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

was a bit of a moron, wasn’t he?” Leon sounded like a different person, his tone lacking confidence. I figured Remi’s statement had gotten to him. Could it be he was finally realizing that he didn’t always have to be such an ass?

Syrah’s eyebrows were still dark, not gray like the rest of her hair. They lowered over her eyes.

Leon continued, “Three Tooth would still be alive if he hadn’t tried to fight us while we were capturing him. His death is on him. Like I said, he was a bit of a moron.”

Syrah glowered at Leon. Then she looked back at the four men behind her. A couple of them shrugged while the other two nodded. Eventually she turned and spoke to us again. “I suppose he was a moron.”

I had a breath of relief.

“So why exactly are you here now?” Leon asked.

“The reason we’re here is because there’s only one thing we hate more than someone coming in and trying to take over the city,” Syrah explained. “And that’s dark mages coming in and trying to take over the city. We know you’re waiting for reinforcements. They were originally coming here to get rid of us, weren’t they?”

“They were,” Jennava said. “But after this army of Rohaer showed up, we were going to deal with them first. It’s too late now to receive aid from our troops. We have to act on our own because Valinox has assured us that our sorcerers will die if we delay.”

“When?”

“Can we move this along?” Souriff interrupted. She had been looking more and more impatient as she had been waiting silently.

I wondered if there was another reason Souriff had finally come. Perhaps she needed something from us.

Or from me specifically? She had shouted my name earlier.

“Are you, dare I say…” Syrah was looking at Souriff from the sides of her eyes. “The demigod of dvinia?”

“I am. Are you and your thieves going to help, or am I going to have to deal with you after all of this is over?”

Syrah continued to watch the demigod cautiously, but slowly her gaze returned to Jennava. “We expect something in return.”

“How many are there of you?”

Syrah whistled.

Men and women equipped with bows showed themselves around the edges of buildings. They crept over the streets like a swarm of insects. We had gathered a large audience by now, most clearly afraid at the sight of so many armed people. There had to be at least a hundred of them. A few of the townspeople let out shrieks as they hurried out of the way.

“By the devil’s tail,” Hadley muttered to me. “I can’t believe so many of them could remain in hiding. The king should’ve sent tax collectors rather than Leon and the others.” She raised her voice as she asked Syrah, “What were all these people posing as?”

I was a little surprised her mind went there above anywhere else, but she did seem to have a valid point, the more I thought about it.

“Tavern workers, bar hands, beggars on the street,” Syrah answered. “A couple have real businesses and help out the rest with ‘work,’ ” she explained. “We’re sacrificing a lot by showing ourselves here in front of everyone.”

“You’re sacrificing nothing,” Leon said. “If we die, then all of you will be next, and you know this. Now keeping that in mind, what do you want for your help?”

“Not so fast,” Syrah said. “I’m pretty sure you were about to come looking for me. Enlisting our help was your only chance if you could not wait for your army, as you have described. Now keep that in mind when you offer a reasonable reward. Otherwise we will flee the city and make our home elsewhere.”

Leon had already discussed what would be offered to them, but he seemed to be putting on a show as he gave a pained look at Jennava.

Souriff let out a sound of frustration as she whisked through the air and landed in front of Syrah. She grabbed the woman, picking her up by her arms as if she weighed nothing and carried her back to set her down in front of Jennava.

“You women will decide on something right now,” the demigod demanded. “Then you will shake hands and we will clean up this mess in the forest.”

“I’m sorry to speak against you, demigod,” Syrah said a little bashfully as she took a single step away. “But we need more than a handshake. We need an agreement written and signed by the king.”

“You fu—!”

Jennava interrupted Leon, “We don’t have time for that.”

“The demigod of dvinia could fly over to the castle and get it for us,” Syrah said.

Souriff pulled up the leader of the thieves by her shirt. “You are a criminal, are you not?”

The many members behind looked as if they were undecided about using their bows, most fiddling with their weapons.

“I will answer if you set me down,” Syrah said with some anger.

Souriff dropped her roughly, but Syrah landed gracefully.

“We have spent years trying to stand against Cason and his dark mages while Oquin Calloum did nothing. We’ve lost many members, but we have recruited others. We may take things we need, but we care more about the future of Lycast than most of the other people in this city. Now that demigods have shown their involvement and Rohaer approaches our doorstep, we don’t want to keep hiding. We want to help, yet we expect to be compensated appropriately. We will fight with you, but not unless we are promised that things are going to change.”

Jennava said, “When this is done, you will meet the king in person. You will discuss terms with him. I’m sure he will want you to sign an agreement through ordia, but if you agree to that then your reward could be something as important as acting as lord of the city, with the rest of your members as constables. I presume this is something you’ve wanted for some time?”

“It is,” she answered quickly.

“So