Read Online Mountain of Daggers by Seth Skorkowsky - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Seth Skorkowsky
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sending Bayard home and locking the door. The shipper paused for a moment staring at the inside of the door, his heart thudding painfully, then set his jaw and left his office on an errand of utmost importance.
#
The evening breeze chilled as sunlight waned. By the Old Kaisers’ light, Konrad briskly walked down the Lunnisburg streets past vendors closing for the night. A creeping tingle slithered up the back of his neck. He looked sharply over his shoulder, scanning the streets behind him, but no one paid him any attention. A nervous chuckle escaped his lips and his pace quickened until he reached The Tiger’s Coat, one of the city’s finer inns.
The smell of warm food greeted him as he stepped inside, and the talk of men enjoying a drink after a hard day’s work filled the air, but Konrad barely noticed. He crossed the bar, dashed up to the third floor and hurried down a narrow hall to a white door. “Helmuth,” he called, pounding his fist into the door.
It creaked open and one of Helmuth’s green eyes peered out. “What are you doing here?” His sour breath reeked of wine.
“We need to talk.” Konrad glanced over his shoulder. “Let me in.”
The door squeaked open. Helmuth towered before him, his blonde hair tangled and silk clothes disheveled. He held a thin-bladed sword at his side. “Out,” he snapped at a young, red-haired wench clutching the bed sheets over her ample bosom.
The girl scrambled out of bed, snatched her garments from the floor and wriggled into a short chemise. Her eyes flashed angrily at Konrad as she scurried out into the hall, a crumpled bodice clenched tightly in one hand.
“What is it?” Helmuth growled. He waited until Konrad stepped inside then closed the door. “You ruin my sport.”
Konrad balled his hand into a fist but didn’t raise it. “Your assassin was caught! I paid you to kill the captains, not hire a killer.”
An amused grin grew across the bounty hunter’s face. “So? He doesn’t know who we are.” He tossed the silver-hilted sword onto the unmade bed and pulled his hair back. “I admit I’m disappointed.” He twisted the hair into a tangled ponytail. “I didn’t spend months tracking him all the way from Ralkosty just to lose out on the bounty. You’re fortunate you approached me right before I found him.”
“But he didn’t get the letter!” Konrad objected furiously. “Now she’s—”
“So we change plans,” Helmuth interrupted with a shrug. “A small setback, nothing more.” He removed a small crossbow from a table and set it on a brass-bound trunk beside the bed. “You look terrible. Go downstairs and get some food, bring back a bottle of wine, and we’ll decide our next move.”
Konrad took a deep breath and ran his hand over his face. He opened his mouth to speak, then shut it, turned and left the room.
Several minutes later, his hands full with a plate of food and two bottles of wine, he pushed the bedroom door open with his shoulder. “I was thinking,” he said, closing the door with his foot. “We could use some of the docksmen…”
Helmuth sat motionless in his chair, his mouth hung open in an expressionless stare.
“You all right?”
The bounty hunter made no reply.
Konrad set the plate down and touched the man on the shoulder. “Helmuth?”
The blonde man fell limply to the floor, a metal quarrel jutting from his back. Konrad dropped the bottles, sending a plume of wine and broken glass gushing across the polished wood. A black raven feather protruded from the hollow metal tube.
Terrified, Konrad looked around. The room was empty, and the shutters closed. Turning to run, he slipped on the blood and wine-soaked floor. He slid and nearly fell, but regained his footing, dashed across the room and burst into the hall, knocking over a patron, as he raced down the stairs. Shouted curses followed him as he shoved his way through the bar and fled out into the chilly night.
He bolted down the narrow streets,
#
The evening breeze chilled as sunlight waned. By the Old Kaisers’ light, Konrad briskly walked down the Lunnisburg streets past vendors closing for the night. A creeping tingle slithered up the back of his neck. He looked sharply over his shoulder, scanning the streets behind him, but no one paid him any attention. A nervous chuckle escaped his lips and his pace quickened until he reached The Tiger’s Coat, one of the city’s finer inns.
The smell of warm food greeted him as he stepped inside, and the talk of men enjoying a drink after a hard day’s work filled the air, but Konrad barely noticed. He crossed the bar, dashed up to the third floor and hurried down a narrow hall to a white door. “Helmuth,” he called, pounding his fist into the door.
It creaked open and one of Helmuth’s green eyes peered out. “What are you doing here?” His sour breath reeked of wine.
“We need to talk.” Konrad glanced over his shoulder. “Let me in.”
The door squeaked open. Helmuth towered before him, his blonde hair tangled and silk clothes disheveled. He held a thin-bladed sword at his side. “Out,” he snapped at a young, red-haired wench clutching the bed sheets over her ample bosom.
The girl scrambled out of bed, snatched her garments from the floor and wriggled into a short chemise. Her eyes flashed angrily at Konrad as she scurried out into the hall, a crumpled bodice clenched tightly in one hand.
“What is it?” Helmuth growled. He waited until Konrad stepped inside then closed the door. “You ruin my sport.”
Konrad balled his hand into a fist but didn’t raise it. “Your assassin was caught! I paid you to kill the captains, not hire a killer.”
An amused grin grew across the bounty hunter’s face. “So? He doesn’t know who we are.” He tossed the silver-hilted sword onto the unmade bed and pulled his hair back. “I admit I’m disappointed.” He twisted the hair into a tangled ponytail. “I didn’t spend months tracking him all the way from Ralkosty just to lose out on the bounty. You’re fortunate you approached me right before I found him.”
“But he didn’t get the letter!” Konrad objected furiously. “Now she’s—”
“So we change plans,” Helmuth interrupted with a shrug. “A small setback, nothing more.” He removed a small crossbow from a table and set it on a brass-bound trunk beside the bed. “You look terrible. Go downstairs and get some food, bring back a bottle of wine, and we’ll decide our next move.”
Konrad took a deep breath and ran his hand over his face. He opened his mouth to speak, then shut it, turned and left the room.
Several minutes later, his hands full with a plate of food and two bottles of wine, he pushed the bedroom door open with his shoulder. “I was thinking,” he said, closing the door with his foot. “We could use some of the docksmen…”
Helmuth sat motionless in his chair, his mouth hung open in an expressionless stare.
“You all right?”
The bounty hunter made no reply.
Konrad set the plate down and touched the man on the shoulder. “Helmuth?”
The blonde man fell limply to the floor, a metal quarrel jutting from his back. Konrad dropped the bottles, sending a plume of wine and broken glass gushing across the polished wood. A black raven feather protruded from the hollow metal tube.
Terrified, Konrad looked around. The room was empty, and the shutters closed. Turning to run, he slipped on the blood and wine-soaked floor. He slid and nearly fell, but regained his footing, dashed across the room and burst into the hall, knocking over a patron, as he raced down the stairs. Shouted curses followed him as he shoved his way through the bar and fled out into the chilly night.
He bolted down the narrow streets,
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