badly to try and untie the knots. Arduga and Elias hung in similar straits on either side of me. Elias did, at least. Arduga’s dead nerves and rubbery joints meant he probably wasn’t as uncomfortable as those of us who hadn’t yet crossed over.

My mouth tasted like rust, and I wondered again why people have to beat you after you’ve surrendered. Then again, in their shoes I’d have done the same thing. I spat, the bloodstained gobbet hitting the carpet with a wet splash that did nothing to improve my mood, but at least my mouth tasted better. I opened my mouth to say something to Elias, and then the door opened.

Corus Fen strode into the room like a conquering hero. His bulk was covered in embroidered finery that would have been perfectly suitable to any king or prince. He had a couple of guards with him—in case we had escaped, I supposed. Sounded like he didn’t even trust his own to be competent. Then again, having met Tylar, I wouldn’t trust his people either.

Fen tossed a leather journal on the floor in front of Elias. Even in the dim light, I recognized the symbol tooled into the cover. I’d seen the Glyph of the Open Road once before, drawn for me by a dangerously handsome (and unfortunately fickle) Pathfinder who’d passed through town when I was still just a tavern girl learning to pick pockets. I turned my head toward the false zombie and gaped. At a nod from Fen, one of the guards shook Elias awake. “Are you a Pathfinder? Is this yours?”

Elias produced a groan worthy of any zombie and nodded. Fen gestured to the guards. “Cut him down. Now, damn your eyes! I don’t want his arms hurt.”

Without paying Arduga or me another glance, they lifted Elias up in their arms and carried him from the room. Before the door shut, Fen finally paused and looked back at us. “I’ll decide what to do with you two later,” he said. “Sorry to leave you hanging.” He gave a wet laugh, amused by his own wit, and shut the door behind him.

My mind raced at the revelation. Elias, a Pathfinder? He certainly didn’t match the descriptions I’d heard; tales of swashbuckling adventurers or cunning orators. I made a mental note to question him about it later. Doing that, however, meant I needed to get myself free, and then free him before Fen saw him to whatever horrid fate awaited him.



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