Read Online And Night Descends (The Third Book of the Small Gods Series) by Bruce Blake - Free Book Online

station he held, Trenan doubted it.
    “You might say that,” he replied, choosing once again to ignore the younger man’s inexplicable derision. “We’ve known each other a long while.”
    They walked the rest of the way in silence and reached the outpost a few minutes later. Several men were gathered by the tethered horses, their voices loud as they engaged in their discussions, laughter occasionally overpowering the conversations. One noticed Trenan and Dansil approaching and stopped speaking mid-sentence. He smacked one of his companions in the shoulder with the back of his hand, drawing the other’s attention. A murmur spread through them and the playful arguments and boasts ended; the soldiers snapped to attention. Trenan smiled to himself; he wore nothing to denote his rank or status, but his missing arm made him the most recognizable officer in the king’s army.
    “As you were,” he said upon their approach. None of them relaxed. “Does Captain Silvius still command this outpost?”
    “Aye, he does, swordmaster,” the man who’d first seen them replied.
    “Get him for us,” Dansil growled.
    The soldier’s eyes narrowed as if to ask who this was who’d spoken. Trenan clenched his teeth again, biting back a reprimand. How did Ishla put up with him as part of her guard? He couldn’t imagine her enjoying his company. The thought forced him to suppress a disgusted shiver.
    “We seek audience with him,” Trenan interjected, glancing sideways at Dansil. “If he has the time.”
    “I’m sure he’ll have time for you, sir.” The soldier nodded once, then hurried inside. Awkward silence fell as they waited, so Trenan took it upon himself to break it.
    “How is business at the outpost these days?”
    “Quiet,” replied a man with a hawk nose and less hair than a newborn. “Not much happenin’ but petty crimes—thievin’, gamblin’, whorin’ and such.”
    Dansil chortled. “Gamblin’ and whorin’ ain’t really crimes though, are they?”
    Before Trenan could decide if he needed to school the soldier regarding the king’s stance on those activities outside the crown’s whorehouses and gambling establishments, the outpost door swung open and Captain Silvius strode across the threshold. As soon as he spied the master swordsman, a smile crossed his weathered face and he threw his arms wide.
    “Trenan, you old war dog. How long has it been?”
    “Too many seasons,” he replied, accepting the commander’s embrace; it included a solid bumping of chests and a slap on the back before quickly releasing him. “You look good. Time has treated you well.”
    A lie. Silvius appeared to have swallowed a whole pig since Trenan last saw him, and he’d aged beyond the seasons which had passed. The master swordsman wondered if stress caused the changes, or if the deep furrows in his face and spidery veins in his eyes might be the product of too much of the hooch the soldiers concocted in a still out behind the outpost.
    “You’re a lying bastard, you are, Trenan. But the likes of you doesn’t come visit the likes of me just to make me feel pretty. What can I do for you?”
    “My companion and I—”
    “Dansil,” the soldier interrupted.
    “Dansil and I—”
    “I’m a queen’s guard.”
    Trenan blew a firm breath out through his nostrils and Silvius surveyed his companion. The master swordsman could only imagine the size of the shit-eating grin plastered across the man’s face.
    “Dansil the queen’s guard and I are in need of horses and equipment for a long ride. Rations, too, if you have any to spare.”
    “The swordmaster and a queen’s guard heading off together into the countryside, is it? Never thought I’d see such a thing. Maybe today’s the day I should be headed to the king’s gambling hall to test my luck.”
    A forced chuckle spilled from Trenan’s lips. “Isn’t every day the day for you to be headed to the gambling hall, Silvius?”
    “Just so.”
    The portly soldier