Shadows of Men (The Watchers Book 1)

by M. Lee Holmes

  Dungar looked to his two companions over his ale glass and they looked to him with the same curious gaze.

  “Why did she attack you, Daskin?” Raff asked.

  “I mentioned the wake of destruction she had left behind in South Fort two years ago and she lost her temper.” He shook his head disbelievingly.

  “Is she injured then?” Dungar asked

  Daskin nodded his head. “She was attacked by a ghost wolf. The beast’s claws tore at her shoulders.”

  Dungar felt a swell of relief at this news. “How bad would you say her injuries are?”

  Daskin shrugged his shoulders. “I have seen worse.” He stepped away from their table and continued towards the door.

  “Where are you going?” Mulvaus asked.

  “She told me to leave at once, so that is what I am doing.”

  “You are leaving just because she says to?” Mulvaus asked with a smirk, clearly thinking the old man a coward.

  “Do not mock me!” Daskin shouted in sudden anger. “Any man who has seen the look of wrath on that woman’s face would tell you as I am about to tell you now- there is pure evil inside of her. I am not taking my chances of disobeying.” He took a breath and scowled down at the three of them. “I shall forever remember the anger in her eyes. They will haunt me.” He turned to go and slammed the inn’s door behind him, making Madam Liscal look up from the empty mug she was wiping clean.

  Dungar waited until the other patrons turned their curious heads away and said; “the old man is no fool, a coward perhaps but not a fool. This is not some simple-minded girl we are dealing with here.”

  “Perhaps not,” Raff interrupted, “but she is only one woman. Skilled with the sword or no, she is only one and we are three. And she is injured.”

  “There is also the Captain to consider.” Mulvaus interjected.

  “Yes.” Dungar said. “And from what I have heard he is just as skilled as the High Protector and never leaves her side.”

  “Except he is not at her side at this very moment.” Raff said. They had all seen Captain Mayvard huff angrily down the stairs towards the bath room. He had glanced in their direction, apparently checking to see if they were still there, before he disappeared behind the swinging doors. Madam Liscal had informed the three men that Captain Mayvard had ordered baths for the two of them.

  “But that does us no good.” Dungar said, looking behind him towards the bath room. “The time is not right and besides, there are too many witnesses.”

  The other two nodded in agreement.

  An hour after the healer left, the High Protector came stomping down the stairs, her leather boots leaving dirty prints behind her and Bloodbinder strapped to her belt. Her cloth shirt was stained red with blood and Dungar’s eyes remained fixed on the red streaks until she looked up at him and trapped him with her gaze. It was then he realized Daskin’s words were true; there was something evil in her gray eyes- something foreboding and deceitful. When she turned away, a shiver ran through his spine.

  “This belongs to the healer, Daskin.” He heard her say to the innkeeper as she held out a satchel. Madam Liscal took the bag with a scowl. “He will return in the morning for it.” Madam Liscal’s eyes lowered to the blood stains upon Rhada’s shirt.

  “Would you like a new one?” She asked. The High Protector nodded and Madam Liscal disappeared into the back with the satchel still in hand. When she returned, the satchel was gone and a fresh, white shirt was in hand. She handed it across the bar to the High Protector. “Bath room’s through there.” She said pointing to the swinging doors her Captain had disappeared behind an hour previous. The High Protector thanked the innkeeper and without glancing back their way, disappeared behind the swinging doors.

  Dungar turned back to his companions only when the doors stopped swinging. “It must be tonight!” He said in a whisper, afraid someone may hear. “Here she is, in this very inn and we have the means to take her down. If we succeed, Lord Ivran can mount his attack upon the King and he will not have her sword to hide behind!”

  Mulvaus nodded but did not share the same enthusiasm. He was willing to attempt an assassination but Dungar could see the fear in the man’s eyes. Raff, however, smiled viciously and wrung his hands as though he could not wait for the opportunity.

  “Her head will make a fine trophy for Lord Ivran, a fine trophy indeed.” And Raff laughed with a boisterous chortle. Dungar told him to keep it down but knew it did not matter; the High Protector was far away from hearing distance. She would never know what hit her. Her life would end before she even knew it was in danger.

