The Tales of the Wanderer Volume One: A Book of Underrealm (The Underrealm Volumes 4) by Garrett Robinson (elon musk reading list TXT) 📕

it if you waste the captain’s time. In the meanwhile, come into the guardhouse. It is too damnably cold and wet out here, and you look as though you have ridden a hard road.”

“Sky bless your courtesy,” I replied.

They raised the gate for us to lead the horses through, and we hitched them to a post before stepping into the guardhouse. The gruff old Mystic joined us there by the fire while Mag led Dryleaf to a chair. Oku padded around the room, sniffing at everyone’s boots. The constables tried to look stern, but I saw them scratch him behind the ears when they thought no one else would notice. The gruff old Mystic even crouched down and pulled a bit of dried meat from a belt pouch to feed him.

“Whence have you come?” he asked us as he stroked Oku’s fur. “Have you any news of the civil war?”

“We rode straight from Huzen,” I told him. “Fighting broke out in the town. The mayor there is loyal to King Jun. Loyalists battle Wojin’s forces in the streets.”

He gave a heavy sigh and stood. “The tale is the same in many places. Here, though, it is the reverse. I have heard our mayor is in Wojin’s pocket, but he has a garrison of Mystics within his walls. He cannot declare for the false king while we have a sword to his throat, as it were.”

Dryleaf clucked his tongue. “But that seems precarious for you, if he were to receive reinforcements. Is it safe to remain here?”

The man shrugged. “No one dons the red cloak for safety. Service to Her Majesty is all I desire.”

“And a grand service you provide, I am sure,” said Dryleaf. He grasped at empty air until the man took his hand. “I am called Dryleaf.”

The man shook his hand firmly. “I am Gang of the family Hua, and you are too kind.” His gaze turned to Mag and me. “Who might the two of you be?”

“This is Chao, and I am Kanohari.”

“And you are here to join the militia?” he asked.

Mag and I gave each other a glance. It seemed Kun had already begun assembling a force here in Taitou. That would make it easier to join him, or so I hoped.

Before we could answer Gang, the door to the guardhouse opened. In stepped Kun, followed by two Mystics in cloaks with their hoods drawn up. Kun wore the same unquenchable smile as when we had seen him last.

“Sky above and dark below,” he chirped. “I had not thought to see the three of you again so soon.”

I matched his smile with one of my own. “But you did expect to see us. I suppose you understood things better than we did when you asked us to join the High King’s fight.”

“I have a gift for understanding things,” he said. “And yet, I am eager to gain greater knowledge of the three of you, who have returned from your search for your friend. I confess that I am most curious as to why.”

“We have reconsidered your offer,” said Mag. “We wish to join your fight against the Shades.”

Kun’s sunny demeanor dampened somewhat at that. “Oh? And what of the friend you sought?”

I shrugged. “She was safe and sound on the coast. We found her in Brekkur, but she had long been reunited with her family. It was on our way back that the war broke out, and we reconsidered the position we took in our last chat with you.”

“Hm,” said Kun, tapping his chin. “The strange part is, most folk in Dorsea do not see our battle as being against the Shades. At present, folk either side with Wojin, or they remain loyal to King Jun and his son, who may still be alive.”

This put me ill at ease. We had indeed spoken as if we had some inside knowledge of the war that most would not possess. Fortunately, Dryleaf rallied to save us.

“My friends are no masters of statecraft or politics,” he put in. “But I have wandered these nine kingdoms a great deal longer than they. From all we have heard, it seems clear to me that the Shades are the true threat and the power behind Wojin’s treachery. If the Shades fell, I doubt this civil war would last much longer. And since the Mystics are servants of the High King above all, it seemed to me that you would be most interested in such a course. That is why I suggested to them that we return here and that they enlist in your service.”

Kun’s smile remained strong as he considered these words for a long moment. His gaze moved slowly between the three of us as if he was trying to read our intentions in our expressions.

“So you are against Wojin, are you?” he said at last.

“Certainly, if he pits his strength against the High King,” I said.

“If that is the case,” said Kun, “then do you mind telling me why you attacked loyalist soldiers?”

Mag and I were too astonished to speak. And at that moment, one of Kun’s Mystics stepped forwards and drew back his hood. The heavy scar on his left cheek was familiar, as was his stout frame, and soon I placed him. He was the young Mystic we had met at the Taitou gates the first time we came here. As I studied him more closely now, I could see that his face shared Kun’s features. It seemed they were relatives.

“Lieutenant Zhen,” said Kun. “Are these the ones you told me of?”

“They are, Captain,” said the Mystic. “I came to the gate in Huzen just in time to see these two—not the old man—attack the guards. They forced the gate open and fled, even while fighting raged in the streets behind them.”

Kun fixed a steely gaze upon us. “You followed them to Huzen. Did they ever visit a friend on the coast? In Brekkur?”

Zhen shook his head. “They did not, Captain. That was a lie.”

I cursed under my