Read Online What Was Forgotten by Tim Mathias - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Tim Mathias
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more difficult. Talazz strode over to the carriage and cracked his knuckles as he prepared to push the carriage. It sounded like tree branches snapping, startling a soldier who had peeled back the canvas to peer at the artifact underneath.
“You’re not to go near it,” Talazz bellowed, and hit the soldier with the back of his open hand. The blow took the man clean off his feet. He landed heavily on his back, dazed, embarrassed, and lighter several teeth. He spat out blood before shakily getting back on his feet. Some of the other Trueborn soldiers laughed. Zayd heard one remark how such a blow should rightly have killed him.
They spent almost half an hour trying to move the carriage, yet even with Talazz pushing, the horses were unable to gain traction on the muddy path. It was out of sheer habit that Zayd crouched, and as he scanned the surrounding hills, traced his family’s sigil into the earth. He stood and took a few aimless steps before he was knocked down from behind. Wiping mud from his eyes, he looked up to see Barrett Stern standing over him.
“This again!” Barrett shouted. He looked over and motioned to Areagus. “I knew it. This is some Tauthri hex you’ve placed on us.” Behind them, everyone turned to watch, even those who were working at the carriage. As Zayd tried to stand, the knight struck him with a mailed fist, once, twice… it was dizzying. Zayd was unsure if he was standing or prone, but Barrett was over him still, bringing his fist down again. He thought he saw blood on Barrett’s armoured fist. He tried to stand again but there was an immovable weight on him.
The knight’s fist was raised again when, in a blur of motion, he was shoved off. Zayd was half-blind from the mud and rain in his eyes, but he heard struggling over the ringing in his ears. Barrett was trying to curse with half-choked words. Zayd turned onto his side and saw Gavras grappling Barrett from behind, holding an arm under the knight’s throat. Barrett struggled wildly, his feet slipping in the mud. Other soldiers rushed to Barrett’s aid, but stopped as Talazz intervened, separating the two. The giant glared at the other soldiers who encroached on them, and they stopped in their tracks.
“That is bloody well enough!” All eyes were on Areagus. Even the rain seemed to quiet. “What is it now?” he demanded.
Stern did not hesitate. “I caught him drawing profane markings in the ground. All of this that’s happened… it’s because of him. He’s invoking something against us.”
Areagus looked to Zayd. “Explain.”
“It’s my family sigil.” Daggers of pain shot through Zayd’s jaw as he spoke. “Not invoking. Just a sigil. Sir.”
“That’s a damned lie,” Barrett spat. “I fought in the Tauthri conquest, sir. They place these markings everywhere. They’re unholy.”
Gavras would have lunged again at the knight, but Talazz held him in place with a firm hand.
Areagus was silent for a moment. The world around them seemed to wait on him. “I want to make something understood,” he said slowly. “Any more belligerent behaviour will result in relief of duty without pay. Any profane or unholy markings will result in imprisonment upon our return to Lycernum, as will any further infighting. Am I understood?”
“Yes, sir,” Zayd and Barrett said in unison.
Areagus motioned to Gavras. “And put him in irons for striking a superior officer.”
It was hours later before they were marching again. The rain came down heavier and the road became nothing more than numerous pools of ankle-deep water. Gavras, manacled at the hands and feet, sat in the covered wagon where the Tauthri scouts slept when they were not needed. He was at least spared from the miserable march; the ground was getting worse and worse with every passing minute. Zayd estimated that they were travelling at half speed at best.
Someone called a halt from the fore. Areagus had already stopped the column several times to
“You’re not to go near it,” Talazz bellowed, and hit the soldier with the back of his open hand. The blow took the man clean off his feet. He landed heavily on his back, dazed, embarrassed, and lighter several teeth. He spat out blood before shakily getting back on his feet. Some of the other Trueborn soldiers laughed. Zayd heard one remark how such a blow should rightly have killed him.
They spent almost half an hour trying to move the carriage, yet even with Talazz pushing, the horses were unable to gain traction on the muddy path. It was out of sheer habit that Zayd crouched, and as he scanned the surrounding hills, traced his family’s sigil into the earth. He stood and took a few aimless steps before he was knocked down from behind. Wiping mud from his eyes, he looked up to see Barrett Stern standing over him.
“This again!” Barrett shouted. He looked over and motioned to Areagus. “I knew it. This is some Tauthri hex you’ve placed on us.” Behind them, everyone turned to watch, even those who were working at the carriage. As Zayd tried to stand, the knight struck him with a mailed fist, once, twice… it was dizzying. Zayd was unsure if he was standing or prone, but Barrett was over him still, bringing his fist down again. He thought he saw blood on Barrett’s armoured fist. He tried to stand again but there was an immovable weight on him.
The knight’s fist was raised again when, in a blur of motion, he was shoved off. Zayd was half-blind from the mud and rain in his eyes, but he heard struggling over the ringing in his ears. Barrett was trying to curse with half-choked words. Zayd turned onto his side and saw Gavras grappling Barrett from behind, holding an arm under the knight’s throat. Barrett struggled wildly, his feet slipping in the mud. Other soldiers rushed to Barrett’s aid, but stopped as Talazz intervened, separating the two. The giant glared at the other soldiers who encroached on them, and they stopped in their tracks.
“That is bloody well enough!” All eyes were on Areagus. Even the rain seemed to quiet. “What is it now?” he demanded.
Stern did not hesitate. “I caught him drawing profane markings in the ground. All of this that’s happened… it’s because of him. He’s invoking something against us.”
Areagus looked to Zayd. “Explain.”
“It’s my family sigil.” Daggers of pain shot through Zayd’s jaw as he spoke. “Not invoking. Just a sigil. Sir.”
“That’s a damned lie,” Barrett spat. “I fought in the Tauthri conquest, sir. They place these markings everywhere. They’re unholy.”
Gavras would have lunged again at the knight, but Talazz held him in place with a firm hand.
Areagus was silent for a moment. The world around them seemed to wait on him. “I want to make something understood,” he said slowly. “Any more belligerent behaviour will result in relief of duty without pay. Any profane or unholy markings will result in imprisonment upon our return to Lycernum, as will any further infighting. Am I understood?”
“Yes, sir,” Zayd and Barrett said in unison.
Areagus motioned to Gavras. “And put him in irons for striking a superior officer.”
It was hours later before they were marching again. The rain came down heavier and the road became nothing more than numerous pools of ankle-deep water. Gavras, manacled at the hands and feet, sat in the covered wagon where the Tauthri scouts slept when they were not needed. He was at least spared from the miserable march; the ground was getting worse and worse with every passing minute. Zayd estimated that they were travelling at half speed at best.
Someone called a halt from the fore. Areagus had already stopped the column several times to
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