Page 48 of Warrior of the Wild
“They are, but my father is blinded by his legacy. He thought me his one chance to pass down the role of village leader and warrior. And then I disappointed him by…”
Failingis what I was going to say. But I didn’t fail.I was failed.
“I’m sorry,” Soren says. “It sounds like Torlhon is an excellent warrior, but a terrible father.”
I’m surprised by the words, but they sit so right in my chest. “Yes, that is exactly the right way to describe him.”
I look up toward the sky; the sun is fading fast. “It’s time for me to head back. I don’t want to be out in the open when it’s dark outside.”
“Are you sure I can’t persuade you to come stay with Iric and me?”
I don’t even try to let him down gently. “No.”
For some reason, he seems to find my quick answer amusing. “All right. Well, don’t forget your bucket.” He nods to the one we’ve filled with berries.
“That’s your bucket.”
“Then you’d better bring it back after you’ve eaten its contents.”
I can’t help the small grin that surfaces. Well played, Soren. Well played.
CHAPTER
10
Ihave just enough time to set the trap Soren brought me and make it back into my fort before nightfall. I bring the bucket of berries inside with me so they hopefully can’t be sniffed out by hungry vermin.
The next morning, when I go to check my trap, I find that the mechanism worked perfectly. A dead valder is crushed between the metal teeth. It probably died on impact.
I also note, however, that Soren’s warning about placing the trap away from my camp was justified.
A ziken is already chewing the head off my catch.
“Hey!”
The ziken turns around and licks the blood from its lips. It raises its head and lets out a cackle. I slam a blade of my ax right intoits gaping maw, cracking teeth and taking the top half of the head clean off.
Just to be safe, I sever the neck with another swing, then stare at the mess on the ground. I managed to dislodge a canine perfectly. I pick it up from the ground and stare at it. It’s the length of my finger but much wider. The tip is sharp, but I don’t dare test it by touching it. I’m sure the tooth is still coated in venom. If it were to pierce my skin, I’d be a wriggling, uncontrollable mess.
I pocket the tooth. It’s a nice token. Maybe it will bring me good luck.
But my face turns down in disappointment as I stare down at my ruined meat. I open the trap, pull the small beast from it, and cock back my arm to chuck it into a tangle of ferns, but stop.
An idea for a better use of the ruined valder hits me. I tie it to my pack, move and reset the trap, then head to the god’s lair for another day of observation.
FROM UP IN MYusual perch, I watch the god’s lair. I’ve already relocated the valder I brought with me. At first, I worried the dead beast wouldn’t be able to cross Peruxolo’s barrier, but after I cast the throw, it sailed right through without meeting any resistance, landing just inside the dark opening in the mountain.
Peruxolo must not have heard the impact, because he hasn’t come to investigate. I hope he’s somewhere deep in his lair and well occupied.
What does a god do all day?
Count his gems?
No, wait, he never even took the gems from the Payment inside with him.
Maybe he relishes the pain and suffering he causes by robbing mortals of their necessities? That sounds far more likely.
I wonder if he feeds off our pain. If that is what strengthens his powers, I’ve no hope of lessening it.
