Casca 8: Soldier of Fortune
Page 18
"You knew exactly what Huan intended to do, didn't you?"
Van nodded, his eyes dropping. "Yes, I knew. But it was what he wanted. I didn't have the heart to deny him that right."
"You did what you had to, my friend," Casey said, patting Van on the back.
Van suddenly grinned, throwing up his arms. "What do we do now, old chap? Shall we go home and purchase us a pub or what?"
Casey shook his head in disbelief. "No, Van, I don't think we would enjoy doing that for the rest of our lives."
Van sighed with relief. "Good! I was afraid you might want to settle down. Listen, my friend, we three have a few things in common. One is that we are very good at what we do, I mean, soldiering. Now, with the money the old Chinese will pay us, we can afford our own army. Let us find the best and pick the wars we want to fight. When and where we choose. What is life, anyway? Let us, like Huan, pick our time and place to die, like real men."
Yu Li looked at her man, knowing now that he was not hers, that he could never be hers. He belonged to war as much as anything belonged to anything. He was a warrior.
Casey set sail again, on course for Malaya. He was physically guiding the small ship, but his mind was elsewhere. Van didn't know how right he was about Casey and wars. The Hebrew, Jesus, had seen to this soldier's plight long ago, in a land far from where they were now. Soldier, you are content with what you are, then that you shall remain until we meet again.
The words echoed in Casca's tormented mind. Where was He? When would He come again? Where will He send me next?
Continuing Casca’s adventures, book 9 The Sentinel
Awakened from frozen slumber by the touch of a beautiful young woman, the mighty Casca journeys from the northern wasteland to legendary Constantinople and the war-ravaged shores of North Africa.
Casca must struggle with the agony of an eternal curse – and triumph over the bloody fanaticism of the demonic brotherhood.
For more information on the entire Casca series see www.casca.net
The Barry Sadler website www.barrysadler.com