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

“Excuse me?”

I figured she and Leon had been introduced while the rest of us had stayed back and spoken with Michael, but I wondered who had introduced her and what they had said.

“You look about as useful as a zit,” Leon complained. “I need to know what kind of safety you can offer to these two sorcerers in a pinch.”

“Have there been any ambushes before?”

“Of course! Don’t you understand what’s going on here? The Thieves’ Guild will do anything to control not only the city but every guild here, and our sole purpose is to get rid of them.”

“If they would do anything to control the city, then why haven’t any of you been killed?” Hadley questioned.

That drew a silence to the room.

“What do you think you know?” Leon asked with a hinting tone.

“I know the Thieves’ Guild was the most powerful group in Koluk until Cason made his home here. There still have to be many of them around, and if most of them have eluded you all this time, then it seems to me that they are more aware of you than you are of them. I’m guessing you know this, and that’s why you don’t care to change meeting spots. This tavern has been your home here for a while now because you can’t expect to hide from or surprise your enemies. It’s not worth the trouble of trying.”

She paused, lifting her eyebrows in question.

“Get to your point,” Leon said with a roll of his hand. “We’re losing daylight.”

“Earlier, I heard Aliana express the opinion that the Thieves’ Guild has refrained from killing,” Hadley continued. “After everything else I’ve heard about them, I have to agree. They are known for their archery. They could’ve shot you down in the street as soon as you started asking around about them.”

“Your point,” Leon growled. “Get to it.”

“They are also known for their honor,” she said, not showing any fear of Leon. “I’m sure Cason offered to recruit them, and yet they fought against him. They clearly want all of you to remain alive because they want you to win this war against Rohaer. They just want you out of Koluk, and they are prepared to do anything short of killing you to get what they want. That includes the worst thing of all, waiting in hiding until you give up.”

Leon opened his mouth, but Hadley put up her hands. “My point is,” she said, “that I don’t think they are aware of everything we are aware of, and everything might change if they were. An army from Rohaer moves toward Koluk. This army has Valinox’s support, as well as two traitors who know much about this area and about all of you: Eden and Endell.” She pointed at the unsealed envelope on the table from the king. “So I can only assume that in that letter, the king has told you of your best strategy for this situation. What I don’t understand is why you are sending all of us out rather than admitting what it is, like you said you would in the beginning.”

Leon seemed confused, then angry as he glared at Aliana. “Where did you say you found this witch?”

“I said Jon met her in Kataleya’s city. They spoke through some sort of gemstone that he picked up in Remi’s hometown.”

“All right…whatever the hell that means,” Leon commented. “All I want to know is that you’re all sure we can trust her?”

Aliana nodded. “We all do.”

Leon started laughing, to my surprise. “Where the hell did you come from, girl?” he asked Hadley. “You speak like a noble but a little different.”

“I’m from Rohaer. My parents are close with the king.”

“Airinold’s taint, you must’ve performed curses for King Frederick Garlin!”

She nodded. “For two years. Then I ran away.”

I had a flashback to the nightmare I’d shared with her.

“She’s a good person,” Remi said. “I’ve known her for a long time. She would never curse anyone unless they deserved it.”

“Well, Hadley,” Leon said. “To answer your question, I’m sending everyone off because I still don’t know what the hell I’m supposed to do, all right? The king doesn’t know Koluk as well as he thinks he does, and Jennava and I need to do some talking. So all of you are going to make good use of yourselves, and if you can’t follow that order then we have a problem. Do we have a problem, Miss Rohaer?”

“Only if you keep calling me that.”

He chuckled. “Get out of here,” he told us playfully. “You’ll find out what the king,” he pointed a thumb at Hadley, “and this one are suggesting when you return.”

That meant Remi and I weren’t going to know anything until tomorrow morning, as I still had little idea what Hadley was getting at. I did know one thing. I was even more impressed with her than I had been before.

“One last thing,” Leon said, stopping all of us. “If Gourfist comes back, everyone is to take cover until he leaves.”

“Jon fought him off!” Charlie said. “Did the girls tell you yet? We were just telling Michael upstairs.”

“What are you talking about, Charlie?” Leon said.

Charlie's arms moved about as he spoke. "Gourfist flew down and started destroying buildings and killing people. The king told us not to do anything because it would only provoke Gourfist into staying longer, but Jon couldn’t just stand there. He took two spears from the guards nearby, dashed out of the keep, and jumped off the wall to face Gourfist head on! The king had no choice but to call for the archers to prepare as Jon fought the beast. Gourfist tried to attack Jon with his talons, but Jon held the spears up to defend himself every time. Gourfist couldn’t get through for a while, hurting himself every time he tried, but eventually he did! And he nearly tore Jon in half, but Hadley was running across the courtyard all this time