Read Online Revenge Of The Elf (Book 1) by Lucas Thorn - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Lucas Thorn
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been resting beside the fire. Dug around inside before tossing a small package to the spellslinger. “Here,” he said. “It ain't much, but we don't have a lot left. Hoping to make Highwall in a few days, though. Resupply there.”
Chukshene tore at the wrapping and gave a small satisfied gasp as he pulled out a chunk of cheese and dried strips of meat. Offered some to the elf who gave a quick shake of her head and kept her violet eyes firmly on the hawk-nosed man. “When did you see them?” she asked.
“Yesterday. Late evening. Were nine of them.”
“Nine?” she had expected around that number, but hearing it made her feel slightly overwhelmed. Though she wouldn't stop chasing them until they were all dead, the thought of going against nine possibly well-trained soldiers was a daunting one. She felt a thin trickle of doubt slide down the back of her neck and wondered if she was doing the right thing.
Talek always said she was stubborn.
Told her it would kill her, too. One day.
“Yeah. They rode by easy enough, though. Ollie kept an arrow on them all the way and to tell the truth, Long-ear, I wouldn't have stopped him shooting them. They looked mean. Meaner than you.”
“You don't know me all that well,” the elf said, her lip twisting crookedly up toward the scar.
“Still,” the wagoner shrugged. “I'd leave them be if I were you. Don't poke a snake's nest. You'll only get bit.”
“Good advice,” Chukshene allowed.
“If you're set on it, then maybe you should know they didn't give a shit about Ollie's bow,” Carter said. “In fact, the biggest one kind of smiled at him as though he was a kid with a toy. Big bastard with an axe. Looked like he wanted to kill us both just for the fuck of it. I think that's why Ollie was so sore when you came along. He's still feeling rubbed up the wrong way. He wanted to be a soldier, you know. Long time ago. His old dad was one. When he sees men like that, he gets pissed off he didn't get what they got. Still. They moved on. Maybe figured he wasn't so green they could take a chance on losing a few of their number.”
“Maybe figured his arrows were green, too,” the elf drawled. “Which way they head?”
“South. Heard one say something about Grimwood Creek. They looked like they were in a hurry. And you really shouldn't joke about Ollie like that. He's not as green as you think. He's worked this trail with me for five years. The Deadlands isn't a place for those who can't defend themselves. We've been through a lot together.”
“Grimwood Creek?” Chukshene frowned. “That's right on the border. So they're Caspiellans? You didn't tell me you were hunting Caspiellans.”
Carter barked a laugh. “Caspiellans? I doubt it. Not unless she's one. Or Rule's decided that elf blood isn't Tainted anymore,” he grinned at the mage's confused expression. “And there's fat chance of that, right? No, mage. They were Long-ears. Like her. You ain't together I take it?”
“No. Just headed in the same direction.”
“Wanna be careful, then,” Carter said ominously. “Ought to know who you're travelling with. Know what kinds of trouble you might find, if you get me?”
Nysta ignored him and stared hard into the fire, her hands twisted together in a knot.
She'd figured they'd been elfs by their boots. Didn't feel too much surprise at the revelation. All the same, it disappointed her that Talek would fall to his own kind. She'd always thought if he had to die violently in the Deadlands, it would be to a renegade band of humans. An ork, maybe. Or pack of goblins. Or some kind of magic-twisted monstrosity created during the Godwars. Anything.
But not elfs.
She felt the stab of disappointment in her heart and sighed. “What they look like?”
“They were elfs,” Carter shrugged dismissively. “No offence, but you all look the same to me. I guess one was bigger than the others, like I said. Two looked identical. Could've been brothers? Another had a cut
Chukshene tore at the wrapping and gave a small satisfied gasp as he pulled out a chunk of cheese and dried strips of meat. Offered some to the elf who gave a quick shake of her head and kept her violet eyes firmly on the hawk-nosed man. “When did you see them?” she asked.
“Yesterday. Late evening. Were nine of them.”
“Nine?” she had expected around that number, but hearing it made her feel slightly overwhelmed. Though she wouldn't stop chasing them until they were all dead, the thought of going against nine possibly well-trained soldiers was a daunting one. She felt a thin trickle of doubt slide down the back of her neck and wondered if she was doing the right thing.
Talek always said she was stubborn.
Told her it would kill her, too. One day.
“Yeah. They rode by easy enough, though. Ollie kept an arrow on them all the way and to tell the truth, Long-ear, I wouldn't have stopped him shooting them. They looked mean. Meaner than you.”
“You don't know me all that well,” the elf said, her lip twisting crookedly up toward the scar.
“Still,” the wagoner shrugged. “I'd leave them be if I were you. Don't poke a snake's nest. You'll only get bit.”
“Good advice,” Chukshene allowed.
“If you're set on it, then maybe you should know they didn't give a shit about Ollie's bow,” Carter said. “In fact, the biggest one kind of smiled at him as though he was a kid with a toy. Big bastard with an axe. Looked like he wanted to kill us both just for the fuck of it. I think that's why Ollie was so sore when you came along. He's still feeling rubbed up the wrong way. He wanted to be a soldier, you know. Long time ago. His old dad was one. When he sees men like that, he gets pissed off he didn't get what they got. Still. They moved on. Maybe figured he wasn't so green they could take a chance on losing a few of their number.”
“Maybe figured his arrows were green, too,” the elf drawled. “Which way they head?”
“South. Heard one say something about Grimwood Creek. They looked like they were in a hurry. And you really shouldn't joke about Ollie like that. He's not as green as you think. He's worked this trail with me for five years. The Deadlands isn't a place for those who can't defend themselves. We've been through a lot together.”
“Grimwood Creek?” Chukshene frowned. “That's right on the border. So they're Caspiellans? You didn't tell me you were hunting Caspiellans.”
Carter barked a laugh. “Caspiellans? I doubt it. Not unless she's one. Or Rule's decided that elf blood isn't Tainted anymore,” he grinned at the mage's confused expression. “And there's fat chance of that, right? No, mage. They were Long-ears. Like her. You ain't together I take it?”
“No. Just headed in the same direction.”
“Wanna be careful, then,” Carter said ominously. “Ought to know who you're travelling with. Know what kinds of trouble you might find, if you get me?”
Nysta ignored him and stared hard into the fire, her hands twisted together in a knot.
She'd figured they'd been elfs by their boots. Didn't feel too much surprise at the revelation. All the same, it disappointed her that Talek would fall to his own kind. She'd always thought if he had to die violently in the Deadlands, it would be to a renegade band of humans. An ork, maybe. Or pack of goblins. Or some kind of magic-twisted monstrosity created during the Godwars. Anything.
But not elfs.
She felt the stab of disappointment in her heart and sighed. “What they look like?”
“They were elfs,” Carter shrugged dismissively. “No offence, but you all look the same to me. I guess one was bigger than the others, like I said. Two looked identical. Could've been brothers? Another had a cut
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