Dark Humanity

by Gwynn White

  Soron was torn. He had planned to stand back and watch the men, then attack while they assaulted the woman. But one look at her and the idea of any of the disgusting pigs laying a finger on her made him cringe. So he had stepped out into the meadow and interrupted them. From the way the men scattered, he knew that they had been told about him, that he was the one who had killed their friends. Now the men would be looking for him. Not that it mattered; the young thieves were still at the edge of the city waiting. It would take longer to catch the men again, but at least the girl was safe.

  The girl… she was like nothing Soron had ever seen before. She had blonde hair and sparkling, blue eyes that had an intelligent look. The young woman had poise and spoke well. During the brief moments they had spoken, Soron had fallen hard.

  But Declan and his friends had targeted the girl; she was likely still in some danger from the group of slimy, young lords. Soron would make sure that the men would never get another chance to be alone with the lovely girl.

  Soron headed back to the city, he would meet up with the young thieves, and then he would figure out a new plan to deal with Declan and his friends.

  When Soron returned to the edge of the city, both boys were gone. This did not concern Soron, he had expected the boys to be following Declan and his cronies. As Soron had some time to kill, he went looking for Ramon. Ramon had a small office in the city where he organized his trade business, the man was hardly ever at the office, but it was the quickest way to get a hold of the man.

  As Soron suspected, Ramon was not in the trading company’s office when he got there. Soron left a note for Ramon to drop by the Dew Drop Inn when he could, then he headed back to the inn. He would wait for the young thieves to bring him news of the men.

  At the Dew Drop Inn, Soron was surprised to see Mariah was working again. She had some colored marks on her face where she had been beaten, but otherwise looked good.

  When he walked through the door Mariah stopped what she was doing and rushed over and gave him a big hug. “Thank you,” she said.

  Soron hugged her back, he didn’t think he needed thanking for what he had done, but he was happy to see her again. “I’m just glad you are out and about, your father is a terrible server. Always getting my order wrong and forgetting my drinks, I will be glad to have a proper server again,”

  Mariah slapped his arm, “I am sure that he was terrible.” She gave a small, fake laugh. It was obvious she still wasn’t herself, but she was up and walking around so that was a great sign.

  Soron sat in corner, wanting to be away from the rest of the inn’s crowd while he waited for Ramon or the young thieves. He needed to come up with a new plan regarding Declan and his men, but wasn’t sure how to start. And every time he tried to concentrate his mind would wander back to the meadow and the blonde girl. He wondered what her name was, was she from Venecia or some distant land? Blonde hair and blue eyes was rare in Solotine so the odds were good she came from somewhere else, but Soron did not know enough about other lands to have any real idea where.

  Ramon entered the inn without Soron even noticing, he was staring off into the distance thinking of the girl in the meadow when Ramon sat down across from him. “I got your note, did you meet my friends?”

  Soron looked at Ramon then quickly looked around; no one was within hearing range. “Yes, I did, I was rather surprised when I did.”

  Ramon laughed, “Both of them look like they are about nine years old, but truth is they’re only a few years younger than you. Poor nutrition kept them small, careful grooming and some magical influence make them look even younger. Those two are very skilled actors, and excellent spies, are they out watching your friends now?”

  “Yes,” said Soron. He then filled Ramon in on the morning’s adventure, from meeting the young thieves to following the men into the woods and then the meeting with the beautiful girl in the meadow.”

  Ramon shook his head, “It sounds like you had a good opportunity if you had waited a little longer, oh well. It was good you saved the girl from them, you can figure out how to deal with the men later. Blonde hair, blue eyes, and from the way you blush when you talk about her I am going to go out on a limb and say she is exceptionally pretty as well. Shouldn’t be too hard for me to track down, that is, if you would like me to?”

  Soron tried not to jump when Ramon suggested he could find out who the girl was. “Well, you know it might not hurt to find out who she is, just in case Declan tries again.”

  Ramon laughed; it was obvious that Soron’s interest in the girl had nothing to do with Declan and revenge. Ramon was glad, Soron deserved someone special. He would do what he could to find out about the mysterious woman for his northern friend.

  Mariah came over to the table, “Supper is just about ready. Ramon, are you going to stay here and eat? Father cooked a roast tonight, it smells delicious.”

  Ramon gave the girl a big smile, “How can I turn down an offer like that?”

  Then men had just about finished eating their meals when one of the brothers arrived and sat at the table with them. The boy promptly started scavenging food off of both of the men’s plates. In between bites the boy spoke. “You’re in luck, big man, Declan and his friends scurried out of the woods like a pack of hyenas and headed to the first pub they found. They are now drunk and mouthing off about your killing their friends, calling it murder.” The youth gobbled up another chunk of beef before continuing, “If you were to head down to the pub right now you would likely hear them saying all sorts of nasty things about you.”

  Soron looked over at Ramon, who nodded in agreement with the young thief’s assessment of the situation. Perhaps it was time to go out for a drink. Soron went to finish his meal but found his plate empty.

  The boy looked at Soron, “What?”

