Even Gods Must Fall Read Free Page A

disgust twisting his features. What he had in enthusiasm failed to translate into results. The decision to abandon his persecution of the rebellion hadn’t reached Chadra yet. Otherwise Harnin One Eye would have already sent assassin squads. He didn’t relish the thought of undergoing the same ordeal his fellow lord, Jarrik, did. Of course Jarrik committed suicide during the rebel attack on the western fort a week ago.
    The younger lord maintained reservations towards hunting down one of his friends. Skaning wanted power, making it easy to cast aside bonds of fellowship and follow orders. Harnin was adamant about Jarrik’s removal. Not only did Skaning fail to execute his former friend, he had lost the ex-rebellion leader, Inaella. Her continued existence was proving to be a bane to Harnin’s rule despite abandoning the rebellion in favor of the crown. Skaning had never placed trust in the pock-marked woman.
    She should have died a dozen times over. The plague ravaged her body while the betrayal of lower-ranked rebels twisted her mind. Inaella was a broken woman. Her worth to Harnin’s efforts diminished daily despite delusions of self importance. Skaning saw through her. The woman was trouble. More than she was worth. Harnin’s alliance with her would hurt the crown.
    Thoughts wandering down paths he didn’t care about, Skaning refocused his attentions on the barren fields of snow stretching lazily out before him. Seven hundred soldiers waited impatiently behind him. The hunt was more intensive than anticipated. Thoughts of desertion spread. Being reservists, none of the soldiers wanted to be away from home longer than necessary. Skaning was leading them on a fruitless chase as far as they were concerned.
    “Explain to me how a group that large can simply disappear in the middle of all this openness?” he asked sharply. “No tracks. Not even a pile of horse dung. I’m losing faith in your abilities.”
    “My lord, we’ve found nothing,” the scout said and shifted nervously, fully expecting the executioner’s blade against his neck.
    Skaning snarled. “Double your efforts. A group that large can’t just disappear. I don’t care if we are in the middle of the wilderness. Bahr must be found and destroyed before he reaches his goal in the east.”
    “We’ve got more than a hundred soldiers scouring the countryside, my lord. Bahr may be cunning but there is a lot of land to cover.”
    Skaning swung to the mercenary captain. “Perhaps I no longer need your services, captain?”
    The veteran shrugged nonchalantly. “Doesn’t matter to me. Give us our back pay and we’ll be off to warmer climes.”
    “Careful, mercenary. I still have enough soldiers to handle your company,” Skaning threatened.
    The captain stiffened. “Can you afford to lose them? I don’t need you, Skaning. You need us. We’re the best fighting element you have, and you know it. Like I said. Makes no difference if you keep us or cut us loose. It comes with the job.”
    Trapped by his own anger, Skaning had no option but to swallow his pride and push forward. He knew there was no way his reservists were capable of hunting down Bahr and his motley assortment, not with a wizard and Gaimosian with him. The Vengeance Knight alone would be too much for the majority of his soldiers to handle. Worse, time was running out. Harnin’s rage would be unparalleled once he discovered Skaning’s disobedience. Skaning had to make his move, quickly, if he hoped to retain his place in Delranan’s current court.
    “Double your search efforts, captain. The Sea Wolf needs to be found before he reaches his destination,” Skaning said, finally succumbing.
    The mercenary grinned savagely. More like before that one-eyed bastard learns of your traitorous actions. No one likes a man with secret agendas . “Very well. We’ll find this forgotten son and bring your army down right on top of him.”
    Skaning cursed his ill fortune. All bridges behind him were