Enslaved

Chapter 18: Mercenary

The sun rose to the sky just as they finished off the last of the bandits. The roaring inferno ate away at everything, living or dead. Remnants of the camp were all but burned to a crisp with nothing left.

Nera’s face was marred with ash and smoke. Her eyes watered as she wiped furiously at it. She started coughing, having been too close to the cloudy fumes and managed to inhale a chest full. 

Thane came around to soothe her back, running his hand up and down comfortingly. He offered her his waterskin which she drank greedily. 

He looks across her body and frowns. “You’re injured.” 

“Shallow cuts.” She wheezed, flinching at her raspy voice and her mouth which was dry as sand. 

Thane sat her down under a shade of a tree and ripped the material of her upper leg pant, exposing smooth skin and a large bleeding cut.  It was angry with streaks of red running down her calves. Thankfully it was shallow but it was big enough to hurt. 

He fished out a blue colored elixir from his pockets and uncorked it with his teeth before pouring it over her leg. It sizzled. Nera grunted in pain but held it in, jaw clenched, fists balled up. Tearing off a piece of cloth from his clothes, he tied it around her leg. 

“Brings back memories.” She mused quietly, blinking away tears.

He found himself grinning, memories of ten years ago resurfacing. “It does.” 

Nera pulled herself up, wincing a little. “Let’s go back.”

Thane nodded, supporting her with an arm around her waist. They travel in silence apart from Nera’s occasional coughs. Birds flew over them and sounds of nature waking up for the morning came. Thane didn’t imagine he would ever think of it in this lifetime but seeing dreadful looking Tosa in the distance almost made him sigh in relief. 

He avoids the quiet crowd of people until he sees an unfamiliar horse beside theirs. Thane shared a look with Nera. “The mercenary.” 

She let out a tired breath. Tosa was all fine and good but she was starting to hate the stench of death which was always in the air. “Finally.” 

Slowly, they made their way towards the chapel and instantly noticed the heavily hooded figure decked in full armor talking to Michael. With a dark hollow face and skin so pale it looked like bleached parchment, the mercenary stood tall, gangly and without any kind of muscle but in his stance was a man who knew his way around the shadows. An expert assassin or spy. 

The man looked up sensing their presence, his charcoal black eyes widened at the sight of Thane, recognition flashing immediately. “Erebus.” 

Thane narrowed his gaze. He was at a disadvantage not knowing this man. Thane had spent much of his life operating in the dangerous world of mercenaries and although he didn’t remember everyone by name, he’d spot a familiar face right away. Most especially if it’s a man as well trained as this one. “Who are you? How do you know who I am?”

“A mere assassin.” The mercenary clicked his tongue, looking Thane over with sharp unwavering eyes. “The exceptionally large sword. The rugged blonde hair. The long scar on your face.” 

Unimpressed, Thane kept his face hard. He decided to go right in. “Where’s Brutus?”

“What are you doing with the daughter of the Chieftain?” He easily countered. 

Nera fought the gasp from escaping her lips. With Nera’s hood up hiding her stark red hair and most of her features, she could be anyone. This man knew her well. “You’re wrong.”

“Am I?” The mercenary grinned challengingly. He had the aura of a man who was all knowing. “The heir to Evordon hasn’t been seen in months. To Caelum they said but her betrothed hasn’t been seen with her. Even during the much celebrated fair happening. Odd, no?”

Thane stood in front of Nera protectively. Done with the assassin’s tricks. “We just want to know where Brutus is.” 

The cunning man rolled his eyes. “So does everyone else.” 

Michael cut in before the fight continued. For over half an hour he’s been talking with the hired mercenary but stubbornly would not give any information up. “What do you want in exchange?”

“We’ll pay whatever price.” Nera reached for her heavy bag of coins.

The hired mercenary only laughed mockingly. “I don’t want your money. Money is easy to come by but secrets... those are more valuable than gold.”

“What is it that you want then?” Nera asked, perplexed. She’s never encountered someone who didn’t ask to be paid in coins. She also didn’t have any kind of secrets to share. 

The nameless assassin tilted his head to the side, thoughtfully glancing between Thane and Nera. It’s as if he was attempting to place the two somewhere in his memories. “An unanswered question of mine.” 

Thane held back a few words that would no doubt cause a stir. “What’s your question?”

“How are the two of you acquainted? By the way both of you act together, I sense more than what meets the eyes. It’s strange. A street rat...” He drawled, his full attention on Thane. There was a strange way he observed Thane like he knew a secret no one else knew. “...and a Chieftain’s daughter. The only heir. And don’t think of lying. I’ll know if you do.” 

Nera looked towards Thane in confusion. What was so interesting about that? Surely, something that happened ten years ago didn’t have much significance. What use would he have of it? Curiosity getting the better of her, she spoke first. “Why would you want to know? It's useless information.” 

“No information is useless, Nera of Evordon.” He stalked closer to them. “Now tell me. How are you two acquainted?”

Seeing permission from Thane first, Nera scratched her chin and saw his approval. “Some ten years ago, we were taken captive by Brutus and his slavers. We were caged together and managed to escape before reaching Slaugh.”

The mercenary drew back, eyes wide as saucers. A deep understanding came about him which no one else understood. “I see. Consider our transaction fully paid.” His gaze fell and lingered on Thane’s chest. “Brutus is headed to Slaugh as we speak. He will be there in a weeks time with a caravan full of slaves ready to be sold.” 

Thane shifted, drawing his chest away from the mercenary’s view. “Impossible the King has knights stationed there. He’d be found and put to trial or worse killed.”

“Is that what they told you?” A single crooked brow lifted. Judging by his reaction, Thane had given him even more secrets though they don’t know what it was.

Although Thane hasn’t ventured that far west to check on Slaugh, the King himself announced to the entirety of Caelum that he has troops there. “It’s what’s true. It’s what is said.”

“You know better than to trust these royals.” The mercenary smirked knowingly. It made Thane’s skin prickle. “Heed my words, Erebus... or was it Thane? You’ll find more than just Brutus in Slaugh.” 

Thane felt himself stiffen. “What do you mean?”

“The slavers aren’t what they seem.” The mercenary says cryptically. “There’s a reason they’ve flourished for so long. I’ll let you find out for yourself.” 

Without another word, the mercenary turned to leave, leaving Michael, Nera and Thane to follow his retreating figure. 

Nera shuddered. “That man gave me the chills.”