Read Online The Calling (Book 7 of The Blood & Brotherhood Saga) (The Blood and Brotherhood Saga) by Jeremy Laszlo - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Jeremy Laszlo
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carriage’s one redeeming quality. Women. Though the place exuded weak, dainty, femininity from floor to ceiling, the air hung heavy with the scents of sex, sweat, and women. He couldn’t see them, but he knew where they were by scent alone. He wondered if either of his companions could smell the delicious aromas wafting up to his snout, though doubted their inferior human senses could detect such things. Sara perhaps, with her predatory urges, but not likely his master.
Tearing his senses away from his more carnal desires, those he had sworn himself to avoid, he focused on the task at hand. Joining their host at a small table, Borrik lowered himself to sit uncomfortably on a chair too small to accommodate him, with a back that impeded his wings’ ability to fold naturally. All he could do was hope that this would not take overly long.
“Alright, Goldenfingers,” Seth began, cutting to the chase, “What can you tell me about Drakenhurst?”
“Virtually everything, I presume, though I’ll start with how it is laid out and defenses, if that suits you.”
“Perfect,” Seth said in reply.
“Very well then. Drakenhurst is not like your home of Valdadore. It is much older, and as such it has little in common with what you are used to. Whereas Valdadore holds its city within its protective walls, Drakenhurst’s defenses lie only around the castle proper. The city sprawls around at its base, defended by a weak wall of bricks designed to keep out the grazing animals only. The city itself is very much defenseless with the vast majority of its troops and guards gone.”
“And where is the struggle for power taking place?”
“The nearer one goes to the keep, the more wealthy and powerful the residents are. Those palaces nearest the castle will hold those with influence, but your biggest adversaries will lie within the keep itself. Though much of the royal guard, councilors, and generals were lost to your forces, a few men who command power still, fight to retain the keep and the power that resides there. With the city around it, getting siege engines and an army up to its walls are difficult, and it has never been breached.”
“How many men defend it?” Borrik asked.
“I do not know at present, but with the war machines defending its walls, it does not take a sizeable force to put up a fight. Sigrant loved technology and worked with the neighboring gnomes to create marvelous contraptions. I am told that as few as fifty men could hold the keep for weeks. But that, of course, is against an army of men. Not those like yourselves.”
“So from the air then?” Borrik asked Seth.
“Perhaps. What else can you tell us of the keep?”
“Though old, it was well constructed. Its walls are tall and thick. To fire upon it from the ground is folly, for to get close enough to be in range, you have to get well within range of its defenses. If I were to take it, I’d bleed it.”
“Meaning what?” Seth asked.
“A siege. Cut off all supplies into and out of the keep. Perhaps even burn the entire city around it. Eventually those within will starve. Usually they have stores that will last some time, but with the army marching to Valdadore, I would be willing to bet that those stores were depleted to feed the army.”
“That could take weeks or months,” Borrik suggested.
“Yes, but it wouldn’t cost you a single man,” Goldenfingers replied.
“What about water?” Sara asked. “How does the keep get water? Could we dam up a creek or something?”
“Unfortunately no. Inside the keep is a natural spring. Not only does it feed the keep itself, but also those who live nearest it, within the city.”
“How is the water fed out to the city?” Seth questioned.
“Underground there are a handful of aqueducts, pressurized by the reservoir within the keep itself.”
“Can they be accessed?”
“Not without getting dangerously close to the keep. Though I suppose, if you did gain access, you could drain the
Tearing his senses away from his more carnal desires, those he had sworn himself to avoid, he focused on the task at hand. Joining their host at a small table, Borrik lowered himself to sit uncomfortably on a chair too small to accommodate him, with a back that impeded his wings’ ability to fold naturally. All he could do was hope that this would not take overly long.
“Alright, Goldenfingers,” Seth began, cutting to the chase, “What can you tell me about Drakenhurst?”
“Virtually everything, I presume, though I’ll start with how it is laid out and defenses, if that suits you.”
“Perfect,” Seth said in reply.
“Very well then. Drakenhurst is not like your home of Valdadore. It is much older, and as such it has little in common with what you are used to. Whereas Valdadore holds its city within its protective walls, Drakenhurst’s defenses lie only around the castle proper. The city sprawls around at its base, defended by a weak wall of bricks designed to keep out the grazing animals only. The city itself is very much defenseless with the vast majority of its troops and guards gone.”
“And where is the struggle for power taking place?”
“The nearer one goes to the keep, the more wealthy and powerful the residents are. Those palaces nearest the castle will hold those with influence, but your biggest adversaries will lie within the keep itself. Though much of the royal guard, councilors, and generals were lost to your forces, a few men who command power still, fight to retain the keep and the power that resides there. With the city around it, getting siege engines and an army up to its walls are difficult, and it has never been breached.”
“How many men defend it?” Borrik asked.
“I do not know at present, but with the war machines defending its walls, it does not take a sizeable force to put up a fight. Sigrant loved technology and worked with the neighboring gnomes to create marvelous contraptions. I am told that as few as fifty men could hold the keep for weeks. But that, of course, is against an army of men. Not those like yourselves.”
“So from the air then?” Borrik asked Seth.
“Perhaps. What else can you tell us of the keep?”
“Though old, it was well constructed. Its walls are tall and thick. To fire upon it from the ground is folly, for to get close enough to be in range, you have to get well within range of its defenses. If I were to take it, I’d bleed it.”
“Meaning what?” Seth asked.
“A siege. Cut off all supplies into and out of the keep. Perhaps even burn the entire city around it. Eventually those within will starve. Usually they have stores that will last some time, but with the army marching to Valdadore, I would be willing to bet that those stores were depleted to feed the army.”
“That could take weeks or months,” Borrik suggested.
“Yes, but it wouldn’t cost you a single man,” Goldenfingers replied.
“What about water?” Sara asked. “How does the keep get water? Could we dam up a creek or something?”
“Unfortunately no. Inside the keep is a natural spring. Not only does it feed the keep itself, but also those who live nearest it, within the city.”
“How is the water fed out to the city?” Seth questioned.
“Underground there are a handful of aqueducts, pressurized by the reservoir within the keep itself.”
“Can they be accessed?”
“Not without getting dangerously close to the keep. Though I suppose, if you did gain access, you could drain the
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