  As Soron and Ramon rose to leave, Soron threw a gold coin on the table. “Stay, eat a meal on me, be friendly with Mariah, and don’t leave the inn for at least an hour,” said Soron.

  The boy nodded, he had been seen with Soron and would not want to be anywhere near them for the next little while, just in case something unexpected happened. He smiled and called for Mariah “Another plate of food and a glass of ale please.” The boy would happily waste an hour eating and drinking.

  As they walked, Ramon discussed what would likely happen, “If you do call one of them a liar, it is likely they will not respond well, duels start for much less. Do you want to go back to the inn first, get one of your weapons before we enter?”

  Soron thought about it, “No, it’s better if I go in empty handed.”

  The pub was loud and busy. As they entered, Ramon nudged Soron. “By the bar, the one in the red shirt is Declan.”

  Soron recognized the group from their earlier encounter. The men were talking loudly amongst themselves and the patrons around them. None of them noticed Soron and Ramon and they walked through the crowd up to the bar only a few feet from where they stood.

  Declan was speaking as they arrived at the bar. “Yep, poor Cale and Owen and the rest never had a chance, murdered trying to defend that girl. I tell you something needs to be done.”

  “That is a lie!” Soron’s voice boomed out in the crowded bar.

  The crowd quieted down. Calling a noble a liar was serious business.

  Declan, furious at the outright accusation, turned and yelled, “Who said that?”

  Soron stepped away from the bar, “I did. Your friends were caught assaulting a woman, they then attacked me. Multiple witnesses saw the whole thing. Anyone who says otherwise is a liar.”

  Declan looked at Soron, he was intimidated by the northerner’s size, but now that he had a few drinks in him he was less scared. He looked the northerner over, seeing no weapons. He decided it would be a good time to punish the giant stranger for attacking his friends.

  Declan snarled, “That’s twice now you have called me a liar. I’ll not have it!” As Declan spoke his friends began to circle Soron. When Declan gave the signa
l, all four men pulled out daggers and attacked Soron.

  Soron, sober and ready, reacted quickly. When they attacked, he turned his body while reaching out and grabbing one of the men. He yanked hard on the man, pulling him in close. As the rest of the men lunged to stab Soron, two of them ended up stabbing their friend instead. Soron pried the dagger out of the mortally wounded man’s hand and shoved the injured man into Declan and the man beside him. The other man was taking a second stab at Soron, this attempt Soron brushed aside with his free hand, knocking the incoming arm to the side while stepping in and driving his dagger into the man’s rib cage. Soron turned to see Declan and his remaining accomplice stepping over their dying friend to attack once more. This time the men attacked in unison, slashing and hacking at Soron while moving in closer. Soron parried the blows while moving away. The young nobles had obviously worked together before, but were still poorly trained compared to most of the men Soron had faced over the years. Soron flipped the dagger in his hand and grabbed it by the tip. He threw the weapon into the chest of Declan’s last accomplice, dropping the man. Declan, seeing Soron once again unarmed, lunged forward. Soron sidestepped the dagger and grabbed Declan by the neck. He slammed the man’s head into the solid wood bar. A sickening snap could be heard as his neck broke.

  Soron stood still, waiting to see if anyone else planned on joining the fight. The crowd looked around restlessly, unsure what they thought of the situation. The bartender, while polishing a glass, spoke out. “Four on one, almost a fair fight.”

  With that, the crowd began to move and talk again. Fights were common, although no one could remember one quite like the one they had just witnessed. No one felt that Soron was to blame. The men had tried to tarnish his reputation, then attacked him. Soron had delivered justice without becoming an outcast in Venecia.

  The next day Ramon came to see Soron at the inn, he grinned as he delivered the news, “the council met today, your actions were discussed. Declan’s father tried to make a stink, but as the details came out it became impossible for him to defend his son’s actions. You are in no danger from the city guards or from the constables. I would keep out of trouble for a while, just to be safe.”

  Soron smiled, “I have been trying to keep out of trouble my whole life, it just seems to keep finding me.”

  Ramon laughed, “Well, here is a little gift for you. There is a royal dinner tonight.”

  Soron groaned, “I would rather not,”

  Ramon smirked, “Well, I thought it would be a good opportunity to get our friend Marin introduced to some of the ladies of Venecia. You can help in that.”

  Soron groaned even louder, “I would rather sit on a porcupine.”

  Ramon rattled on, “Of course, that is your choice. I just thought maybe you would like to go, I happen to know for a fact a certain blonde-haired, blue-eyed lady will be attending.”

  “You know, Ramon, It really is important that we introduce Marin to some nice women, so his father can’t marry him off. I suppose I shall have to join you, purely to help our friend Marin.”

  Ramon laughed, “I thought you might say that. By the way, your lady friend, her name is Velaina.”

  Velaina, what a lovely name, thought Soron.

  Ramon smiled, it was obvious his young friend was in love.

