killed.”
Argos wasn’t the only raider who sensed the other man’s power.
Chapter 8
Double Cross
“Back already?” Eric asked as Gabby and Lucius returned from their private conversation in one of the back rooms.
“I said my piece,” Gabby said, sitting at their table in the common room.
“And I listened,” Lucius said, nodding to his companions and also pushing the chair forward for his daughter before taking his own seat.
The common room had finally filled up a bit with three small parties that were traveling north and a large party heading south. It was nothing like the inns in Moartown where several crossroads were forced to convene at the base of Highstone Pass. Razor Rock was a small town on one of the smaller roads that headed more west than north.
“Bring another round,” Gabby told an old man, who shuffled by without saying a word, simply nodding to convey his compliance.
Eric looked at Gabby and set his ale down on the table. “Was that Rosterman?”
“Hard to recognize, no?” Gabby asked in return.
“He looks like he aged decades in only a few years,” Eric said, watching Rosterman shuffle behind the bar.
Gabby nodded, picking up her own mug and finishing it, wiping her mouth with the sleeve of her tunic. She was dressed somewhat simply in a utilitarian fashion. “Rumor was he saw a ghost.”
“You jest,” Alexi said, not acting surprised at all.
“I said it was a rumor, warrior woman,” Gabby said, a smirk crossing her face. “You still going to nurse that wine of yours?”
The remark was in response to the Fist still drinking her first glass of a hardy red wine, while the rest of the table was on their third round of ale. Even the small historian was working through his third.
“I prefer to keep my wits about me,” Alexi said, playing with her glass by sliding it back and forth on the table, a habit that seemed to annoy Gabby greatly.
“Well, if that isn’t something that would entertain the Nine.” Gabby smiled at the party.
“What are you talking about?” Lucius asked, not liking it when his daughter was inebriated.
“Look at the size of this woman!” Gabby stood and leaned over directly across the table at Alexi. “She should be able to down an entire barrel without feeling the touch of the Mother.”
“Blasphemy not in my presence,” Alexi said, her tone irritated, her face straining and showing the effort she was making to stay calm.
“Oh, take your Mother, your ball, and go home.” Gabby rocked on her heels and almost fell backward, but Diamedes jumped up, grabbing her arm and keeping her standing, though his chair rocked under the sudden movement and almost fell if Eric hadn’t grabbed it.
Alexi stood, towering over the other woman. “The Mother is not a subject for this establishment. Go to bed. You’re drunk, and you give us a bad name.”
“Us?” Gabby pressed her hands against her chest in mock shock. “You deign to think yourself a lady?”
“I said no such thing—”
“Oh, but you just did, warrior woman.” Gabby seemed pleased with herself, batting her eyelids, lashes and all, and smiling at her companions.
“Gabby, please sit down.” Lucius stood and took her other hand, guiding her to her chair. Both men managed to get her seated and then resumed their seats, leaving Alexi standing alone for a moment before Eric stood and offered his arm to her.
“Please, mercenary, I can seat myself.” With that, the large holy warrior sat, never taking her eyes off of Gabby.
“You must excuse my daughter,” Lucius began. “She has had . . . shall we say issues, with the Mother and has since gone over to the Nine.”
“That explains much,” Alexi said, nodding at the father. “The Kesh worship the Nine.”
“You state the obvious,” Eric said, feeling somewhat rejected that his offer was not accepted by the woman.
“Ah, there we are,” Gabby said, noticing Rosterman coming from behind her and setting a tray
Argos wasn’t the only raider who sensed the other man’s power.
Chapter 8
Double Cross
“Back already?” Eric asked as Gabby and Lucius returned from their private conversation in one of the back rooms.
“I said my piece,” Gabby said, sitting at their table in the common room.
“And I listened,” Lucius said, nodding to his companions and also pushing the chair forward for his daughter before taking his own seat.
The common room had finally filled up a bit with three small parties that were traveling north and a large party heading south. It was nothing like the inns in Moartown where several crossroads were forced to convene at the base of Highstone Pass. Razor Rock was a small town on one of the smaller roads that headed more west than north.
“Bring another round,” Gabby told an old man, who shuffled by without saying a word, simply nodding to convey his compliance.
Eric looked at Gabby and set his ale down on the table. “Was that Rosterman?”
“Hard to recognize, no?” Gabby asked in return.
“He looks like he aged decades in only a few years,” Eric said, watching Rosterman shuffle behind the bar.
Gabby nodded, picking up her own mug and finishing it, wiping her mouth with the sleeve of her tunic. She was dressed somewhat simply in a utilitarian fashion. “Rumor was he saw a ghost.”
“You jest,” Alexi said, not acting surprised at all.
“I said it was a rumor, warrior woman,” Gabby said, a smirk crossing her face. “You still going to nurse that wine of yours?”
The remark was in response to the Fist still drinking her first glass of a hardy red wine, while the rest of the table was on their third round of ale. Even the small historian was working through his third.
“I prefer to keep my wits about me,” Alexi said, playing with her glass by sliding it back and forth on the table, a habit that seemed to annoy Gabby greatly.
“Well, if that isn’t something that would entertain the Nine.” Gabby smiled at the party.
“What are you talking about?” Lucius asked, not liking it when his daughter was inebriated.
“Look at the size of this woman!” Gabby stood and leaned over directly across the table at Alexi. “She should be able to down an entire barrel without feeling the touch of the Mother.”
“Blasphemy not in my presence,” Alexi said, her tone irritated, her face straining and showing the effort she was making to stay calm.
“Oh, take your Mother, your ball, and go home.” Gabby rocked on her heels and almost fell backward, but Diamedes jumped up, grabbing her arm and keeping her standing, though his chair rocked under the sudden movement and almost fell if Eric hadn’t grabbed it.
Alexi stood, towering over the other woman. “The Mother is not a subject for this establishment. Go to bed. You’re drunk, and you give us a bad name.”
“Us?” Gabby pressed her hands against her chest in mock shock. “You deign to think yourself a lady?”
“I said no such thing—”
“Oh, but you just did, warrior woman.” Gabby seemed pleased with herself, batting her eyelids, lashes and all, and smiling at her companions.
“Gabby, please sit down.” Lucius stood and took her other hand, guiding her to her chair. Both men managed to get her seated and then resumed their seats, leaving Alexi standing alone for a moment before Eric stood and offered his arm to her.
“Please, mercenary, I can seat myself.” With that, the large holy warrior sat, never taking her eyes off of Gabby.
“You must excuse my daughter,” Lucius began. “She has had . . . shall we say issues, with the Mother and has since gone over to the Nine.”
“That explains much,” Alexi said, nodding at the father. “The Kesh worship the Nine.”
“You state the obvious,” Eric said, feeling somewhat rejected that his offer was not accepted by the woman.
“Ah, there we are,” Gabby said, noticing Rosterman coming from behind her and setting a tray
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