The Darkest Magic by Mark August

The Darkest Magic by Mark August

Author:Mark August
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: readmarkaugust.com


Three

Curse

Two guards pushed aside low-hanging branches and entered their sanctuary. These weren’t the local militia. The four would have recognized anyone from the local community serving their military duty. These were regulars from local nobility.

Conical helms protected their heads, and boiled leather armor, solid enough to deflect a weapon, completed their defensive equipment. But Cormac worried about those blades. Unlike local forces equipped with spears and bows, this pair wore swords and daggers. Fine steel weapons were too expensive for town protection.

“Looks like two witches and their boy servants, Lars.”

The whisper of steel being drawn dropped the temperature in the grove several degrees. Cormac’s sweat instantly dried as he concentrated on the reflected light dancing along the waving blade. The man speaking had missing teeth, like someone growing up who lost too many fights.

“Might have to save the boys from these witches. Never can tell what spells they cast over them,” the second guard said. This one also drew his blade and threatened the group.

Cormac slipped in front of his friends. “Hey, no witches or spellcraft here. We’re locals, from Densen.”

“You think the devil took over his tongue, Reiner? First thing you’d expect from witches.” The second guard was taller than his compatriot, and he had dark eyes that bounced between Maren and Jolina.

Cormac didn’t like those looks, and he held his arms out wide to form a human barrier between himself and his friends. “Look, we don’t want any trouble. Let us get the rest of our clothes and get back to town. We can get you a good bed and some food at the Farmer’s Delight. It’s the local inn. On us.”

Raham nodded and stood next to Cormac. His family owned the Farmer’s Delight and would back up the offer.

“Need your clothes, huh. Think it was some sort of mating ritual?” The first guard pointed his blade at Cormac’s belly but stayed about three paces away. One lunge and the blade would be in his gut. But they stopped their advance.

“We’re not doing that here.” Maren snapped at the pair. Cormac sensed the first trickle of power coursing through Maren’s body. It wouldn’t be visible to the pair yet, but she also knew which way this was going.

“Ok, then we’ll take you back to camp for questioning.” The second guard never took his eyes off Maren.

“Step aside, boys,” Lars growled his command, and the first guard eyed Jolina.

They made their choices, and Cormac and Raham were in the way. Cormac wondered if this pair of thugs would leave witnesses behind. Their hidden glen was remote, and no one would come looking for the four friends for at least a day. And if the ladies ended up in their field camp, wherever that was, Cormac doubted they would ever return.

He was out of choices, and the ones remaining looked bad.

Waving their swords, the pair of guards separated the young men from their friends. The first guard lowered his blade and grabbed Jolina’s arm as a lecherous smile lit his face.



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