Well of the Damned by K.C. May

Author:K.C. May [May, K.C.]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Tags: Fantasy, heroic fantasy, women warriors, epic fantasy, Kinshield, wizards, Action Adventure, warrior women, kindle book, sword and sorcery, fantasy adventure, (¯`'•.¸//(*_*)\\¸.•'´¯)
Publisher: Peach Orchard Press
Published: 2012-12-25T05:00:00+00:00

Chapter 27

The Lucky Inn sat at a crossroads in a village Gavin never learned the name of, with the road to Ambryce leading south, Lalorian north and Tern east. Under normal circumstances, he would have enjoyed an evening drinking ale and relaxing with his friends, but with a dangerous fugitive on the road, his only thought was to take a meal and keep riding. They had another couple hours of travel ahead, but his growling stomach insisted they stop.

“We’ll stop to eat,” he said, “and ride on for a couple more hours.”

“Agreed,” Daia said. “Cirang’s probably expecting us to stop riding for the night. It’ll let us close the distance.”

After passing through the gates, they were met by an enthusiastic pair of stable hands with little enough to do. When the boys took the names of their newest arrivals to ensure the right horses were returned to them later, their eyes went round.

“Gavin Kinshield the k-king?” the older one asked.

“The same. See that Golam gets a handful o’alfalfa and no more, will you? He’ll want more, but too much will make him sick.”

“Yes, my lord— um, I mean, Your Majesty. O’course. He’ll receive the best o’care, Your Majesty. Right away, Your Majesty.”

The other, meanwhile, had fled towards the inn, yelling, “Papa! Papa! Come quick!” The innkeeper, almost as tall as Gavin but slimmer than Brawna, came out, being dragged by the hand by the younger boy. “It’s King Gavin. See? I told you!”

Gavin knew him by sight, having stayed at the inn countless times, but had never learned the man’s name. In fact, he might owe for unpaid visits. He held out a hand, which the innkeeper shook heartily.

“Welcome back, Your Majesty,” he said. “It’s always a pleasure to have you stay with us.”

That was doubtful. Gavin had gotten stumbling drunk here on more than on occasion. “I wasn’t sure you’d recognize me. I might owe you a few coins.”

“Think nothing of it, my liege,” the innkeeper said, bowing. “I’ll have our best room prepared for you, though had I known you were comin’—”

“We’re not staying the night, just stopping for a meal.”

“Oh! It’s quite dark for ridin’.”

“We’ll manage.”

The innkeeper gestured towards the dining and betting hall, unusually quiet that evening. “In that case, let’s waste no more time seeing you and your companions fed. It would be my great pleasure to provide your meals and drinks free of charge. Won’t you follow me?” At Gavin’s nod, he led the way through the double doors of the dining hall.

Gavin was surprised by the sight before him as he entered. The pit was empty. The usual crowd of eager gamblers, standing before the table waving their coins in the air, was gone. On the deck circling the pit, dozens of empty tables stood like gravestones. Fewer than a dozen people sat in the usually loud and raucous hall. There was a family of five, whose children played with wooden figurines on the table while they ate, three nuns from the Temple

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