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

to her face. She had a small mouth and rosy cheeks against pale skin. Her hair was light brown, almost red. It always appeared unkempt yet beautiful. Right now it was twisted up and hung somewhat in front of her forehead. A wild lock came down and framed one side of her face, bouncing as she walked up to me. The rest of her hair was frizzy as it fell down behind her.

“Jon, it’s good to see you!” she said as she gave me a hug. The way she spoke with assurance was a contrast to her old self. I couldn’t remember the last time she’d initiated a conversation with me, let alone an embrace. “Did you visit Granlo?” she asked before our hug had come to an end, before I could even tell her it was good to see her as well.

“I did, and I have to tell you—”

“It can wait,” Leon interrupted. I noticed the king’s letter in his hand, the seal broken. “His Majesty wants me to keep something from all of you. However, Jennava and I think that he isn’t aware of how much all of you have grown up since you’ve been recruited, so there’s no reason to keep anything like this from you anymore. But first you have to prove you can pay attention.”

None of us said a word.

“Good,” Leon said as he put the unsealed envelope on the table. “About that later. The thieves have been busy after laming Aliana, Reuben, and Charlie. They stole a cow from the farmer up the street. The one with a lisp. What’s his name again?” he asked Jennava. “Lispy?”

She stared at him as if he was making a joke that did not amuse her. “It’s Jacob,” she told him, deadpan. “It’s not even close to Lispy, which isn’t even a name.”

“Jacob? No, that’s not right. Anyway, whatever his name is said a red-haired kid with freckles was involved with the thieves. The child was distracting him, asking for help to find his mother. We need to find this child. It could be a lead.”

“The last lead we followed led us straight into a trap,” Reuben said. “This could be another.”

“Doesn’t matter. It’s all we have right now unless some of the thieves we captured and put in the king’s dungeon start talking to his interrogators. By the way, they’ve also been continuing to steal from the woodsmen, and the woodsmen are becoming rightfully pissed off about it. They want more of the king’s men here. They’re losing hope in us. I don’t like that. We need to change it. The king purchases much of his lumber from them.”

“What can we do?” Aliana asked.

“Jennava?” he prompted.

“Why me? You’re the one who promised them we would recover what was taken. I never would’ve promised such a thing.”

“You’re not the one who has to deal with them.”

“No, but I do deal with the blacksmith, and he isn’t faring any better,” Jennava said. “He says the thieves have been poking around at night as if they know he’s expecting a delivery of raw iron soon. He doesn’t know how they know, unless someone along the chain from the iron to him is talking. He wants all the thieves taken care of before he’ll help us with anything, and he’s more important than the woodsmen.”

“The king needs wood, Jenna! Shieldwalls will be the primary strategy of defense for the new army, and those men in training are going to need some shields—because they sure as hell aren’t all getting metal ones. The woodsmen guild is thinking of going elsewhere and giving up on their agreement.”

“The king needs Jerald’s hot forge as well. There’s no melting Valaer steel without it.”

“Can’t work the forge without the woodsmen. They’re bringing in coal as well. So we’d better find this red-haired boy. I want everyone out asking about him and searching the city until nightfall. You can hear about the king’s letter after.”

Michael said, “I’ll take the cushion district.”

Remi scoffed. “You only say that because the brothel’s there.”

“Hey,” Michael said seriously. “Those women know things.”

“Go with him, Aliana,” Leon said. “Search the brothel.”

“What do you mean search the brothel?” she asked.

“I mean search it. Thoroughly!”

She looked back at him in disbelief. “You want me to go through all the rooms…where the guests are?”

“Just the ones where you sense more than three people. The thieves could be meeting there.”

“We’ve already questioned the brothel workers,” Jennava said. “They don’t know where the thieves are hiding.”

“Koluk is not as big as the capital. Someone has to know something, which means someone is lying. Aliana can only be in one place at a time, and she hasn’t searched the brothel.”

“What if there’s another trap?” Aliana asked.

“Then I will defend you,” Michael said honorably.

Aliana looked at Leon, who glanced over the group of us.

“Better take Reuben,” Leon said as his glance fell on the noble.

Was this really how my peers had been spending their days in Koluk? Questioning and searching, and falling prey to traps? No wonder everyone seemed so bitter.

“I’d rather not be seen entering a brothel,” Reuben complained. “Why not Jon?”

“Because Jon is going to pay the blacksmith a visit and offer his services as a guard for the night. Would you rather do that, Reuben?”

“No, sir.”

“Who’s going with Jon?” Kataleya asked.

Leon put his hand on his chin.

“I volunteer,” Kataleya said.

That drew looks from everyone. I’m sure they were all wondering if something had happened between us while we were away.

“Except neither of you knows how to get there,” Leon said.

“I’ve heard it’s just outside the western side of the city,” Kataleya countered.

“It’s still better if someone goes with Jon who knows the city. Safer that way,” Leon said.

“I’ll go,” Remi volunteered.

“That’s fine. Charlie, take Hadley and Kataleya around the city. Show them what’s important. But take a goddamn dagger this time like I told you before!”

“I really don’t want to carry a weapon,” he whined.

“I don’t care!” Leon lifted up his pant leg and pulled a dagger