Read Online Dawn of the Ice Bear by Jeff Mariotte - Free Book Online

surveyed the room again. If there were a hidden panel or something, he would not find it. The fury in him was so great that he moved to kick Sarapan’s lifeless husk, but when he did, he noticed a slight mound beneath the straw. Instead, he kicked that, revealing a velvet purse.
    Two dozen golden lunas spilled into his hand when he upended it. He felt their weight for a moment, smiling. Poured them into his own purse.
    Everything he owned he had on him. But he wanted the horse from the stable. Maybe even a fresh one, if it didn’t cost more than one of his gold pieces.
    After all, he had ridden his most of the day. Now he would have to ride all night, as well. Maybe he could be across the border before anyone found the dead man.
    If not, at least he’d be well out of the reach of the local law.
    And now, finally, he had a stake that would serve him well in Taern. He had accomplished what he had gone to Aquilonia for. He’d seen the civilized world, and he had gained his treasure.
    Time to go home, Conor thought. More than time.

8
    THE STREETS OF Kuthmet were much quieter now that the sun had gone. Darkness ruled the quiet hours; darkness and the Sons of Set, the serpent god. They had barely left Tarawa’s house when Donial saw the first snake. It was about four feet long, black with red stripes. Torchlight gleamed off its sinuous back as it writhed its way up the road.
    He noticed Tarawa glance at the thing casually, then turn her head as if it was beneath her attention. Kral, however, cringed away from the serpent. Picts hated snakes, Donial knew, and Kral was no exception. The savage’s hand had dropped to his knife hilt, ready to strike at the beast. He didn’t like snakes, but it was distaste, not fear, that ruled his reaction. Donial continued watching the snake until it reached a corner and slithered out of sight. He had to step quickly to catch up with the others, who kept pace with Tarawa. Before they had gone another block, he saw two more serpents, one twice the size of the first.
    Even as large as that snake was, it was not as fearsome as the one they saw on the next dark block. Tarawa gasped and pressed them all back against the nearest stone wall. “Now you see why we seldom venture out in the dark,” she hissed. “Remain still—their eyesight is poor, but they can detect sudden motion.”
    The snake she shied from was at least thirty feet in length, Donial judged, and as big around as a barrel. Its tongue flicked from its mouth as it slithered along the road toward them, darting out to taste the air. With a slow, smooth motion, Kral slid his sword from its scabbard. Donial did the same. He didn’t want to attract the thing’s attention, but if they did, he wanted to be ready to defend against it. He only caught glimpses of its fangs, but they looked like daggers.
    Mikelo had told them stories about the huge snakes that were allowed to roam the streets of some Stygian cities, taking any unfortunate passersby for victims. He had heard rumors of such things even back in Tarantia. But he had never quite been able to believe it. Why would anyone allow such grotesque beasts free rein?
    Tarawa spoke softly, almost as if reading Donial’s mind. “The priests worship Set,” she explained. “The snake god. No one denies the snakes anything, for fear of enraging Set. Or at least his priests.”
    The thing came closer as she spoke, but it did not seem aware of their presence. It writhed past them, searching out some tastier treat. Donial breathed a sigh of relief once it had disappeared down the dark street.
    â€œThat was close,” Tarawa said. “We were lucky, or blessed.”
    â€œSurely it can’t eat everyone it comes into contact with,” Alanya suggested. “It would not always be hungry, would it?”
    â€œPerhaps not,” Tarawa said. “But there are more than one that size.”
    â€œI find that hard to