Read Online Whill of Agora: Book 02 - A Quest of Kings by Michael Ploof - Free Book Online
Authors: Michael Ploof
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along the perimeter of the mansion with the knowledge that he had sought for years and smiled to himself. Beyond him, upon the grounds of the mansion, a guard came to and rubbed his neck.
Dirk walked into the night whistling a happy tune.
CHAPTER SEVEN
An Invitation to
Execution
R hunis met Abram at the bar within the inn they had been staying at for a week. He sat down wearily and ordered a beer. He nodded to the barkeep and looked around the room. None of the few patrons within gave them any mind. He handed Abram a small scroll.
“Finally!” Abram announced and hurriedly broke the seal and uncurled the paper.
It was a short message written in a code that only he and Zerafin knew; they had agreed upon it when Zerafin had left for Elladrindellia with his sister’s body. Abram read the scroll and then quickly caught fire to it with a nearby candle.
“Hey!” protested the barkeep.
“Apologies,” said Abram. He nodded to himself and pondered what he had read.
Rhunis looked at him dubiously. “So, what did it say for Kell-Torey’s sake?”
Abram looked to him with a smile. “Zerafin will be leaving Elladrindellia shortly; he will meet us here in one week.” said Abram.
Rhunis took a large pull from his beer mug and set it down gratefully. He wiped the foam from his mouth. “‘Bout damned time and none too soon. I found this while coming back into the city.” He handed Abram a paper. Abram took it and tilted his head back to read it. It read.
Come one, come all
Your great King doth invite all that may attend
To the newly finished Coliseum of champions
The 27th of this month
For the grand opening celebration featuring
some of the greatest gladiators
to have ever bled in the arena
In honor of this great day of blood sport
and festivities
All in attendance shall witness the trial and
execution of the most hated criminal
in all the lands of Agora
Bringer of darkness
Master of the Draggard
Enemy to all free humans of Uthen-Arden
Whill of Agora
Abram’s jaw dropped, and his face shone with a strange mix of emotions—joy at hearing that Whill was indeed alive, sadness in the realization of his friend’s sentence, and finally he felt rage.
“The bastard intends to kill him in public, make an example out of him.” said Abram.
“Indeed,” Rhunis agreed. “It said what? The twenty-seventh of this month, that gives us a week.”
Abram’s breathing had increased, and his mind raced. “Zerafin will be here by then. I am sure of it.”
Rhunis grimaced. “That gives us little time to be ready to infiltrate the coliseum and break Whill out of there.”
Abram patted his old friend on the back. “We must be ready by then, and we will. Zerafin will have soldiers with him; I am sure. For Whill’s sake, we must be ready.”
Dirk walked through the streets of the city to his destination, the great library of Oshtock. He doubted he would find what he sought, but if the information was not there, it was nowhere in the city. He passed a town crier on his way and paid him no mind, until something in the boy’s hand caught his eye. He turned to the boy and absently handed him a coin as he took the paper. Dirk could not believe his luck. There, in bold print, was news of the new coliseum; to his amazement, Whillof Agora’s execution was the main event. Dirk read it again and pondered the situation.
Nah’Zed hurried to follow Roakore down the hall and into a side passage. Roakore had just come from two days spent with his twenty-seven wives and was in one of his moods. Through another tunnel he went with a slight limp and down a flight of stairs, with Nah’Zed following behind.
“Sir?” She puffed. “Sir? You are due to meet the boy Tarren shortly fer dinner, along with Haldagozz ‘n’ the Elf lady Lunara n—”
“I be knowin’ whats it is I gotta be doin’ ya dolt. I be headin’ that way didn’t, ya happen te notice?” roared Roakore as he spun around on Nah’Zed, causing her to bump into him
Dirk walked into the night whistling a happy tune.
CHAPTER SEVEN
An Invitation to
Execution
R hunis met Abram at the bar within the inn they had been staying at for a week. He sat down wearily and ordered a beer. He nodded to the barkeep and looked around the room. None of the few patrons within gave them any mind. He handed Abram a small scroll.
“Finally!” Abram announced and hurriedly broke the seal and uncurled the paper.
It was a short message written in a code that only he and Zerafin knew; they had agreed upon it when Zerafin had left for Elladrindellia with his sister’s body. Abram read the scroll and then quickly caught fire to it with a nearby candle.
“Hey!” protested the barkeep.
“Apologies,” said Abram. He nodded to himself and pondered what he had read.
Rhunis looked at him dubiously. “So, what did it say for Kell-Torey’s sake?”
Abram looked to him with a smile. “Zerafin will be leaving Elladrindellia shortly; he will meet us here in one week.” said Abram.
Rhunis took a large pull from his beer mug and set it down gratefully. He wiped the foam from his mouth. “‘Bout damned time and none too soon. I found this while coming back into the city.” He handed Abram a paper. Abram took it and tilted his head back to read it. It read.
Come one, come all
Your great King doth invite all that may attend
To the newly finished Coliseum of champions
The 27th of this month
For the grand opening celebration featuring
some of the greatest gladiators
to have ever bled in the arena
In honor of this great day of blood sport
and festivities
All in attendance shall witness the trial and
execution of the most hated criminal
in all the lands of Agora
Bringer of darkness
Master of the Draggard
Enemy to all free humans of Uthen-Arden
Whill of Agora
Abram’s jaw dropped, and his face shone with a strange mix of emotions—joy at hearing that Whill was indeed alive, sadness in the realization of his friend’s sentence, and finally he felt rage.
“The bastard intends to kill him in public, make an example out of him.” said Abram.
“Indeed,” Rhunis agreed. “It said what? The twenty-seventh of this month, that gives us a week.”
Abram’s breathing had increased, and his mind raced. “Zerafin will be here by then. I am sure of it.”
Rhunis grimaced. “That gives us little time to be ready to infiltrate the coliseum and break Whill out of there.”
Abram patted his old friend on the back. “We must be ready by then, and we will. Zerafin will have soldiers with him; I am sure. For Whill’s sake, we must be ready.”
Dirk walked through the streets of the city to his destination, the great library of Oshtock. He doubted he would find what he sought, but if the information was not there, it was nowhere in the city. He passed a town crier on his way and paid him no mind, until something in the boy’s hand caught his eye. He turned to the boy and absently handed him a coin as he took the paper. Dirk could not believe his luck. There, in bold print, was news of the new coliseum; to his amazement, Whillof Agora’s execution was the main event. Dirk read it again and pondered the situation.
Nah’Zed hurried to follow Roakore down the hall and into a side passage. Roakore had just come from two days spent with his twenty-seven wives and was in one of his moods. Through another tunnel he went with a slight limp and down a flight of stairs, with Nah’Zed following behind.
“Sir?” She puffed. “Sir? You are due to meet the boy Tarren shortly fer dinner, along with Haldagozz ‘n’ the Elf lady Lunara n—”
“I be knowin’ whats it is I gotta be doin’ ya dolt. I be headin’ that way didn’t, ya happen te notice?” roared Roakore as he spun around on Nah’Zed, causing her to bump into him
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