The Path of Giants by B.T. Narro (best novels to read .txt) 📕

have had enough of this.” Eslenda turned to the king again. “I’m offering to help fight. You may never get this chance again. What is your plan?”

“It’s unlikely that Rohaer’s troops are going to attack Koluk,” the king said. “I’m sure the group from Rohaer is well aware of the Thieves’ Guild’s hold on the city. Valinox hopes to weaken us, not them. If Valinox tried to gain military control over Koluk, we would leave the city and let the Thieves’ Guild deal with them.”

“But didn’t the Thieves’ Guild let Cason control the city?” Charlie asked.

“Cason never had command over the city in a military fashion,” the king explained. “He hoped to, and that was why he brought one hundred sorcerers and soldiers from Rohaer to help him take it. They were destroyed.”

“Oh yes, I understand,” Charlie said.

“I believe their plan can be figured out based on one simple thing,” the king said. “Eslenda, did they attempt to trap you or did they shoot arrows at you from afar?”

“They shot at me.”

“That was what I figured. I think they knew you would come to us.”

I realized what the king was saying. “They’re planning a trap.”

“Yes. They wanted Eslenda to inform us so we would face them in the forest.”

“Oh,” Eslenda said, then lowered her eyebrows. “Oh….”

“So what do we do?” I asked the king.

“We have to figure out what they’re planning,” he replied. “I will most likely need your help, Eslenda. The rest of you will go back to Koluk and continue dealing with the thieves.”

I was surprised that this was the king’s plan. Was Koluk really that important right now?

“Sire,” Aliana said, her tone respectful. “I don’t know if we’ll ever get rid of enough of them to make a difference. There are so many.”

“Koluk must be liberated,” the king insisted. “And it’s better sooner rather than later.”

I looked at my peers, who had been trying to get rid of the Thieves’ Guild there for weeks. They had gone quiet, and most couldn’t seem to meet the king’s gaze.

I wasn’t sure if the king noticed as he spoke to Barrett, “This group from Rohaer might be good fortune for us.”

Barrett nodded, a twinkle of opportunity in his eyes.

I didn’t know what the king was referring to, but I had not been privy to most of his conversations.

The king finally addressed all of us again. “I’m sending you off with a message to Leon and Jennava that I expect to remain sealed and read only by them. Now pack for the trip. You will be leaving soon.”

“The witch as well?” Reuben asked.

“Yes.”

I didn’t understand why the king would want to keep a plan from us.

At least I would see Michael and Remi soon. All of us would be together again, finally. Even if the circumstances were troubling, I welcomed it.

“Kataleya, have you decided?” the king asked.

I held my breath. We could use her help, no matter her attitude. That’s all I cared about, as I had stated many times.

“I need a little more time to decide.”

“You don’t have much longer.”

“I understand.”

“You all are excused,” the king said. “Eslenda, you can stay and discuss tactics with me and my other spies.”

“I am not your spy,” she said defensively.

“I thought we were done arguing over semantics. I don’t care what you are. Are you helping or not?”

“I am,” she muttered.

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

It didn’t take me long to get my things together for the trip. I didn’t know how long we would be staying in Koluk. I hadn’t even had a chance to unpack. I hoped I would be returning soon and with good news, but given the presence of a small army near Koluk, that seemed unlikely.

I was surprised when Reuben walked into my room as if it was his, passing by me and flopping down on my bed.

He gave a great sigh.

“Um,” I said. “Is everything all right?”

“I just want this to be over,” he told the ceiling. “I haven’t seen Burda since I was sent to Koluk. I hope she still remembers me.”

Burda was the girl we had helped at Red’s Tavern. I didn’t know she and Reuben were still together. It wasn’t like Reuben and I chitchatted, pretty much ever. But it sounded now like he was expecting some reassurance.

“I’m sure she remembers you,” I said with a bit of confusion.

“Sorry, am I bothering you?” Reuben asked sarcastically as he sat up.

“I’m just confused is all,” I admitted.

“About what?”

“About your reason for coming in here.”

I realized my mistake when he didn’t get angry but looked frankly sad. “Aren’t we friends now, Jon? Or are you still angry about everything that happened between us so long ago?”

“Oh, of course we’re friends.”

“I’m glad to hear that, because I don’t have it in me to hold a grudge. I’m pissed off enough toward these thieves in Koluk. You’ll find out what I mean soon enough.”

“I’m sure I will,” I answered with a better attitude now that my confusion had been dissolved.

Aliana knocked on the doorway as she entered my room. “You both finished packing as well?”

“Most of my stuff is back in Koluk,” Reuben said.

“Mine, too,” she said.

“Is there something you need, Aliana?” Reuben asked a little impolitely, I thought, but I couldn’t be one to judge having just done the same to him.

“I want to end this feud between us,” she told Reuben decisively.

I pretended I was still busy packing as I took my eyes off them.

“There is no feud,” Reuben said. “I was just telling Jon I hold no grudges anymore.”

“But you still disagree with me as to what to do about them.”

“Yes, I want to kill them. Why is that so hard to understand? They want to kill us.”

“They don’t, though!”

Reuben lay back on the bed. “We’re just going to argue. Maybe it’s best if we don’t.”

Aliana scoffed. “Fine.” She left.

Reuben seemed a little more mature to me than when I had last seen him. I felt like I was getting a glimpse of what kind of man