Read Online This Battle Lord's Quest by Linda Mooney - Free Book Online Page B

hands on his pants. “Did you
know that before the Great Concussion, it’s said porcupines couldn’t aim and
fire their quills? They’d shake themselves, and the quills would fall off, but
you’d have to get right on the thing, and reach down as if to grab it, and actually
ram your hands against the barbs before getting hurt.”
    Atty motioned toward the man’s knee. “What’s your
story?”
    “There’s not much to tell. I was chasing a man. He
stumbled into a nest of them. I was following too close and fell in with him.
We both managed to crawl out, but we were bleeding heavily.”
    “Did he survive?”
    Renken grimaced. “Let’s just say, I had to make the
decision whether to save my leg, or him.”
    “I hope the guy deserved it,” she softly remarked.
    The soldier bowed his head. “He was a rapist and
sadist of the worst kind. It was a pleasure to watch him writhe in pain.”
    “How did he finally die?”
    “I don’t know. Probably from exposure. It was the
middle of nowhere, in the worst storm of the winter that I can remember. Or
maybe he starved to death. Maybe the wolfen got to him. We shed enough blood to
attract predators for miles around. He was still alive when I cut off his hand
to take back to the Battle Lord of Monteleon to collect my pay.” He looked up
at her, knowing what her next question would be. “He had a brand burnt on the
back of his hand, put there when he was initially captured.”
    “Are we ready?” Fortune called over to them. “It’s
getting light. Let’s stuff those pines with these coals and get moving.”
    Atty handed the quill back to the soldier.
“Someday, I want to sit down with you and listen to all your stories.”
    “Then you’d better make sure you have something
comfortable to sit on, because it’s going to take a while,” he smiled.
    Together, they went to finish getting prepared for
the trip back.
     

Chapter
Eight
    Proposal
     
     
    “Something’s bothering you.”
    Atty glanced up to see Paxton had moved over to walk
beside her. She glanced around at the other hunters walking in a single
vertical file or by twos, rather than in a wide horizontal line as they had
starting out. It made the going faster, as well as helped them better protect
the wounded Mutah and the meat against any animal hungry enough to approach.
    “No. Nothing’s bothering me.”
    “Your face says differently.”
    “It’s more like heavy thinking.”
    “Something’s bothering you,” the Second repeated,
adding a grin. “What’s going on in that blue-haired head of yours?” He squinted
at her crown. “Actually, it’s more like blue-black hair. Are you planning to
cut off the dyed portion some time soon?”
    Atty touched her hair where it was pulled back into
its usual braid that hung down her back. “I was thinking of trimming off the
dark stuff once my regular color was long enough to tie up. Probably around
spring.”
    “You’re evading the issue. I may not be able to
read your mind, but I sure as hell know you well enough to know when you’re
planning something.” At her sharp glance, he laughed. “Hey, it’s my job.”
    “I’ll get back with you,” she promised.
    Nodding, Paxton slowed down to give her room, but
remained directly behind her until they stopped around midday to rest and have
a bite to eat.
    A fire was made to cook the rabbits Vashayn had
bagged, and to replace the coals cooking the insides of the porcupines. Atty
noticed Renken remained next to Klodon’s travois, switching out with Fortune in
pulling the man’s carrier. She took the moment to approach the Mutah hunter,
who was seated on a fallen log, and squatted next to him.
    “Taking out those quills must have been
horrendous.”
    Fortune nodded. “Renken has the touch of a surgeon.
Otherwise, Klodon would have ended up as minced meat.”
    “We heard him cry out. Once. I’m surprised the pain
didn’t wake him.”
    Fortune smiled. “You’re wanting to know what I gave
him to keep