The Heart of Alchemy by James Wisher (e book reading free TXT) 📕

“Are there safe places to rent rooms in the city?” Otto asked.

“Do you have any more gold?” she asked. “Places that provide security are expensive. Most merchants simply stay on their ships or camp outside the walls surrounded by guards.”

“Assuming the price isn’t totally unreasonable,” Otto said. “I believe I can manage.”

The others were looking a bit woozy as they wobbled in their seats. After one drink even Corina should have remained clearheaded.

A scraping drew his attention to the rough-looking men at the other table. They had all gotten to their feet and drew an assortment of weapons.

He turned back to the bartender who shrugged. “Robbing foreigners pays considerably better than selling drinks and information. Especially since no one will come to avenge you.”

“You think you’re going to rob me?” Otto asked.

“Considering I’ve got five guys, all of whom are alert and not drugged and all your guards are nearly unconscious, I’d say yes.”

“Then you are an idiot.” Otto flicked his iron ring and sent binding threads into all six people, freezing them in place. “Trying to rob a wizard without one of your own is unwise.”

He smiled at the fear in her eyes as he stood and unsheathed his mithril sword. Drawing fire from a hanging lantern, he wrapped it around his blade. Swift, hard strokes cut the mercenaries’ hands off at the wrist and seared the wounds shut.

Bound as they were, the mercenaries couldn’t even scream.

Otto kicked them over onto the floor and repeated the process on their feet at the ankles. With them dealt with, he returned his attention to the bartender. A small adjustment to the binding spell allowed her to speak. “Please. I didn’t know you were a wizard.”

“Obviously. Do you think that makes me any happier? Is the poison you gave my companions fatal?”

“No! No, they’re just knockout drops. Lethal poisons are too expensive.”

“Of course. Once the unlucky people are unconscious, a dagger to the throat is cheap.” Otto rested his still-flaming sword on her shoulder, drawing a pained screech. “Tell me, what’s the job market like for a bartender with no hands?”

Tears streamed down her face. “What do you want?”

“Are there any other ways into the empire? Surely there are smugglers.”

“No. I swear, the imperials have cut off every means across the border. Unless you can fly, it’s the gate or nothing.”

Otto saw nothing to indicate she was lying. “Very well. I’m going to spare your worthless life and in exchange, you’re going to tell your friends we are not to be messed with. Spread the word far and wide. If I have any more trouble during my time here, I’m coming for you. Do you understand?”

“Perfectly. Thank you.”

Otto nodded and collected his double eagle from the table. Now he just needed to wait for everyone to wake up so they could find an inn. Preferably one that didn’t poison their drinks or try to murder the clientele.

The knockout drug only lasted an hour. One by one the others came around, groaning and rubbing their faces. The bartender was long gone with orders not to return until Otto and his companions had left. Her thugs lay where he’d left them. Most of them had passed out from shock, but one unfortunate fellow remained conscious, whimpering in the fetal position. Otto had no pity for the would-be murderer. When you lived by the sword, you best be ready to die by it.

“What happened?” Corina asked.

“Our charming hostess drugged your ale,” Otto said. “Lucky for all of us that I prefer wine. It seems poisoning and robbing patrons from outside of the city is a sideline for them. It was nothing I couldn’t handle. How are you feeling?”

“Like I swallowed a rat’s nest and termites crawled into my brain.” Corina groaned and laid her face on the table.

“Try channeling ether through your body. That should help purge any toxins.”

“What about the rest of us?” Axel asked in a pained voice.

Otto took a breath and sent a fine mist of ether through his brother’s body. Axel’s eyes popped open and he stared at Otto. The spell lasted only seconds, but hopefully it wiped out any poison in Axel’s system.

“Better?”

“Much.” Axel chuckled. “Where were you when I used to go out on a bender in Castle Town?”

“Probably sound asleep in my bed like you should have been.”

Otto repeated the spell for Hans, then the rest of the soldiers. When he had everyone back in fighting form he stood and said, “If the bartender can be believed, there are inns that offer protection as part of their services. I want to rent a room where I can leave a rune in case I need to flee quickly. Hans, you and your squad will be in charge of security.”

Hans nodded and Axel asked, “What about me and the scouts?”

“Having seen the state of this city, you will focus on protecting the ship and Wainwright as he handles our resupply. Corina, you’ll help out wherever you’re needed. If we find a reliable inn, I suggest eating there as a group just in case.”

No one argued and they quickly set out from the tavern. Otto led the way deeper into the city toward some of the bigger buildings. He assumed some of them would be inns. Out of the corner of his eye he spotted a figure in black, but as he turned for a closer look, whoever it was slipped into an alley and out of sight.

Cursing his luck, Otto focused on the task at hand. If that had been his contact, he or she would try again later. Right now, finding a secure base of operations was most important.

The first inn they found had a red tile roof, three stories, and half a dozen guards dressed in leather armor and carrying crossbows and short swords patrolling the outside. It looked promising, but Otto didn’t want to raise his hopes too high.

As they neared, four of the guards raised their weapons