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Excerpt of
Walk Through Fire - A Blood and Tears Prequel Novella
Prologue
Stepping off the ship and walking down the cluttered streets of Mudhole Bay had felt like entering a new world. Jonrell and his best friend, Cassus, tried to acclimate themselves to the rough way people behaved and the broken speech patterns of the grime-covered town. Yet, even after a change of clothes, they could not shake the mark of being outsiders.
Stares from the locals followed them wherever they looked for work.
Jonrell noticed Cassus nervously eyeing the passersby, his thick black hair bouncing with each swing of his head. “Wishing you would have stayed behind?” he asked.
“The thought had crossed my mind.” A fight broke out in the middle of the street and they skirted around the altercation. “High Mage Amcaro always told us the world was much different outside of Cadonia. I just never realized how different.”
“It’s not too late to turn back, you know?”
“Are you going back?”
Jonrell shook his head. “Not while my father lives.”
“Then neither am I.”
Jonrell pointed at a tavern up the street. “Come on. Let’s get a drink.”
They stumbled into The Orchid, assuming from the name it was a relatively reserved place. Within minutes after sitting at the bar, Jonrell learned that the worst of the worst frequented the bar—many taking issue with new arrivals.
Three men approached them and Jonrell knew there would be trouble. He tried to smooth things over by offering them drinks. But the men wanted more than a drink.
Jonrell looked them over and knew a fight could not be avoided. He jumped from his seat and went for the biggest man first, rocking his head back with a punch to the jaw. Cassus kicked another in the groin. The third got a shot in on Cassus, sending him to the ground. Jonrell took out the knee of the first man and then subdued the third with a boot to the gut.
Cassus rubbed his jaw as Jonrell helped him to his feet. He pushed back his long auburn hair, feeling pretty good about himself and proud of Cassus for taking some initiative. But any reprieve Jonrell hoped they had earned was dashed by the heavy sounds of thudding boots against the raised wooden floor.
Five men headed their way and four held drawn swords. The fifth was huge, older, and carried himself with a hardness that Jonrell had never seen before. The man needed no sword to be taken seriously. Right away Jonrell knew him as the leader of the group. Expecting more trouble, Cassus drew his own sword and took a step back. The others stopped and readied themselves.
Jonrell stood his ground, unmoving, as the leader raised a hand, signaling his men to stand down.
“Why haven’t you drawn your sword as well?” asked the big man.
“You have the look of a man who’s interested in talking, not killing.” Jonrell noticed the attire of the five standing before him matched the three who groaned on the floor.
Blood red.
The big man grinned wide and nodded. “Why don’t you tell your friend to put away his weapon so we can talk?”
“Only after your men do the same,” said Cassus over Jonrell’s shoulder.
The leader shrugged and gave the command to his men. Even with weapons put away, the tension lingered in the air. Jonrell and the leader stared unwavering into each other’s eyes, neither willing to break away first. The man smiled again as if Jonrell had passed some test. He extended his hand. “My name is Ronav. You took out three of my men.”
Jonrell hesitated then extended his own. “We weren’t looking for a fight, but they wouldn’t leave well enough alone.”
Ronav laughed. “I bet they didn’t. Few of my men would.”
Jonrell didn’t know what to say to that.
“New to Slum Isle then?”
Jonrell nodded. “Looking for work. We thought we’d try Mudhole Bay first.”
“Then you’re in luck,” said Ronav, grinning wider. “I’ve got a proposition for you two.”
Chapter 1
…Two years later.
Jonrell, like any other soldier, hated to wait. As a captain in the mercenary Hell Patrol, he filled the time between assignments by drilling his men and pitching in where needed. Even in an encampment of thousands, time seemed to slow as soldiers crept into their routines.
Messengers rode out days ago with terms to offer the other side. When the riders returned, Jonrell expected his next set of orders. He knew he should be thankful for the break since at any moment, everything could change, but the sitting around made him restless. He rose to his feet, stretching the stiffness from his limbs.
“You’re leaving now? I’m just about to start up a game of dice.”
