Adversaries Together Read Free

men entered, each holding odd glaives
whose edges shone like glass. The pole arm wasn’t their only
weapon, both had a very plain falchion at their hip, and their
attire was clearly different from the guards that he had
encountered each in very plain leather brigandines. These men wore
the black subarmalis of a clearly higher order of soldier. They
walked to the center of the room facing him without expression. He
raised an eyebrow sizing up the two. Neither sentry seemed more
than twenty years old, if that, but they already had that
empty-eyed certainty of an elite guard, crusader paladins
perhaps.
    As the two took their positions, a rather
soft looking blonde man with an unnaturally rosy complexion came in
to stand between them dressed in a purple jerkin and a long black
skirt. The fringe of the skirt and the man’s sleeves were
embroidered with an intricate pattern of silver thread; this man
was a Kyrio, a lord from one of the Spires. He was already talking
when he came into the room.
    “… of course I apologize for
the wait. This not being my own spire, of course, makes things a
bit more…not difficult but sluggish if you will…”
    The Kyrio looked up and took a measure of the
man. Noticing his pose, he said, “Yes, well. I suppose I should
come to the point.” He tapped both sentries on the shoulder and
they abruptly left.
    When they had closed the door, the lord’s
demeanor changed, becoming more confident and his eyes narrowed, “I
am Kyrio Tobin, Master Rainway.”
    Rainway tilted his head, blinked, and leaned
against the wall crossing his arms, “Declan is fine. I’ve been in a
good while, ya know.”
    “ Yes, well, if you had
somewhere better to be you’d be there wouldn’t you, hireling?”
Tobin said dismissively. He went over to one of the tables, pulled
a chair out for himself, and sat, without ever breaking eye
contact.
    “ Doesn’t make it right.
Plenty of inconvenience for me being here.” Declan pushed off from
the wall and walked slowly towards Tobin.
    “ Your compensation will be
enough.” Tobin seemed to relax as he crossed his legs and folded
his hands on his lap.
    “ For what work,
exactly?”
    Tobin smiles, “Soon there will be two
Cassubians traveling on the highroad from Sulecin to Anhra on their
way to Lappala.”
    Declan broke in, “That’s a bit of a trek.
Just the two?”
    Tobin continued ignoring the question, “One
will be an alm and the other a paladin. They’ll…”
    “ And I’m supposed to what?
Kill them?” Declan interrupted turning away from Tobin and again
toward the window.
    “ That wouldn’t be difficult
for a man like you,” Tobin scoffed, “Nor would it be difficult for
us to do ourselves.”
    “ So then?” Declan unfolded
his arms and held is hand up waiting for Tobin to get to the
point.
    Tobin pulled a purse from a pocket in his
sleeve, “This is a hundred and fifty aurei.” He held it up and as
he shook it, Declan’s eyes went right to it.
    “ That’s not enough to kill
a Cathedral crusader.” He shook his head but never took his eyes
off the purse.
    Tobin sighed, “We don’t want you to kill
anyone.” He tossed the purse to Declan hard but he caught it
firmly, “And we’ll pay you twice that once we know that the two are
safe. Here.”
    Declan held the purse, judged its weight,
then tossed it up and down, “That makes a wholotta no sense.”
    “ Let me be clear, we don’t
want you to kill anybody. We just want you to keep an eye on the
two. Monitor their progress and perhaps…” Tobin smiled as he
continued to give instructions. “Guide them to us.”
    “ Guide them?” Declan looked
doubtful, “You mean you want me to change their route from Lappala
to Ardavass without them knowing? That won’t happen.”
    “ They don’t need to not
know they are being diverted. In fact, making it clear that coming
to us is a necessary detour will most likely help.” Tobin seemed
indifferent but then leaned forward, “There will be