Read Online Darkstone - An Evil Reborn (Book 4) by Guy Antibes - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Guy Antibes
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Candlelight appeared at windows above and the thugs lay writhing as the flames moved downward on their own accord and covered the men.
Vish crawled over to his dagger and put it back into its sheath, unbloodied. As the stench of burning flesh assaulted his sense of smell, he drew Peleor closer to him. The man’s color had improved by the time the city guard arrived.
The soldiers grabbed buckets at the two watering troughs on the street as others filled their helmets with water to douse the fires. None of the thugs had survived.
An officer stood above Vish, waving away the awful smell of the smoke and steam emanating from the fallen men. “What happened? You seem to be the only conscious survivor.” The officer’s eyes looked at Peleor and then back to him. A guard rushed up with a box of medical supplies and laid out Peleor. The arrow had gone all the way through his leg. The man clipped off the arrowhead and pulled the arrow out from the feathered side. Peleor moaned, but remained mostly non-responsive.
Vish grimaced with an arrow still sticking out from his shoulder. He fought to talk through the pain. “Today is my fifteenth birthday. Both of my tutors took me out to drink. These men showed up to kill us.”
“Tutors? What is your name?”
“I am Vishan Daryaku, a son of the Emperor.”
The soldier straightened up and his eyebrows rose in alarm. “An assassination attempt? Where is the other tutor?” He motioned that the man see to Vishan’s wound.
“There is only one. Sulm fell asleep at our last stop for the night. We were headed home,” Vish said through clenched teeth. He fought to remain conscious.
“The arrow is stuck in his shoulder blade. This is going to hurt, lad,” the guard said as he pulled it out. The guard had to cut some of his shirt to finish. He slathered a potion on his shoulder and the pain began to deaden.
Vish gritted his teeth and nodded. “Yes, an assassination attempt. Their business was with me, so their leader said. I didn’t recognize any of the men.” He didn’t want these guards to know of his power. He looked down at the unconscious Peleor and came up with an idea.
“They carried torches and my tutor, who is a sorcerer, was able to turn the flames back on them just before they were ready to kill us. After he was done, he fainted from his wounds.”
The officer’s gaze went back to Peleor. He took a step back. “It’s a good thing he accompanied the boy. We’ll get a palanquin. I assume you dwell in the Imperial Compound?”
“I do. Today is my fifteenth birthday,” Vish said.
“This is not a recommended way to enter into manhood,” the officer said.
~~~
Chapter Six
~
P eleor had taken over a spare bedroom in Princess Yalla’s house for a few days. Three of Vish’s sisters were already married, so Peleor didn’t displace any of Vish’s siblings. The bump on Peleor’s head produced a concussion that left him dizzy and disoriented when he rose. Vish’s shoulder wound had quickly mended, but he still needed to exercise his arm to keep the injury from stiffening up.
Sulm and Vish sat in Peleor’s room. Pictures of maidens dancing in the sun decorated the walls.
“Another two days, your mother’s physician said.” Peleor sat up in bed. “At least we can work while I’m in this soft prison of a room.”
“I haven’t thanked you two, yet, for leaving me snoring at that seedy tavern,” Sulm said. “I most certainly would have been in the way and gotten all three of us killed.”
Vish laughed. The experience seemed to bring the three of them together and he hoped he sensed a bond growing. “That tavern was your choice, Sulm, but Peleor was there to save us.” Vish saw Peleor nod. They’d decided between them for Peleor to take credit for the thugs’ death.
The man put his palm to his forehead. “I’ll rue the day for the rest of my life. Let’s leave Peleor to his pretty murals and talk about the politics of the world in your
Vish crawled over to his dagger and put it back into its sheath, unbloodied. As the stench of burning flesh assaulted his sense of smell, he drew Peleor closer to him. The man’s color had improved by the time the city guard arrived.
The soldiers grabbed buckets at the two watering troughs on the street as others filled their helmets with water to douse the fires. None of the thugs had survived.
An officer stood above Vish, waving away the awful smell of the smoke and steam emanating from the fallen men. “What happened? You seem to be the only conscious survivor.” The officer’s eyes looked at Peleor and then back to him. A guard rushed up with a box of medical supplies and laid out Peleor. The arrow had gone all the way through his leg. The man clipped off the arrowhead and pulled the arrow out from the feathered side. Peleor moaned, but remained mostly non-responsive.
Vish grimaced with an arrow still sticking out from his shoulder. He fought to talk through the pain. “Today is my fifteenth birthday. Both of my tutors took me out to drink. These men showed up to kill us.”
“Tutors? What is your name?”
“I am Vishan Daryaku, a son of the Emperor.”
The soldier straightened up and his eyebrows rose in alarm. “An assassination attempt? Where is the other tutor?” He motioned that the man see to Vishan’s wound.
“There is only one. Sulm fell asleep at our last stop for the night. We were headed home,” Vish said through clenched teeth. He fought to remain conscious.
“The arrow is stuck in his shoulder blade. This is going to hurt, lad,” the guard said as he pulled it out. The guard had to cut some of his shirt to finish. He slathered a potion on his shoulder and the pain began to deaden.
Vish gritted his teeth and nodded. “Yes, an assassination attempt. Their business was with me, so their leader said. I didn’t recognize any of the men.” He didn’t want these guards to know of his power. He looked down at the unconscious Peleor and came up with an idea.
“They carried torches and my tutor, who is a sorcerer, was able to turn the flames back on them just before they were ready to kill us. After he was done, he fainted from his wounds.”
The officer’s gaze went back to Peleor. He took a step back. “It’s a good thing he accompanied the boy. We’ll get a palanquin. I assume you dwell in the Imperial Compound?”
“I do. Today is my fifteenth birthday,” Vish said.
“This is not a recommended way to enter into manhood,” the officer said.
~~~
Chapter Six
~
P eleor had taken over a spare bedroom in Princess Yalla’s house for a few days. Three of Vish’s sisters were already married, so Peleor didn’t displace any of Vish’s siblings. The bump on Peleor’s head produced a concussion that left him dizzy and disoriented when he rose. Vish’s shoulder wound had quickly mended, but he still needed to exercise his arm to keep the injury from stiffening up.
Sulm and Vish sat in Peleor’s room. Pictures of maidens dancing in the sun decorated the walls.
“Another two days, your mother’s physician said.” Peleor sat up in bed. “At least we can work while I’m in this soft prison of a room.”
“I haven’t thanked you two, yet, for leaving me snoring at that seedy tavern,” Sulm said. “I most certainly would have been in the way and gotten all three of us killed.”
Vish laughed. The experience seemed to bring the three of them together and he hoped he sensed a bond growing. “That tavern was your choice, Sulm, but Peleor was there to save us.” Vish saw Peleor nod. They’d decided between them for Peleor to take credit for the thugs’ death.
The man put his palm to his forehead. “I’ll rue the day for the rest of my life. Let’s leave Peleor to his pretty murals and talk about the politics of the world in your
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