next day’s dawn.”
Even Laughlin’s bones felt tired, his muscles completely
spent. He started agree with Brandr but something froze the words. The world
around him shimmered then faded to gray. His normal sight dimmed as a vision
took him, threatening to drag him under. He had something to do, somewhere he
had to go. A moment of grave importance, an aligning of fate, lay just beyond
his reach.
“I’ll meet you later,” he murmured as he fought for control
and focus.
Brandr obviously recognized the look after so many years
spent working with and supporting Laughlin. “Do you need me to come with you?”
he asked, already adjusting the strap holding his sword. “Is it dangerous?”
“I don’t believe so.” Laughlin closed his eyes and tried to
get a stronger fix on what the vision was trying to tell him. Strange, I’m
only getting feelings and impressions, nothing more solid. It must be tied to
my own destiny. Then why do I feel it is so important to our cause? “I
think I have to do this myself.”
Yes, that felt right. Brandr’s presence would change the
course of fate. Something about him being too intimidating, maybe? What is it?
Clapping Laughlin on his shoulder, Brandr started walking
from the battlefield toward their encampment. Thankfully, he wasn’t one to
argue. Not when it came to what Laughlin’s powers told him.
Laughlin turned in the opposite direction, toward the small
trading village they were using to resupply. The path was deserted, a lonely
stretch of nothingness. But it wasn’t entirely empty of presence. Someone was
there, someone waiting for easy prey. That was who he needed to face.
Laughlin braced himself for the attack he knew was coming as
he rounded a grove of spindly trees.
A slight form darted forward, dancing around him and
pressing a small blade to his throat. “Your coins. Hand them over and I won’t
be carving you.”
Laughlin struggled to keep the surprise from his face and
voice. A strange turn of events indeed. “Do you really want to do that,
woman?” It was difficult not to grin at the absurdity. Fight demons for untold
hours only to be brought down by a slip of a female. “Rob one of the village’s
protectors when the demons are coming nightly?”
“Your kind haven’t protected me or mine. I protect myself.”
She pressed the blade against his skin until it almost broke through. “Now,
your coins.”
He tried to move his neck but couldn’t as the blade would
nick his skin with the slightest twist on his part. “You’ll have to ease up. I
can’t reach them without harming myself.”
The woman moved back somewhat and loosened the force against
his throat a bit.
Just enough.
Laughlin grabbed her wrist, slamming her hand into the tree
behind them. As her blade fell to the ground he twisted her arm behind her
back.
She cursed, kicking out at him and jerking on her arm.
“Be still.” He let a little pressure off, not wanting to
really hurt her. That wasn’t what this meeting was about. Whatever fate held
for them, he had to gain her trust. Hurting her would do nothing for his cause.
“You will only harm yourself. I don’t mean to cause you pain. I just want to
talk.”
“Right, talk,” she spat, bucking and twisting but unable to
break his hold. “That’s what every man wants, to talk to his attacker,
especially when she’s a woman.”
Something about the bitterness in her voice pulled at Laughlin’s
heart. “Maybe not, but that is what I intend on doing. So what say you calm
yourself and promise you won’t run when I release you. I vow that I only wish
to speak to you.”
The woman stilled. He could almost hear the thoughts rushing
through her mind—trust or not to trust. But she stopped fighting. “Let me go.
I’ll listen.”
Laughlin released his grasp, stepping back to let the woman
right herself and to put distance between them if she came up swinging. She
pulled her cloak down over her face and moved as far into the shadow
Even Laughlin’s bones felt tired, his muscles completely
spent. He started agree with Brandr but something froze the words. The world
around him shimmered then faded to gray. His normal sight dimmed as a vision
took him, threatening to drag him under. He had something to do, somewhere he
had to go. A moment of grave importance, an aligning of fate, lay just beyond
his reach.
“I’ll meet you later,” he murmured as he fought for control
and focus.
Brandr obviously recognized the look after so many years
spent working with and supporting Laughlin. “Do you need me to come with you?”
he asked, already adjusting the strap holding his sword. “Is it dangerous?”
“I don’t believe so.” Laughlin closed his eyes and tried to
get a stronger fix on what the vision was trying to tell him. Strange, I’m
only getting feelings and impressions, nothing more solid. It must be tied to
my own destiny. Then why do I feel it is so important to our cause? “I
think I have to do this myself.”
Yes, that felt right. Brandr’s presence would change the
course of fate. Something about him being too intimidating, maybe? What is it?
Clapping Laughlin on his shoulder, Brandr started walking
from the battlefield toward their encampment. Thankfully, he wasn’t one to
argue. Not when it came to what Laughlin’s powers told him.
Laughlin turned in the opposite direction, toward the small
trading village they were using to resupply. The path was deserted, a lonely
stretch of nothingness. But it wasn’t entirely empty of presence. Someone was
there, someone waiting for easy prey. That was who he needed to face.
Laughlin braced himself for the attack he knew was coming as
he rounded a grove of spindly trees.
A slight form darted forward, dancing around him and
pressing a small blade to his throat. “Your coins. Hand them over and I won’t
be carving you.”
Laughlin struggled to keep the surprise from his face and
voice. A strange turn of events indeed. “Do you really want to do that,
woman?” It was difficult not to grin at the absurdity. Fight demons for untold
hours only to be brought down by a slip of a female. “Rob one of the village’s
protectors when the demons are coming nightly?”
“Your kind haven’t protected me or mine. I protect myself.”
She pressed the blade against his skin until it almost broke through. “Now,
your coins.”
He tried to move his neck but couldn’t as the blade would
nick his skin with the slightest twist on his part. “You’ll have to ease up. I
can’t reach them without harming myself.”
The woman moved back somewhat and loosened the force against
his throat a bit.
Just enough.
Laughlin grabbed her wrist, slamming her hand into the tree
behind them. As her blade fell to the ground he twisted her arm behind her
back.
She cursed, kicking out at him and jerking on her arm.
“Be still.” He let a little pressure off, not wanting to
really hurt her. That wasn’t what this meeting was about. Whatever fate held
for them, he had to gain her trust. Hurting her would do nothing for his cause.
“You will only harm yourself. I don’t mean to cause you pain. I just want to
talk.”
“Right, talk,” she spat, bucking and twisting but unable to
break his hold. “That’s what every man wants, to talk to his attacker,
especially when she’s a woman.”
Something about the bitterness in her voice pulled at Laughlin’s
heart. “Maybe not, but that is what I intend on doing. So what say you calm
yourself and promise you won’t run when I release you. I vow that I only wish
to speak to you.”
The woman stilled. He could almost hear the thoughts rushing
through her mind—trust or not to trust. But she stopped fighting. “Let me go.
I’ll listen.”
Laughlin released his grasp, stepping back to let the woman
right herself and to put distance between them if she came up swinging. She
pulled her cloak down over her face and moved as far into the shadow
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