Necromancer's Whisper

Chapter One-3

JACK KEPT TO THE SHADOWS moving around the edge of the tavern, stalking his prey. If the general population wasn’t going to speak of the Preston’s disappearance then he was going to have to force it from someone. His target was the town big mouth. Borid Temple was a farm worker and a drunk who slept in his employer's barn. He’d followed Borid through town today and the man loved to gossip. He moved from one person to the next sharing every juicy tidbit he discovered. Borid would tell him what he wanted to know, with the right motivation.

The musky smell of sweat and ale snaked up his nostrils. Jack thought of the good old days in St Louis and yearned for a cold beer instead of the lukewarm dark brew that the barbarian section of this world sported. Borid Temple leaned up against the far wall drinking his ale from a large mug. The liquid dribbled down his chin and saturated the front of his dirty brown tunic. Jack moved to an open table near him and sat down to wait.

Using what few coppers he had, Jack bought some rye bread and a piece of cheese. He washed it down with a mug of rum. Finally, Borid had his fill and pushed off the wall to stagger past Jack. Rising quickly, Jack laughed boldly and said, “Now here’s a man who can hold his ale!”

Jack slapped Borid on the back and took hold of his arm urging him toward the door. They stumbled across the tavern and out the door like two old drunken friends. Jack steered him down the dirt street deeper into the forest surrounding the rural tavern. When the tavern vanished behind them through the trees, Jack pushed Borid off the road and into the trees. Jack shoved him up against the nearest tree and pulled a knife from the sheath his belt.

“Tell me where they took the Prestons.” Jack growled as he pressed the knife against Borid’s throat.

Borid’s eyes grew wide as his face filled with fear. Then Jack’s words sunk in. He flashed Jack a smile filled with rotting teeth and cackled, “The Prestons? What are you going to do? Rescue them?”

Jack fought the urge to release Borid as his putrid breath curled the hair in his nose. Instead, he pulled him closer until they were nose to nose and said, “Tell me or die.”

Borid shrugged his shoulders and raised his hands out to his sides in surrender. “Friend, you think your sweet blue eyes and handsome face are going to get you close to the King’s mistress? She’s the only one who can save the Prestons. Hers is the only voice the King hears and she likes powerful men. You don’t look powerful to me.”

Jack moved the knife ever so slightly cutting into the flesh of his throat.

Borid’s smile was replaced with a sneer as he added, “I’d be happy to show you the way to Salona, for nothing more than to watch you die.”

They walked without speaking for hours as Borid led Jack through the forest, following a dry creek bed. They eventually reached a narrow dirt road that grew wide into a crossroads. From there, the dirt road continued until it came onto a rolling grassy plain.

Jack shoved Borid out in front of him saying, “Keep moving, I’ve wasted enough time with you.”

Borid picked up his pace. The night air and exercise were clearing his head. He glanced up at the full moon. Its orange hue indicated harvest was near. “You are an educated man.” He tossed over his shoulder at Jack. “Why are you wasting your time on the Prestons? They’re poor farmers who have been sentenced to death. There is no reward for their rescue. You are only inviting your own death.”

Shoving him again Jack said, “They are good people charged with an absurd crime. I won’t stand by and allow innocent people to die because they tried to better their children’s lives.”

Borid stopped and turned to stare at him. “They sent their children across the sea to worship the devil.”

“That’s ridiculous,” Jack sneered at him and pulled his sword from its sheath. “They were sent to school, not a cult. No one there worships the devil or any other creature of evil.”

Borid’s eyes opened wide in surprise, “You are one of them! I knew it! I knew something was different about you.” His eyes narrowed. He stared at Jack as if he were seeing him for the first time. “Do you have magic?”

“No,” Jack snapped and rolled his eyes, “Borid, you’re an i***t. Now get moving.”

Borid raised his hands in defeat, “There are rumors, stories that tell of people with magic. Fairies and sprites, demons and trolls, you are none of those. Tell me what your magic is and I will help you willingly.”

Jack growled, “I’ll show you your blood on my sword if you don’t turn around and get moving.”

Borid turned and started walking adding, “It doesn’t really matter what magic you possess. Unless you are a dragon in disguise, you will be dead soon. The moment you try to free them you will die. No one escapes the King’s dungeons.”

Stopping at the crest of a grassy hill Borid pointed toward the horizon. The deep turquoise sky promised a hint of the approaching dawn. Jack came up beside him and they stood watching as the turquoise turned to green, then blue. Tall, dark spires appeared in the midst of the dawn as a blemish on a perfect pallet.

The castle walls held jagged peaks that ran its length. Guard towers sat on each corner with stone and wood platforms in the center of each wall. Each held a crossbow catapult used to hurl boulders or burning bundles of tar soaked straw. This castle was prepared for battle.

Smiling, Jack said, “You’re free to go.”

Jack moved off the road into the shadows of the trees heading toward the castle. The undergrowth was dense and filled with thickets, hollows and a winding creek. Jack found himself trudging ankle deep in the mud, being bitten by every bug around. Luckily, as the sun grew high in the sky the mosquitoes became few and scattered.

He cleared the trees and stepped onto the road as a group of travelers passed. Stepping unnoticed into the group Jack approached the castle gates. An archer stood every few yards along the walls. The wall’s consisted of large gray stones that towered over Jack’s group as the road came up alongside the castle. A moat filled with dark murky water ran along the exterior of the castle. Jack wrinkled his nose at the stench of the stagnant water that drifted up as they walked across the drawbridge and through the gate.

They entered a small open area filled with vendors selling food and supplies. Jack immediately separated from the group and wove his way through the narrow streets toward the keep at the center of the city. That’s where the dungeon would be. That’s where the Prestons shivered in hopeless fear.

******