  Rhada stepped into the steamy bath room just as the maid was pouring another bucket of boiling water into the unoccupied copper tub, warming the water that Rhada’s absence had allowed to cool. Mayvard lay in the tub opposite, with his arms outstretched over the edges and his head leaning back, eyes closed. His hair, which had curled in the humidity, had been released from its leather strap and stuck to his wet cheeks. Rhada let the swinging doors shut loudly behind her to announce her entrance.

  Mayvard opened his eyes and lifted his head. A smile formed on his lips but was gone just as quickly when his eyes fell upon Rhada’s blood-streaked shirt.

  “What happened to you?” He asked in anger.

  Rhada simply shook her head and pulled her shirt off. She stepped out of her leather boots and pants, laid Bloodbinder gently on the floor next to her tub and practically fell into the water from exhaustion. Ignoring the screaming burn in her shoulders, she slid underneath the water to soak all of her hair and lingered there for a few moments before reemerging and turning her gaze back to Mayvard.

  “At least he stitched you.” Mayvard said, observing the sutures that protruded from her shoulders.

  “I stitched me.” Rhada said in anger. “The bastard stabbed me with his knife.” She pointed to the puncture wound with three stitches.

  Mayvard frowned. “Perhaps his hand slipped.”

  Rhada shook her head again. “I am beginning to think we would have been met with less hostility in South Fort!” She lowered herself into the water until her chin was skimming the surface.

  Mayvard was silent, staring at the opposite wall. Rhada knew he agreed with her. She sighed as the warmth of the water slowly enveloped her and decided that, for the moment, she would forget everything that was bothering her. When the maid reappeared, she ordered wine for both of them and when it was delivered, Rhada slowly sipped the refreshing liquid until she could feel it swirling in her veins. Her body felt lighter and the pain in her shoulders began to dissolve away.

  “Tomorrow, before sunrise, I will go to the market and replenish our food supply.” Mayvard said as he sipped his wine.

  “And I shall prepare the horses.” Rhada leaned over the edge of her tub and set the empty wine glass next to Bloodbinder on the floor. “Make certain I am awake before you go.” She commanded and Mayvard nodded.

  The maid brought a bar of soap for each of them and after scrubbing the dirt and dried blood away; Rhada stood, wrapped a towel around herself and stepped out of the water. Mayvard did the same and they dressed quickly. Rhada threw the new, clean shirt she had borrowed from the innkeeper over her head only to discover it was two sizes too large. She folded her soiled shirt and left it upon a chair to be washed. She picked Bloodbinder up off the ground and together they headed back to the tavern.

  Once outside the swinging doors, Rhada noticed that all other patrons had left for the evening- all except the three travelers who still sat in their corner, fresh ales in their hands. Rhada could not help but notice the gazes of loathing they shot her way, nor the ringing of Bloodbinder in her ears, warning her of danger as she passed. Mayvard smiled and nodded to them but Rhada averted her eyes away towards the stairs.

  Once at her room door, she turned to Mayvard and whispered; “those men are plotting something.”

  Mayvard nodded in agreement. “It does seem that way.”

  “And Bloodbinder agrees.
” She said, leaning over him and peering through the banister to the tavern below. “They should have left to deliver their message.”

  “Would you like me to stay guard outside your door tonight?” Mayvard asked.

  Rhada smiled at the weary man before her. She could see his eyes dropped with heaviness and his shoulders were slumped as though his exhaustion was a heavy burden to carry. But she knew if she asked it, he would sit outside her door all through the night, never letting his eyes flutter closed, while she slept peacefully in her warm bed.

  Rhada shook her head and placed a hand on his shoulder. “Get some sleep, friend. You are ready to fall over where you stand.”

