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

“It’s the industrial complex,” Remi explained. “It’s one of the reasons Koluk is important. There isn’t anywhere in the capital that metal can be produced at the same quantity and quality. I’m not sure if you’re aware, but the late king worked with Cason to take control of Koluk. This whole industrial complex served Cason’s will, and therefore Oquin’s as well. We’re sure much of what was produced was sent to Rohaer, or it was sold for coin.”

“Who exactly is we?”

“Leon and Jennava. Mostly Jennava. She lived in Koluk for a long time, gaining Cason’s trust.”

I had almost forgotten that she must’ve used dteria in order to do this. She was more proof that there could be other people like Hadley, who had the willpower to resist corruption from the forbidden sorcery.

“Charlie must be very fascinated with this place.”

Remi held a small smile. “He certainly is.”

That made me wonder if something had happened between Remi and Charlie. I had seen them kiss each other passionately during the night the king cursed all of us in hopes the traitor would reveal herself. But Remi had seemed embarrassed around Charlie afterward. Perhaps that had changed.

“It’s about time,” said a heavyset man with a blackened apron. He was leaving a stone-walled shop, a structure more resembling what I had expected to find upon visiting a blacksmith. However, this structure was much larger than the one of my imagination. Through the open door, I could see a number of shields overflowing out of chests.

“You the guards from Leon?” he asked.

“We are,” Remi said.

“Where’s the rest of you?” he complained.

“It’s better if there are fewer of us,” Remi explained

“Why is that?” he asked skeptically.

“Because the thieves are more likely to try something that way. You should keep us out of sight. Where will we be staying?”

He put his hand to his chin for a moment. Then he began to nod. “Yes, all right. I have sleeping quarters in the basement, but my young boy’s there as well, separated by a wall. I don’t want him hearing anything uncouth from the two of you. You got it? You’re supposed to be listening for thieves, anyway. You’d best not—”

“Please,” Remi interrupted to stop him. “That’s more than enough. We are here on business. It’s in our best interest to catch the thieves. That’s all we will be trying to do.”

I asked, “Have they been coming every night?”

“They’ve been poking about each night, yes. Haven’t taken anything. I think they’re scoping the place out while waiting for my shipment. The woodsmen have about as much patience as I do regarding these thieves. They’ve had to put in more work to make up for what they’ve lost, and they’re not happy about it.”

“Jon, maybe you should see if any of them need healing?” Remi suggested.

I nodded. I had been thinking the same thing.

The blacksmith had a surprised look. “Is he the healer I’ve heard about?”

“I am,” I said. “Do you or anyone you know need healing?”

“A number of the woodsmen have their usual issues, and my boy has got a cut that doesn’t look too good.”

“That’ll be no problem.”

“Well, I’ll be.” He smiled for the first time since seeing us.

*****

Remi and I decided to sleep in shifts that night. I didn’t like the idea that I would be missing out on sleep, but I was starting to see why keeping this industrial complex safe from thievery was worth losing sleep over.

There were many woodsmen with aching arms and backs, some with cuts and bruises, and one man with an illness that had stopped him from working. They sent for him while I was healing the others and taking care of the young boy’s infection. All the while, Remi stayed vigilant. If the thieves had sent a scout to watch, she didn’t find him or her.

Spirits picked up when I started healing and even more by the time I finished. I received many thanks, especially from the blacksmith, but it was the other phrases spoken from the woodsmen—about how good the king was to send the healer around Lycast—that really lifted my heart. Considering how dejected the woodsmen and the blacksmith had been before I’d started healing, it was nice to see my actions making real change. And of course, I never grew tired of easing people’s pain and curing their sicknesses.

“Well done, Jon!” Remi said as we went back to the blacksmith’s place of business. “Sometimes I still can’t believe what you can do with mana.”

“Thank you, Remi. But I feel the same way sometimes when I see you make those huge fireballs. Have you been keeping up with training here?”

“I tried in the beginning, but my fire was making people nervous. I’m very much looking forward to getting out of here and returning to the castle.”

“Oh yeah, it was really nice to return, even for a little while.”

She nodded. “Michael and I were a little jealous that we weren’t the ones who had been debilitated and taken back to the castle.”

I gave a laugh.

“I was actually serious,” she said.

“Oh.”

We both laughed this time.

Trying to sleep in the blacksmith’s basement was a little like trying to sleep in a prison cell, in that there were no windows and no furniture. There was just a bed, and some rusted weapons and shields against the walls.

Remi left me alone in the room after assuring me she would be fine on her own because she wouldn’t stray too far.

“I’ll come back to wake you up,” she said.

“Thank you.”

It took me a little while to fall asleep, but I eventually did. Remi woke me up hours later.

“Your turn,” she said in a tired voice.

I sat up, rubbed my eyes, then pushed myself up from the bed. She climbed in, and I was pretty sure, from the sound of her breathing, that she was asleep before I finished putting on my shirt and pants and left for my shift.

I spent the better part of an hour walking around the industrial complex in