“It should be obvious by now. If it’s not, you are as blind as you are bald.”
“Well, I’m not entirely bald.”
“Then I hope you aren’t entirely blind either.” She hugged him from behind. “Relax, Finster. Don’t take it all on yourself. Share what is on your mind.”
The succulent blonde’s soothing voice convinced him. “You know of the Circle, I suppose?”
“Yes, they are the assassins’ guild of the seven kingdoms.”
“So, you know what they say?”
“There is no mark they cannot find. There is no person they cannot kill.” She nuzzled her cheek in his back just below the scarab. “Do you believe this?”
“What I believe is that they only conduct business in the kingdoms. Their eyes are everywhere in the seven cities. For the time being, I hope to avoid the seven. There will be no refuge there until this is all over.”
“That could take a lifetime.”
“No, it’s not going to take a lifetime. It’s just going to take lives. Thousands of them so long as King Rolem is behind it.”
“Why don’t you just kill him?”
The horse started up a ledge of rocks, jostling them hard in the saddle. Finster gripped the reins tightly. “Whoa! Whoa! Bloody beast has a mind of his own. Go around the rocks, not through them. Where were we, oh, yes, assassinate King Rolem. Well, that’s not what a sorcerer of the high order does. If we did, the kingdoms would war all of the time like they did centuries ago. No, men have to learn to resolve their own problems. We are just here to guide them.”
“But these are bad men. You should kill them.”
“Only in a fair fight.”
“Pisshaw! These kings do not fight fair. If they did, they wouldn’t have sent assassins after you. I say, use your power. It’s your destiny, Finster. I can feel it.”
Unable to hide his smile, he replied, “You are not good for my conscience. Don’t you know that magus have the most bloated egos in the realms? I have enough of a dilemma controlling the stone. Either I control it, or it controls me.”
“How powerful do you think you are?” she practically whispered in his ear.
“I’m not sure I want to find out.” He reached behind him and squeezed her leg. “Well, that’s a lie.”
“I know.”
They rode for two more days, with Finster weighing all of his options. Finally, he led them to where the wilderness turned into a marsh rich in willow trees with leaves that tickled the waters. In the middle of the overgrown, rancid-smelling, uninhabitable marsh was a small lake, rich in toads on lily pads and thick in mosquitos. On the other side of the lake stood a stone tower ten stories tall that rivaled the great maple trees surrounding it. Vines, moss, and ivy covered the tower from top to bottom. It stood eerily in the mist that hid its doors, leaning slightly to the right.
“What in the kingdoms is that place?” Rinny said.
“It’s called the Black Tower.”
NEXT BOOK IN THE SERIES
Thanks for reading The Scarab’s Command. I’ve decided to continue the series, and the next book will be out soon. How many will I do? I don’t know, but I think we can all have a lot of fun with Moth and Finster. Yes, I said that in the last book, but I’m starting to get a better feel for making this a full-length story published in one big edition. So stay tuned.
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See my book lists below!
OTHER BOOKS AND AUTHOR INFO
Craig Halloran resides with his family outside his hometown of Charleston, West Virginia. When he isn’t entertaining mankind, he is seeking adventure, working out, or watching sports. To learn more about him, go to: www.thedarkslayer.com.
Check out all of my great stories …
The Chronicles of Dragon Series 1 (10 Books)
The Hero, the Sword and the Dragons (Book 1)
Dragon Bones and Tombstones (Book 2)
Terror at the Temple (Book 3)
Clutch of the Cleric (Book 4)
Hunt for the Hero (Book 5)
Siege at the Settlements (Book 6)
Strife in the Sky (Book 7)
Fight and the Fury (Book 8)
War in the Winds (Book 9)
Finale (Book 10)
Boxset 1-5
Boxset 6-10
Collector’s Edition 1-10
Tail of the Dragon, The Chronicles of Dragon, Series 2 (10 book series)
Tail of the Dragon #1
Claws of the Dragon #2
Battle of the Dragon #3
Eyes of the Dragon #4
Flight of the Dragon #5
Trial of the Dragon #6
Judgement of the Dragon #7
Wrath of the Dragon #8
Power of the Dragon #9
Hour of the Dragon #10
Boxset 1-5
Boxset 6-10
Collector’s Edition 1-10
The Darkslayer Series 1 – 6 books
Wrath of the Royals (Book 1)
Blades in the Night (Book 2)
Underling Revenge (Book 3)
Danger and the Druid (Book 4)
Outrage in the Outlands (Book 5)
Chaos at the Castle (Book 6)
Boxset 1-3
Boxset 4-6
Omnibus 1-6
The Darkslayer: Bish and Bone, Series 2 (10 Book series)
Bish and Bone (Book 1)
Black Blood (Book 2)
Red Death (Book 3)
Lethal Liaisons (Book 4)
Torment and Terror (Book 5)
Brigands and Badlands (Book 6)
War in the Wasteland (Book 7)
Slaughter in the Streets (Book 8)
Hunt of the Beast (Book 9)
The Battle for Bone (Book 10)
Boxset 1-5
Boxset 6-10
Bish and Bone Omnibus (Books 1-10)
CLASH OF HEROES: Nath Dragon meets The Darkslayer mini series
Book 1
Book 2
Book 3
The Gamma Earth Cycle
Escape from the Dominion
Flight from the Dominion
Prison of the Dominion
The Supernatural Bounty Hunter Files (10 book series)
Smoke Rising: Book 1
I Smell Smoke: Book 2
Where There’s Smoke: Book 3
Smoke on the Water: Book 4
Smoke and Mirrors: Book 5
Up in Smoke: Book 6
Smoke Signals: Book 7
Holy Smoke: Book 8
Smoke Happens: Book 9
Smoke Out: Book 10
Boxset 1-5
Boxset 6-10
Collector’s Edition 1-10
Zombie Impact Series
Zombie Day Care: Book 1
Zombie Rehab: Book 2
Zombie Warfare: Book 3
Boxset: Books 1-3
OTHER WORKS & NOVELLAS
The Scarabs Curse – Sword & Sorcery Novella
The Scarab’s Power
The Scarab’s Command
It’s not him, It’s them (Jerk of All Trades) 1 book - Drama
Gorgon Thunder-Bot Incinerator of Worlds (1 book, children’s)
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Table of Contents
CHAPTER 1
CHAPTER 2
CHAPTER 3
CHAPTER 4
CHAPTER 5
CHAPTER 6
CHAPTER 7
&
nbsp; CHAPTER 8
CHAPTER 9
CHAPTER 10
CHAPTER 11
CHAPTER 12
CHAPTER 13
CHAPTER 14
CHAPTER 15
CHAPTER 16
CHAPTER 17
CHAPTER 18
CHAPTER 19
NEXT BOOK IN THE SERIES
OTHER BOOKS AND AUTHOR INFO
The Scarab's Command (The Savage and the Sorcerer Book 3) Page 7
