Dawnbringer by Gregory Mattix

Author:Gregory Mattix [Mattix, Gregory]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2016-12-27T05:00:00+00:00

Chapter 20

“Get back, you!” Traven shoved the man back with his shield, sending him tumbling into a heap of garbage in the street.

The man had rushed out of an alley toward Traven’s squad, and he’d turned just in time to find the wild-eyed thug upon them. He looked rough, with tattoos on his arms and scars on his face, yet he was clearly terrified of something, eyes wide with fear.

“Demons! In the damned streets,” the man muttered then regained his feet. He slipped on some rotten vegetable matter before he got his footing and ran off.

“What got into that bloody arsehole?” asked Adelard, Traven’s friend and fellow Watchman.

Traven shook his head, not knowing what to think. Ever since that fateful night when he had stood watch at the prison, his life had changed, as had that of Nexus. The two intruders at the prison started a shitestorm of events after killing those two Magehunters.

“Sergeant?” Garrick asked. “Should we investigate?”

“Nay, likely too much civet addled that bastard’s brains, I’d wager.” Traven sighed. Their assigned route was to patrol from the Magelight Market down to the city gates. He didn’t want to waste time exploring dingy back alleys when his stomach was grumbling and he knew the gate guards would have a warm cookpot awaiting them.

He had to admit, the title sergeant had a nice sound to it, although it brought no end of headaches. Lassiter had evidently been impressed with him and put in a good word with Barristal, for shortly after the foundry blew up, he’d been called into the captain’s office and given a field promotion.

Now Traven led a patrol, a squad of six men, twelve hours a day, every day, trying to stamp out the unrest, rioting, and looting—not to mention the other crimes: murders, rapes, and everything else going on.

He was being run ragged, his off time spent filing reports, keeping up his gear, and trying to eat and sleep at some point in there. A bit of ale didn’t hurt, either.

The thought of ale made him wish the next four hours would speed up so he could drown his head at the tavern for a change—if he could still afford ale on his meager salary. Its price had increased five times over in the past couple weeks.

“Sergeant, something’s happening,” another of his men warned.

Traven looked up warily. Screams and shouts of alarm were ringing out down the alley where the thug had come from.

“Damn it. Let’s check it out,” he told them.

Leading the way, he rounded the corner just as a knot of ragged people, beggars by the look of them, burst from the narrow street, screaming in fright. He grabbed one of the men by his thin arm, trying to question him, but the beggar was mad with fear. He shook and pointed wildly down the street, spittle flecking his chin.

Traven released him in disgust. Likely another ogre out of hand or some such. Perhaps even some fiend that’s been stranded in Nexus.

The squad advanced down the street.

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