Thom strode out into the morning\u2019s gloom, squinted up at the shafts of sun slicing through the clouds above, then shouted up to Davon, \u201cHow many?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cJust a dozen,\u201d Davon called back.\u00a0 \u201cLooks like more are coming, though.\u201d<\/p>\n
Not good<\/i>, Thom thought, trying to smother a frown.\u00a0 I wonder how many he\u2019ll be able to muster to cause us problems.<\/i>\u00a0 As Thordin and Phelan moved to flank him, he glanced between the two.<\/p>\n
\u201cAny idea on how many he\u2019ll be bringing in for this?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cCould be two dozen, could be two hundred,\u201d Phelan said with a grimace.\u00a0 \u201cBut I doubt it\u2019s more than fifty.\u201d<\/p>\n
Fifty still outnumbers us,<\/i> Thom thought as he carefully climbed up to a perch on the wall near the gates for a look of his own.\u00a0 The snow beyond the walls sparkled where the light hit it, piled deep and hissing as the wind carried errant flakes over the icy pack.\u00a0 He saw the dozen at the far end of the fields, a dozen yards beyond where they\u2019d burned the firbolg\u2019s carcass.<\/p>\n
He shivered as more of the camazotzi<\/i> drifted in.<\/p>\n
\u201cNone of the gremlins,\u201d he called down to Phelan.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s good,\u201d he heard Marin say as she joined them, sounding slightly breathless as she did.\u00a0 He glanced back to see her filling the space between the two ancients he\u2019d vacated.\u00a0 Matt was headed for the spot on the wall opposite him, shotgun in hand.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019ll work to our advantage, right?\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe can only hope,\u201d Phelan answered.<\/p>\n
Thom grunted, and looked back toward the field.\u00a0 Two dozen, now, but he didn\u2019t see Cariocecus\u2014not yet.<\/p>\n
What\u2019s the bastard waiting for? The best opportunity to make some kind of insane, grand entrance?<\/i><\/p>\n
He squeezed his eyes shut for a moment, cursing the fact that he hadn\u2019t thought to bring his sunglasses out here.\u00a0 Now that the clouds were clearing, the brightness of the sun glaring off the snow was nearly blinding.<\/p>\n
Use that to your advantage,<\/i> a little voice said in the back of his mind.<\/p>\n
But how?<\/i><\/p>\n
He almost\u2014almost\u2014snarled, but stopped himself, taking a deep breath.\u00a0 The sun was to their backs this early in the day.\u00a0 They\u2019d be silhouetted against the brightness.<\/p>\n
Maybe that\u2019ll help.<\/i><\/p>\n
He slid down from his perch and marched back toward Marin, Phelan, and Thordin.\u00a0 \u201cGet the cover fire into position,\u201d he shouted as more and more of their friends filtered into the empty ground between shelter and the gates. \u201cIf you\u2019ve got a gun, I need you up on the walls.\u00a0 If you\u2019ve got a bow, I need the same.\u201d<\/p>\n
Marin started to slip past him and he grasped her arm.<\/p>\n
\u201cI know you\u2019re not about to tell me not to go up to where you just were,\u201d she said without looking at him.\u00a0 \u201cBecause we both know that\u2019s exactly where you need me, especially if it comes time to parley with them.\u201d<\/p>\n
Thom snorted at the idea of parley.\u00a0 \u201cHe won\u2019t want to negotiate.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWe can hope against hope that he\u2019ll see that this is stupid,\u201d she said.\u00a0 \u201cMaybe he\u2019ll realize that.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHe won\u2019t,\u201d Thom said, hating how certain he was of it. He leaned in and kissed her.\u00a0 \u201cBe careful.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m not the one who needs that,\u201d she said, reaching up to stroke his cheek.\u00a0 \u201cThat would be you.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThom!\u201d\u00a0 Davon shouted.\u00a0 \u201cI think I see him.\u201d<\/p>\n
Marin squeezed his arm and scrambled toward her position.<\/p>\n
\u201cHow far?\u201d Thom called.<\/p>\n
\u201cDead center on the field,\u201d Davon answered.\u00a0 \u201cLooks like he\u2019s heading for the gate.\u201d<\/p>\n
The blast of something that sounded vaguely like a trumpet echoed off the field.\u00a0 Dead silence reigned for a moment before Cariocecus\u2019s voice rang out, rolling like thunder.<\/p>\n
\u201cSeer and Wandering One, I would treat with you this day!\u201d<\/p>\n
Thom\u2019s stomach flopped, twisted in on itself.\u00a0 Hell.<\/i><\/p>\n
He found himself answering without any additional thought. \u201cWe\u2019re coming out.\u201d<\/p>\n
He grabbed Phelan\u2019s arm and headed for the gate.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Thom strode out into the morning\u2019s gloom, squinted up at the shafts of sun slicing through the clouds above, then shouted up to Davon, \u201cHow many?\u201d \u201cJust a dozen,\u201d Davon called back.\u00a0 \u201cLooks like more are coming, though.\u201d Not good, … Continue reading