Mary Smith
Stories
13
Chapters
4,849
Words
711.2 K
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0
Reading
2 d, 11 h
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The pavilion for wounded soldiers was located on the west side of camp. As I approached, the soldiers sitting outside looked up. One of the men jumped to his feet, his expression hard. “Stop right there,” he said. “You won’t get any further. Ser Connel has commanded us to stand guard.” I stopped in front of him and stared him down. “I’m not here for York,” I said. “In fact I wish him no further harm. I’m here to speak with Ser Connel.” The soldier eyed me dubiously, gaze snagging…-
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Gills found me in my tent at sundown. I could tell by the look on his face that he was angry. I opened my mouth, but the veteran cut me off. “You should have told me,” he snapped. “If it involved Vera you should have come to me - I have a right to know.” I pulled on my boots, taking time to think. Gills stood in silence, fists clenching and unclenching. “I thought I could trust you,” he said. “I wanted to trust you.” “You can trust me.” I rose to my feet. “Gills, you do have a…
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"The stream flows this way," said Hade, gesturing down the bank toward the large creek. The sky was lighter with the promise of a morning soon to come. I had followed the uneven tracks that York's boots left In the damp earth. Beside the trail, a silver flask had been cast to the side of his trail carelessly. I picked it up and scented cheap spirits. "He's drunk," I said. "But he's also alone. Now's our chance to corner him." Jorgen hesitated. "Ser William," he said. "York is a bastard, but isn't he…
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Ser Robert did not go quietly. He had it in his mind I think, that he would stand tall in the end. That he would hold his head high in defiance as the executioner read off his crimes. He had been flogged already and his back was a mass of scars and torn flesh. Every soldier in the Kadian Army, save for those on sentry duty was in attendance. I stood among my men, shield planted in the ground and hands resting on its top. Draxus and Hade stood to either side, an honor guard of sorts. The executioner…
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The tracks led us deeper into the bog where the trails were thin and the horses had to high step to avoid sinking into the mud. The tracks were deep but every so often the trail would come up short in the water's edge, only to resume several yards ahead. "I think we have to consider that this beast, whatever it is, can travel on both water and land." I gestured to the imprint in the mud. "Look at the area between the claws. The feet looked webbed." Hade lifted his spear, poking at the water with the…
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"Good," I said, as I strode the line. "Again." The soldiers before me brought their spear shafts up and stepped forward, thrusting high and then low. I stopped my pacing before Jorgen and pushed his spear higher with my hand. "Maintain stance," I told him. "Again." One of the soldiers down the line swatted at the flies buzzing around his head. He gave me an irritated look and let his spear shaft dip. "Forgive me Sarge," he said, "but why the hell are we out here drilling while the other companies get…
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Outside of the Inquisitor's tent, two Darkblades stood vigil. Their silver masks turned, following my path as I stepped forward. "Tell the Lady I've done as she instructed." Said Ser Connel. The Darkblades remained still and silent. "Enter," called the Lady Inquisitor. Ser Connel gestured to York who shoved me forward unnecessarily. After cutting him a glare I stepped through the flap and into the tent's interior. The scent of incense and oil was strong enough to make my eyes water. White beeswax…
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It was the longest night of my life crouched in that dim cellar. We listened to the sounds of scraping overhead as the Shadow Kin tore through the house looking for us. They were agitated, hissing to each other and clicking their claws. Every once in a while I would hear a sound that made my heart stop. I kept expecting the door to fly open, for them to find us and begin pouring down into the cellar like grotesque corpses. But the Shadow Kin never found us, and after long hours, the sounds eventually…
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The air was cold - colder than it should have been. I could see the puffs of steam rising from their helmets as we ran. The howls were loud as the things that stalked us grew ever closer. I could see the occasional glint of eyes in the dark, the shifting of a shadow between tree trunks. Astrid stumbled on a loose stone and nearly went down. Only my hand under her arm kept her from sprawling in the mud. “They’re trying to surround us,” she huffed. “We can’t let that happen.” “I know.”…
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Rain ran down my armor, soaking the clothes beneath. The drops were cold, and despite the heat of the earlier day, I found myself shivering. It was dark, the only light coming from the faint glow of the crystal lamps we now carried at our belts. The light ahead of me bobbed back and forth as the spear man walked, casting strange shadows. “The Trail ends here Sarge,” said Astrid from behind me. I followed her gesture and examined the tracks on the ground. The earth had been tramped by hundreds of…
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