“Then you should be happy I’m leaving. That’s one less person to take your money.”
Raker scowled and spat. He wiped the tobacco juices from his mouth with the back of his hand. “I was ready to give you some company but after that, I’ve changed my mind.”
“When have you ever passed up a chance to cheat someone out of their pay?”
Raker shook his head. “Go on and get out of here. The last thing I need is your sour mood affecting my luck.”
Jonrell left the army’s encampment in the hot afternoon and within minutes headed into the ruins of an ancient city, its name long forgotten.
Another victim of the great earthquake
, he thought.
Battered walls crumbled as weeds pushed through the cracks and mortar. Gaping holes in the earth had split some buildings in two, while trees sprouted through the collapsed roofs of others. Coming across several dry wells Jonrell imagined the citizens of the land suffering through the aftermath of such a disaster, betrayed by the man sworn to protect them.
He shook his head thinking about what it must have been like during those dark times that still lingered even now.
“The worst trials of our lives will be what define us. A man must not forget himself or his ideals, lest he become a husk of who he once was.”
Another of High Mage Amcaro’s words of wisdom Jonrell learned long ago.
Why did Aurnon the Second turn his back on his people? He should have embraced them.
Jonrell brooded. He weaved between the broken buildings and cluttered alleys of a distant past, wondering if the lost souls of the ancient civilization questioned their decisions as he so often did.
Am I an empty husk of the man I once was?
Hours passed as the evening’s red sky turned a leaden gray. A warm breeze danced across the windswept city, brushing aside his long auburn hair.
I better head back to camp before dinner is gone.
He rounded the corner of a building when a high-pitched squeal followed by a slur of deep-throated curses stopped him. His hand went to the sword at his waist. Drawing the blade, he ran around the half-standing walls on his right to the sounds of debris falling and coarse yelling. He darted into a narrow alley.
Limbs flailed in a cloud of dust and a heap of wood. A soldier from Effren’s army, the Hell Patrol’s employer, climbed to his feet, howling a string of curses. Blood and spit sprayed from him as he searched around his feet. He pushed aside a plank that fell apart in his hands and snatched up a dirk. Jonrell edged through the mouth of the alley. He took in his surroundings and searched for what could have let out the screech.
“Where are you? I know you’re still here,” said the man.
“Cord, what’s going on?” whispered Jonrell when he was within a few feet of the man.
The man wheeled around with his blade. Jonrell caught his arm and pushed him backward. “One Above, what’s gotten into you?”
Cord staggered back, looking dumbfounded to see Jonrell. “Sorry.” He shook his head. “I thought you were that little devil.”
Jonrell cocked his head. “What?”
“Shhh,” said Cord, holding up his free hand, wild eyes darting around the alley.
A hint of movement caught Jonrell’s eye as a small figure hidden in shadow crept from a window opening. It dropped to the ground without a sound. Slowly, it inched away from the two men.
Cord whipped his head around at the movement, and ran toward the figure, dagger in hand. The blade missed as he slashed furiously at the shadows. Off balance, Cord fell into a wall, toppling several blocks and sending another storm of dust into the air.
The form tried to slip around Cord with another high-pitched screech as the soldier’s flailing limbs knocked it to the ground. A grin crawled across the soldier’s face as he eyed his prey, blade ready.
Now bathed in the light of a rising moon, Jonrell clearly saw the soldier’s opponent, and with several quick steps barreled into Cord as the man tried to rise.
“What in the name of the One Above is wrong with you? She’s just a child!” Jonrell took the girl by an arm as he regained his footing and backed away.
Cord scrambled to his feet, eyes narrowed with a determined focus. “Get away from her, Jonrell. That ain’t just some innocent little girl. She’s been scrounging around camp and stealing from me for over a week. When I caught her earlier, she bit me. Then I chased after her and she pushed a door on me and pelted me with rocks. The girl needs to be taught a lesson.”
The girl let out a yelp and backed into a wall. Her path of escape had been cut off and Jonrell saw the fear in her eyes. “Back off. She’s just a kid.”
“That ain’t no kid. Look at that red hair. They say that kind is touched by the One Below.”