  THE END

  Continue reading the series now: THE SON OF SORON Book One of the Stoneblood Saga

  https://goo.gl/7SSfcX

  * * *

  webpage: www.robynwideman.com/blog

  About the Author

  Robyn Wideman is a fantasy fiction author hailing from the Shuswap region of beautiful British Columbia Canada. He is the author of the best-selling Stoneblood Saga series as well as several other novels.

  Read More from Robyn Wideman:

  https://www.amazon.com/Robyn-Wideman/e/B00X4SBL7Q/

  www.robynwideman.com

  The Alcatraz Coup

  Patricia Loofbourrow

  The Alcatraz Coup © copyright 2015 Patricia Loofbourrow

  * * *

  All rights reserved under the International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, places, characters, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to any actual persons, living or dead, organizations, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

  Warning: the unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. Criminal copyright infringement, including infringement without monetary gain, is investigated by the FBI and is punishable by up to 5 years in prison and a fine of $250,000.

  About The Alcatraz Coup

  How far would you go to save your city from a madman?

  Fifteen hundred years after the Catastrophe, Inventor Benjamin Kerr built the domed neo-Edwardian city-state of Bridges in the center of the former U.S. Three hundred years later, Bridges is in trouble. King Taylor Kerr is elderly, the economy is struggling, and corruption is rampant.

  Forty years ago, a fence was built outside of the "Pot of Gold" — the city proper — to keep out the growing numbers of homeless. This number has increased to over a hundred thousand, whole generations knowing nothing else but life in the tent camps.

  Acevedo Spadros is a high school Bridges history teacher. His former student Xavier Alcatraz is head of the Guard. When King Taylor is assassinated by his son Polansky Kerr, who then plans to slaughter everyone outside the fence, Acevedo and Xavier plan the unthinkable: to bring down the Mad King.

  The undisciplined man does not corrupt himself alone: he sets the whole world afire. — Rumi

  Chapter One

  September 17th

  Acevedo Spadros stood before his Bridges History class, chalk in hand, bemused at his students' fidgeting. The last bit of the hour on the last hour of the day must feel interminable. "We've talked about the geo-political situation which led to the formation of the Kerr Alliance long enough." He grinned. "Now let's discuss something you actually care about: the founding of the city. In 1500, Inventor Benjamin Kerr completed the dome and chartered Bridges as an independent city-state with the North American Federal Oversight Committee."

  The class murmured, some in confusion.

  Acevedo smiled. They hadn't read the chapter. "That was the original name of the Merca Federal Union."

  The ones who had read the chapter leaned back smugly, the rest had "oh" faces, recognition dawning as to the vast span of time and how it changed things. Acevedo loved seeing that look on a child's face; it was the best part of being a teacher. "Those of you who read chapter four: any questions?"

  A dozen hands shot up. Acevedo pointed to Jack Alcatraz, a boy of seventeen with curly brown hair.

  "How did they build the dome?"

  Acevedo chuckled. "Best ask your chemistry or physics teacher that. It's made of graphene, I think."

  The class laughed, but it was good laughter, fond and relaxed.

  Acevedo walked to the map of Bridges: a circle, cut into Quadrants by four rivers, a relatively small island at the meeting of the rivers in the center. "The Inventor King was a deeply devout man. He laid the city out like a bridge board —"

  The class murmured in confusion.

  "— to him, the rivers represented the Holy Cards. He felt the rivers were the real beauty and wealth of the city, the knowledge and life they held flowing to its center. He laid out the city focused on the rivers, not the land."

  A chorus of "ohs," and Acevedo smiled. "When he built Bridges, the only inhabited part was Market Center." Acevedo pointed to the island in the center of the map. "But he made it defensible. When they were building the city in the 1400's, they faced attacks by the surrounding tribesmen until they could raise the dome. In
time of need, they were able to retreat to the island." He pointed to the four bridges in turn. "The island's only accessible by the bridges from each quadrant. With the way it's elevated," thirty-foot sheer cliffs above the water, "plus the Suction, it's an effective defense."

  "Like a moat!" Jack said.

  Acevedo preferred for children to wait to be called on. "Yes."

  Jack didn't seem finished with his questions. "Why is the Suction there?"

  Why doesn't he know this already? Acevedo glanced around. Every eye was on him. They're really interested. "The water is sucked down from around the island's base and pumped under the rivers. Then the water is returned to the rivers at the waterfalls around the Rim." He went to the board and drew a cross-section of the river pump mechanism and the path a river's water might take.

  More "ohs," and Acevedo felt surprised. "You didn't know this?"

  "No," several children said.

  Acevedo felt uneasy. What else haven't they been taught? He needed to get the class back on track. "The important part is that Benjamin Kerr built it. He also created a political situation unseen since the Catastrophe, which has given us peace for almost 300 years: the hereditary monarchy. The Inventor King believed that the benevolent hereditary monarchy was, and I quote: 'the most perfect form of government.' With that in mind, let's turn to page forty-seven."

  Acevedo picked up the textbook on his desk. A bookmark lay within it, and he waited for the students to find the page. "We're not going to go down this list right now, but I want you to study the overview of the Inventor King's treatise on governmental decorum tonight. Anyone else have a question about the founding of the city?"