Wanderers 2: Apprentice by Richard Bamberg

Author:Richard Bamberg [Bamberg, Richard]
Language: eng
Format: epub, azw3
Publisher: Verdandi Press
Published: 2014-12-03T23:00:00+00:00

Chapter 14

Loki surprised me. I hadn’t really expected to encounter the god again anytime soon. He was dressed in leather armor, neither of the same pattern nor of the same quality as the centaurs. His armor was much more elaborate and adorned with gold and jewels. His helmet was equally elaborate with bright colors and two small horns on the forehead. He carried it beneath his arm.

I watched him for a moment, a little irritated that he had been able to sneak up on me, but more to see if I could glean some intention for his showing up.

When he didn’t speak, I smiled and half bowed. “Loptr, I’m surprised to see you again. What can I do for you?”

He watched me for a few more seconds and then inclined his head in my direction. “I saw you were visiting this realm without proper transportation and thought I’d bring you a mount.”

I looked at the other horse. It was a magnificent animal, a roan at least seventeen hands high. “That’s generous of you, but I can walk. It’s a lovely afternoon and the forest is pleasant.”

“Nonsense, it’ll take you another hour to reach the next village on foot, besides it’ll give us a chance to talk.”

“Talk?”

“Yes, there are things to discuss.” He dropped the reins to the second horse and the animal walked over and stopped beside me.

I shrugged, put my left foot in the stirrup, gripped the pommel, and swung into the saddle. The horse immediately turned and walked back to stand alongside Loptr’s mount, which had also turned to face the direction I’d been traveling.

I picked up the reins as both horses began to trot.

“I had hoped to see your apprentice again,” Loptr said, “but I guess you have her busy training.”

“Sort of,” I responded. “I must thank you for the amulet you gave her. It’s a powerful talisman and has helped speed her healing tremendously.”

“You are welcome, Wanderer. It was a small thing that wasn’t being used. Keep it as long as it’s useful.”

“I should warn you, Loptr, with us that could be a really long time.”

Loki laughed. “You should be more careful, Wanderer, not everyone is as enamored of Verðandi’s helpers as I am.”

“Enamored?” I questioned. “You’re enamored of us?”

“But of course. You’re a marvelous breed. You fight the good fight, so to speak. You are loyal to your mistress and do her bidding with little of the drama that accompanies most gods’ servants.”

“We hardly think of ourselves as servants,” I said good-humoredly.

“Ah, it’s just a word and I intended no offense. You serve Verðandi’s bidding, that’s all I meant.”

“Well, perhaps I was a little too sensitive in my reaction, but no offense was taken. So, why are you really here? It can’t just be to provide me with transportation.”

Loki chuckled. “Always the paranoid one, aren’t we Wanderer?”

“I find it helpful in my line of work,” I said.

We entered a vast clearing with a central lake that the river flowed into and out of. Herds of cattle grazed and I could spot what I thought were a couple of the centaurs tending the cattle.

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