“That’s an old crone’s tale. I’m not going to let you kill her.”
“Don’t worry, I promise she’ll live through what I plan to do.” He grinned. “But I guarantee she ain’t gonna have any fight left in her afterward.”
Cord lurched toward the girl, but Jonrell blocked his path. He stared into the soldier’s eyes and raised his sword.
Cord came to a halt, beady eyes widening. “You best get out of my way. I’m set on this,” he said starting forward again.
Jonrell held firm his position.
“One Above. Get out of my way!”
“Go back to camp and cool off,” said Jonrell in an even tone. “You don’t want to die tonight.”
Cord eyed the little girl. Jonrell felt her cling to his leg. Cord met Jonrell’s eyes and muttered a curse. “You and your commander ain’t gonna be in charge of us forever, you know.”
“I know.”
Cord started toward the alley’s mouth. “I’ll be seeing you around.”
“I’ll be waiting.”
Cord swore again as he rounded the corner.
Jonrell allowed himself a small sigh of relief. The last thing he wanted was to kill one of Effren’s men in a dark alley with no witnesses to back him up. He knew Ronav, his commander, would support him. However, the rest of Effren’s army, especially General Ahned, would want blood in return.
He looked down, surprised to see two thin arms still clinging tightly to his leg. He frowned at the little girl. Lice crawled through her wild red hair. Her stomach distended from her body. Grime covered the pale skin of her arms and legs. She wore a potato sack as clothing. The girl reminded him of the young sister he left behind. Jonrell felt a tug in his chest. He cleared his throat.
The sound startled the girl and she quickly unwrapped her arms and jumped back. She eyed his right hand which still held his sword. He spoke quietly, using the common tongue of Thurum. “I’m going to put this away now.” Moving with care, he sheathed the weapon and took a knee to speak with her eye to eye. “I promise I’m not going to hurt you.”
“I know, Sir,” said the girl in a soft voice.
“You do?”
The girl nodded and quickly averted her gaze. “You saved me, Sir.”
He smiled. “Fair enough.” He removed his gauntlet and extended a hand, not sure what else to do. “My name is Jonrell.”
The girl looked at his hand with trepidation. She inched forward and reached out with her own. “Yanasi, Sir.”
She took her hand away, seemingly ashamed just for speaking. “How old are you, Yanasi?”
“Eight, Sir.”
She’s so small.
“Where are your parents? Maybe I can get you back to them.”
Immediately tears ran down her face, streaking paths through the dirt. “My mother died,” she sniffed. “My father left me here on the way back from burying her. I begged him not to, but he said I was old enough to take care of myself.” She sobbed harder. “But I’m not. I only wanted to get something to eat and drink. I didn’t want to steal, but I was so hungry!”
One Above, she’s starving to death.
Jonrell reached out to her with open arms and she flinched back between sobs, shying away from his touch. He snatched up her frail frame anyway and embraced her gently. The fight left her. She rested a head on his shoulder and cried harder as her arms tightened around his neck. He started back down the alley and through the ruins, carrying her in one arm.
She’s as light as a babe.
“Where are you taking me?” she asked through her tears.
“To see that you’re cared for. First, something to eat and drink. Afterward we can get you cleaned up and find you some clothes.”
She squeezed his neck again. “Thank you, Sir,” she said, voice barely a whisper.
Jonrell blinked away the wetness forming in the corners of his eyes.
Must have been all the dust that was kicked up earlier.
Chapter 2
Krytien sat inside a small wooden hut in a village on the northern tip of Mytarcis. His master, Philik, a man older than dirt whose mind had been honed by age, sat across from him. Krytien had never been able to figure out why Philik had insisted on mentoring him after their chance meeting in a local market a year earlier, but the old man wouldn’t take no for an answer then, just as it seemed he wouldn’t now.
“Estul Island? But Master, I’m not ready for that.”
The old man shook his bald head. “Your understanding of the arts has increased at a pace I’ve never seen before. You still lack discipline though and I feel confident that High Mage Amcaro will succeed in helping you where I have failed.”