  Mayvard nodded, not having the energy to argue and strolled away to his own room. Rhada stepped inside her door and made certain it locked behind her. She placed Bloodbinder upon the bed, sat on the edge and began pulling her boots off; noticing for the first time the stains of blood seeped into the wooden planks of the floor. It was her blood that painted the floor red but she could do nothing about it. She felt her own exhaustion creeping up on her like a thief and decided she was too tired to clean it up. She lifted the blanket and crawled underneath, sighing at the simple comfort of sleeping in a bed once again. She reached forward and pulled Bloodbinder underneath the blanket as well, hugging it close to her body before allowing herself to drift off.

  They crept through the darkness like shadows, keeping their footsteps as silent as though they did not even exist. Each step had to be taken with care- the slightest of noises would alert her to their presence. They walked up the stairs and through the darkened hallway in a line, Dungar leading the way and Raff covering the rear- all carried their naked swords by the hilt and were ready to strike.

  When they reached her door, they stopped outside and listened for any noise that may be coming from within. After a few moments, the three men gave each other encouraging looks, deciding she was fast asleep and never would they have a better opportunity for an attack than this very moment.

  Dungar reached a shaking hand up to the door handle but hesitated. Something does not feel right. He thought. He could feel Mulvaus behind him, shifting nervously from one foot to the other. Raff whispered; “what are you waiting for?” Finally, Dungar found the courage to turn the handle to her door. It opened with a soft creak and all men stood poised, certain the sound had woken her.

  No one moved nor took a breath or made any sort of sound. All was quiet in the hallway and inside the room. All men took in deep breaths of relief and one-by-one, shuffled silently inside the dark room.

  The night had been peaceful and quiet and Rhada had fallen asleep faster than she had in many days. She lay motionless on her back, breathing heavily into the air without any concept of the world around her. Then came a scream, loud and shrill and it filled her ears and made them ring. She sat bolt upright in her bed, grasped the hilt of her blade and searched her room. Instantly she was on her feet without even realizing what was happening and she moved to the door. Before she could open it, however, she stopped and listened. Her sword vibrated violently in her hand and she knew it was the sword that had woken her. Bloodbinder sensed trouble and it had given her a warning- a warning that she was not at all surprised to receive.

  After quickly pulling on her boots, Rhada slowly turned the key in her door and opened it. She stepped lithely into the hallway and pulled the door shut behind her, slowly closing it until she heard a soft click. She crept through the hallway, trying not to make any noise and stopped at the top of the stairs. There she spotted them, the same three men, huddling together and whispering. They each lifted their ales into the air and drank the last drops down at the same time.

  The three men stood and pulled their swords from their scabbards and began to walk towards the stairwell. Rhada, having no desire to kill these men without proof they meant her harm, backed up into the dark hallway and hid in a corner until they crept past. None of them took notice of her. She watched patiently as they stood outside her door and tried to gather their courage. Finally, they pushed the door open and stepped inside.

  Rhada turned and made her way downstairs. She found a seat that faced the stairwell and threw herself into it. She laid Bloodbinder across her lap and waited patiently for the men to return. It wasn’t long before they realized she was not in her room and soon, she could see their feet descending the steps.

  The first man to appear was the tall one who had spoken to her earlier. His face froze in shock and he stood, not moving on the stairwell until his two companions came into view. They descended farther, glancing back at him with curious looks. When they looked forward and saw Rhada sitting at the table watching them, they too froze.

  “In all my years of being High Protector, I have become accustomed to men trying to kill me. But never before has anyone attempted to sneak into my room whilst I slept and stab me in the dark.” Rhada shook her head disappointedly. She stood, grasped Bloodbinder tightly and faced the three men who looked to her with panic.

  “If you wish me dead, then you may fight me with honor and try your best to kill me.” When none of them moved, she narrowed her eyes. “Or are you all cowards?”

  It was Raff who rushed forward, eager to prove that he was no coward. His sword glistened in the bright firelight of the tavern hearth as he raced ahead, aiming it at her heart. His bellowing war-cry filled the empty tavern and rang in Rhada’s ears. He rushed towards her with courage in his heart and determination on his face. She stepped aside with ease and slashed at the man’s throat; feeling the blade slice through flesh as though it was water, causing him to jerk away and fall onto a nearby table where he lie on his back gasping for breath. Blood flowed from his neck in a stream and dripped onto the floor in a red pool and soon, he was silent.

