Chapter 28

Northmarket District, Oldtown

Recent events had been a series of wonders for Klzyx’s spotter, Clover. As they hid in his favorite spot, a dusty nook under a latticed porch of the cobblers’ shop, the little Dryad was enthusiastically burbling away, “Sir, have you ever in your whole life tasted anything so wonderful as the treats?”

They’d had the same conversation at least ten times. She had not stopped talking about the little sack of treats that the big woodworker had given them. She was too new to realize that special things had to be saved and savored. The little greedy guts had gobbled all of hers and half of his when he relented and shared with her. When they were all gone, she had carefully folded the little brown paper wrapper and put it in her magic pouch to preserve the memory. She was acting like talking about of eating them would bring more. He indulged her excitement. He well knew how rare good days were on the streets and alleyways of Oldtown.

Klzyx kept a careful eye out for threats. From where he sat, he could see the lane clearly and no one could see in. He’d just realized he’d been too busy to think about how his sister Roze was doing. He needed to get her a birth-day present before he went to his home place.

He heard a creak and turned around to see and prepared to run in case it was the cobbler. The old being was violently opposed to any “street filth” hanging around his shop. He was relieved to see it was his sister, Roze. She stuck her head in.

“He’s in there all right, just like I said he would be. Give me my coppers like you say you would.”

A rumble of voices sounded. Then a thick fingers grabbed the lattice work and ripped it open. A huge tattooed warrior orc peered in. Klzyx recognized their clan immediately. Thorn Mountain Clan. They served the guild master, Silverbirch. The clan was recently emerged from the Desolate. They already had a reputation for extreme brutality. These were the very beings that the woodworker had been searching for.

He felt sudden numbness slide into his belly. His sister Roze had sold him out.

The shock made him wait a beat too long to respond. A hairy muscular arm reached in and snared his leg.

“Run Clover. Run.”

Too late.

Clover yelped in fear as another of the orcs reached in and snatched her before she could move.

Klzyx grabbed a length of wood and slapped at the big hand that held her. He scored. The orc cursed and let her go. Clover was off in a flash. The other beast slapped him. Hard.