Quest for the Three Books

Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Steigan bolted out the back door and hopped the hedgerow rather than going through the gate. He felt the heat before he even reached the stables. Goddess, how had this happened? He didn't remember a lantern burning inside when he'd gone in just a few minutes before.

He threw his arm over his nose as he ran through the smoke. “Sim! Sim, where are you?”

A muffled noise to his left drew his attention. Through the smoke, he saw Sim tied and gagged, leaning against one of the paddock walls. He looked up to see bald Braccus with his sword already drawn.

Steigan pulled his blade and dropped into a preconditioned stance, wondering where the other bandits were. His senses came alive, his ears listening for more noises. His body automatically prepared with an instinctive breath, one filled with smoke. He fought the urge to cough and lost, but managed to keep it down to one little choke. “I'm warning you,” he recovered, “let him go. I took you down easily enough last night. I can do it again.”

Baldy stepped around Sim. “I wasn't expecting a fight last night. I thought you were a member of the Onim, not some little punk.”

Swords crossed, a quick clashing duel with Baldy pushing Steigan back.

“Onim? What are you talking about?” Steigan recovered his stance. “I didn't realize, 'Let's tear him apart,' was a code phrase. Sorry. The grease is on the spoon.”

Baldy bristled at Steigan's remark. “What else was I to expect, you being out there alone, chanting the old rites.”

Had they been watching him that long? Steigan crouched lower and gripped his sword tighter. He wished Baldy would quit talking and start swinging, make everything easier for him.

He caught a movement to the side in his peripheral vision and Steigan turned unsure of an attack, but wanting to defend against Baldy in case the bandits were surrounding him. The hazy light coming through the stable doors blinded him momentarily, but not before he saw a silhouetted bandit push Lucinia forward through the door.

Steigan straightened, half stepping toward Lucinia before remembering Baldy beside him. He lost his battle stance and threw his arms wide to indicate he wouldn't attack anymore. “No, let her go. Please.”

A board crashed down behind him. The fire crackled in the loft threatening to take down the whole section above them. Lucinia stifled a scream, muffling it into her fleshy hands. Sooty tears streaked down her cheeks as she stared at Steigan with wide blue eyes. He'd never seen her so scared.

Baldy jerked his head, indicating to the other bandit to put the woman with her husband. “If I had revealed myself to you last night, would you have let me go, Dominus, or would I be dead now?”

The fire burned on the paddock where Sim and Lucinia were. Steigan knew he should be watching Baldy, but his whole mind concentrated on how to get his family out of here. “I have no clue what you're talking about.”

A beam gave way behind them and the building swayed. Steigan's smoke-filled eyes stung.

“Please, let them go. It's me you want revenge on. Just let them go. I'll put down my weapon and not fight you.” Steigan let his sword dangle from loose fingers.

“Steigan, no!” Lucinia cried out.

Baldy exchanged a quick look with the other bandit as though not sure he should believe Steigan.

Steigan knew he had to act quickly on the indecision. “Look, I'll go first.” He dropped his sword and held out his hands in surrender. “It's down.”

Baldy reached down and picked up Steigan's sword. “Let's go.” With a wave of Steigan's blade, he bullied Steigan toward the door. The other bandit grabbed Lucinia and pulled her toward the door. When Steigan realized that Sim had been left behind, Steigan tried to cut around Baldy toward Sim. Baldy grabbed Steigan's tunic and dug his fingers under Steigan's armor to hold him back.

“The filthy sapere stays. He must die,” Baldy said.

Steigan glared up at Baldy. “Who says? Who made up that rule?”

“Strangely enough, the saint you're named after. Go now.”

Released from Baldy's grip, Steigan bent over and rammed his shoulder guard into Baldy's stomach. “No way. I'm not leaving without him.” He made a grab for his sword, but Baldy had anticipated that move more than he had Steigan ramming him.

“Braccus, let him get the sapere.”

