The Dread Lords Rising by J. David Phillips

  *

  Many long, cold hours after they got back, Niam sat and let his feet dry by the fire in Lord Joachim’s library. He always loved books, and a room filled with them always soothed him. Why, he did not know. Maybe it was because people always told him that he thought too much. But when he was in a library, he was surrounded by thoughts set down on paper. There he would always be surrounded by more thoughts than he was capable of holding. In a library, he wasn’t such a misfit anymore.

  “Well, good for him!” Gaius said about Niam’s role in the day’s proceeding. “But how did you know that the Mayor had thrown in with Eason’s men?”

  “I suspected he would. The man goes blind when he gets greedy, so I had your son go there ahead of us,” Joachim told him. Mr. Sartor closed his eyes and nodded silently. “I didn’t have time to tell you what I was up to. We may have lost Ledge. Karin’s death has him beside himself, and with the poison Eason’s men are peddling, I would understand if he blames me for not doing enough.”

  Gaius nodded his head. “I know,” he said silently. But he knows you, man!”

  Joachim waved a dismissive hand. “Oh, he won’t buy into the conspiracy nonsense, but he has every right to be outraged. There’s just not enough help to go around. My soldiers have to be everywhere. The trall only has to be right where it is.”

  “At least you swayed many of the people there,” Gaius said.

  “Not enough,” Joachim said. “But thankfully many people in Havel’s Dock knew none of us arrived in a cart. Still, many didn’t. One person’s word against another, and it gives that conniving toad the appearance of a legitimate reason to side with Eason when he makes his move.”

  Gaius shook his head in disbelief. “Such a hostile grab at another province is unheard of now!” he said in exasperation.

  “When the reye’s away….” Joachim reminded him.

  “What will you do if Eason tries to come in?” Gaius asked apprehensively.

  “This won’t go to arms,” Joachim reassured him. “I’ll force a personal solution first.”

  Gaius let out a sigh of relief.

  Niam chose the moment of pause to speak up. “Um . . . since I kind of helped this thing move along in our favor, any chance we can have some time off to rest? I’ve got saddle sores on top of my battle sores, sir?”

  Joachim began laughing so hard he had to slap his hip in order to make himself stop. “Not a chance, kid.”