  The two men who remained on the stairwell looked to their companion then back to Rhada in disbelief. Neither of them raised their swords or made a sound.

  Rhada stepped forward, causing the two men to jump back. “You shall not escape justice. I am offering you a chance to defend yourselves but if you try to run, your flesh will meet my blade.”

  After several moments, the two men raised their swords together and stepped forward. They let out shouts of courage and rushed towards her. Rhada ducked and spun, slamming the hilt of her blade into Dungar’s stomach. He doubled over in pain and fell to the ground. When she stood tall, she took a step forward and thrust Bloodbinder towards Mulvaus with such force; it pushed its victim into the wall and a river of blood spurt from his mouth. His eyes widened but soon they fluttered and he went limp. Rhada pulled the tip of her blade from Mulvaus’s chest, spun and saw the back of Dungar as he fled the inn.

  It was Mayvard who gave chase. He had woken from the sounds of shouting men and when he saw the tall man flee, he ran after him before Rhada could even pull her blade free of her victim.

  Dungar’s pace quickened when he heard the sound of footsteps behind him. He panted as he ran, trying his best to not lose pace. He could feel his heart pounding in his chest with fear and tried to ignore it but the fear soon took hold of him when he felt strong hands grab him from behind and yank him backwards.

  He fell to the ground painfully and let out a gasp as he tried to fill his lungs with air. No matter how hard he tried, however, he could not take a breath and instead he began to cough violently.

  A figure stood over him in the dark and it wasn’t until it leaned over and grabbed the scruff of Dungar’s tunic that he could see it was the Captain who held him. Mayvard’s eyes shone angrily in the moonlight and his entire face contorted in a look of rage. He suddenly became more frightening than the High Protector herself.

  Then his fist was flying through the air and struck Dungar on the jaw. It came again and struck the side of his head and again and again and before he knew it, he was losing consciousness. He could not even feel the pain from the blows any longer.

  “Mayvard!” It was a woman’s voice that traveled through the darkness. His senses t
old him he hated this woman but her voice was soft and it stopped the angry Captain from pounding his face in. He felt himself fall to the ground as the Captain released his grip on him and then his eyes darkened.

  Rhada stood over Mayvard, peering down at him with hardened eyes. Bloodbinder dripped with the blood of its victims and she held to it tightly. She looked to Mayvard, then to the unconscious man and saw his blood on Mayvard’s fist. She felt certain he had killed the man.

  “That is not the way we handle things.” She said to him softly. He stood with a look of shame on his face and lowered his voice when he spoke.

  “Forgive me, Madam Protector. I am just so tired of the way people treat you and I lost my temper.” She could see his shoulders slump as the realization of what he had just done fell over him.

  Rhada reached up and placed a gentle hand on Mayvard’s shoulder. “I am appreciative of your concern for me, as always. Go inside and wait for me. I will deal with this one.”

  Mayvard looked to her with hurt in his eyes. “I should stay and help you.” He said.

  Rhada shook her head. “That is an order- now go.” Mayvard walked briskly away, leaving Rhada alone with her would-be assassin. She peered down at the man and waited for any sign of movement.

  Finally he stirred, letting out a small moan as he rolled to his side. Rhada knelt down beside him and grasped him by the shoulders, turning him onto his back. The man let out a pitiful cry of fear as he looked into Rhada’s eyes.

  “I understand that I am not the most likable person in this realm.” She said as she stared harshly at the man. Blood dripped from his mouth and the side of his head but he kept his consciousness and stared back at her with loathing. “In fact, I would dare say next to the King, I am the most hated person in Kaena.”

  “Even more so than the King!” The man interjected. He spat towards her, missing her face by inches but she felt the spray of saliva and blood hit her shoulder.

  Rhada’s lips curled in her anger and she reached for Bloodbinder. She held it to the man’s throat and tried not to let her anger control her.