Tides of Blood and Steel by Christian Warren Freed Page B

we’ll be parting company soon,” Bahr said between bites of toasted bread.
    “What did I miss?”
    The Sea Wolf gestured towards Anienam. “The wizard claims he’s discovered our destination. We should be leaving shortly.”
    Argis nodded at the implications. Part of him dreaded going back to Chadra and battling his former friends. There was little doubt his toughest trials were yet to come. Harnin had once been a trusted friend and ally. They knew everything about each other and that made the situation complicated. He tried to take heart from the thoughts of his allies in the underground. It was on those men and women that the fate of Delranan laid.
    “You truly mean to go with this?” Argis asked.
    “What choice do we have? Every hour we delay brings both kingdoms closer to an undesirable end. My brother’s madness needs to be stopped. Who better to do the job than me?”
    Argis sighed. “I do not envy your task. Badron is a hard man and he has the backing of the Wolfsreik.”
    He reached out to shake Bahr’s hand. A variety of emotions collided within him. Part wanted to march with the tired sea captain while the bigger part demanded he remain accessible to his people. The underground stood no chance without his insight. Even then, it was only a slight chance for victory.
    “Your path is no less difficult. Harnin is a snake, always has been. He won’t be easy to bring down, not with those damned Dae’shan aiding him. Good luck, Argis. I hope you succeed. Our people have suffered enough.”
    Argis nodded and replied, “Luck be with you. Hopefully we will meet again when this is finished.”
    He let the thought hang. It was a certainty that some of this group would not be coming back alive.
    Bahr picked up on that, too, and forced a tight smile. “Perhaps we could do with praying to these gods of Anienam’s.”
    “Goodbye, Captain.”
    Argis collected his gear, what little he had, and left without drawing too much more attention. The others had too much to worry about and his destiny beckoned. The door swung shut swiftly behind him.
    Bahr anxiously cracked his knuckles and went back into the kitchen. Anienam watched him expectantly.
    Bahr took the bait. “What’s the good word? Tell me you found what you were looking for.”
    “I believe so. At least the answers to a great many questions,” the wizard said. There was just a hint of excitement to his tone.
    “Nearby I hope,” Boen commented.
    “Yes and no.”
    Dorl rolled his eyes, shrugging off the sense of embarrassment at being caught with Rekka, and tossed his hands up. “Here we go again.”
    “Have patience, mercenary. All is not necessarily as dark as you would have it,” Anienam scolded. “The book specifically tells us that there is only one group of beings in Malweir who know where the hammer is hidden.”
    “And they are?” Bahr asked.
    Anienam cleared his throat. “The Giants of Venheim.”
    A collective gasp of disbelief circled the room.
    “What?”
    “That is impossible.”
    The wizard held up his hands for silence. “Venheim is the key to what we seek.”
    “Anienam, I do not disagree with your book, but even the smallest child knows that the Giants are a myth. Venheim does not exist. There is no forge in the mountains.”
    “Myths and legends always begin in reality. I’ve seen more unexplainable things over the course of the last three hundred years than you could imagine. Giants are just as real as any other race on Malweir.”
    Dorl had had enough. “Something that big would have been seen. How can a Giant hide?”
    “Plenty of races choose to remain hidden. Why should the Giants be any different?” Anienam countered.
    Bahr saw the conversation quickly devolving into an all-out argument and moved to stop it. “I trust this book tells us where to find these Giants?”
    The wizard stared back indignantly. “Of course it does. I did say that they weren’t far away, didn’t I?”
    “Where do we go from here?”