Steigan glanced around for the man who'd spoken. He could hardly see anything through the thick smoke clouding everything, but he saw a third bandit in the doorway.

Bald Braccus moved out of Steigan's way, clearing a path for Steigan to retrieve Sim. Steigan ran inside the stables, dropped beside Sim, and pulled his dagger from behind him to quickly cut the ropes holding Sim.

With Sim on his feet, Steigan tried to hoist Sim onto his back to carry him out, but Sim waved him off. Surely if his lungs hadn't been filled with smoke, Sim would've insisted of his fine health. Steigan turned and found Braccus right behind him with his hand out toward Steigan. “Now hand me the dagger.”

Steigan took a step forward with the dagger pointed at Braccus, carefully watching the man's eyes for fear. Just one flicker, but he found none. He still needed to get Sim out. Turning the dagger, he handed it hilt first to Braccus.

As Braccus herded them out at weapon-point, Steigan reached for Sim to pull him out of the smoke. Sim carried Tyana's saddle.

“Leave it,” Steigan growled. “It's not important.”

Sim hefted the saddle higher and pulled it toward his chest. “There are few things,” he coughed, “in this world you're attached to. Tyana is one of them. You're going to need this.” He could barely complete the sentence. Once outside and clear of the burning stables, Sim dropped the saddle and practically fell on top of it choking out the smoke in his lungs. Lucinia collapsed at his side in an instant, hugging him.

Steigan saw his opportunity as most of the bandits had their attention turned to Sim and Lucinia. He whistled, hoping for Tyana to be close by. With her, he had an advantage.

Braccus turned on Steigan like a bear and punched him. The solid blow to his jaw sent Steigan spiraling to the ground. On his stomach and propped up on one arm, Steigan rubbed his jaw. Braccus' feet entered his line of sight. “If you think that unicorn is going to come help you, you're wrong.”

Steigan stood up and dusted himself off. “I was telling her to leave quickly.”

Braccus shook his head. “You're a terrible liar.”

“I told you I wouldn't fight you.” Steigan held his arms slightly out from his sides. “What do you want?”

Braccus moved around behind Steigan and took a hold of his jaw, fingers digging into the tender spot left from the punch. Braccus forced him to look at the burning stables and the flames as high as the nearby treetops.

“Start by taking a look at the damage you've done,” Braccus growled in his ear.

It hit Steigan all at once, the whole ramifications of the barn burning and how this would hurt Sim's business. Between running the tavern and his duties at the Temple, Sim didn't have time to worry about building new stables. Steigan's hands came to his head as though he could keep out the intruding thoughts. “Sim, I... oh Goddess...”

“Steigan...” Sim groaned. His throat sounded ragged from the smoke.

Steigan knew Sim's eyes had to be as irritated as his own. “Ah, Goddess. I endangered you and Lucinia. I'm so sorry. How can I...”

Braccus whipped Steigan around and pushed him backwards. “You're right, boy. You endanger the people you love when you play at being a dominus.”

Steigan threw his arms out, his hands wide. “Fine! Take your retribution and be done with it.”

Braccus moved toward him with his sword, but Speedy came forward and put a hand on Braccus' chest. “Don't break him yet. We're on a mission and he may have information we need,” the bandit said.

The bearded bandit added, “Not to mention the bad luck you'd bring down on us. I have a dreadful feeling about this.”

Braccus glared at the second bandit. “Superstitious twit!”

Speedy spoke, “Chetal's right.”

Braccus shrugged and grabbed Steigan's tunic. “Looks like you're going with us.”

“Please don't hurt him,” Lucinia said, looking like she wanted to stand and take on the bandit, but not quite brave enough to do that considering their numbers.

“It's all right, Ma,” Steigan said to her. Then to Braccus he added, “I'll go willingly and tell you what I can.”

Braccus smiled, turning the sword over in his hands. “Oh, I'll make sure of that.”