Chapter 24

My wild Simka. My fireball, my sharpened spear. She grunts as she helps Rugar up the steps of the prison, still holding the torch in her other hand. She came for me ready to fight, a short sword at her side and a bottle of dynamite in her hand.

I’ve never admired someone so much.

When we reach the top, I shove the prison door open and we emerge into the sunlight. Oh, sunlight. I wasn’t down there very long, but it was long enough to make me grateful for the sun’s rays on my skin.

I also realize just how frigid it is without the marvelous cloak Simka gave me. I wonder where it is now.

Maybe she’ll give me another one.

Morgenzan spreads out below, while above us, smoke fills the sky. Another quake shakes the ground and Rugar stumbles, but I manage to keep him upright.

Luckily, Gorren’s distraction is working, and the townspeople are too busy whispering amongst themselves and watching the distant mountainside to pay too much attention to us. When they do see us, their eyes grow wide, but they step aside to let us through. We must look like hell, I think. At least there are no guards around to question us.

We make our way steadily down the road toward the base of the mountain. Up ahead are the city gates. When we reach the bottom, my eyes are drawn to the stable.

“Fio,” I hiss to myself. Shit. We can’t leave Simka’s ass here, or she’ll never forgive me. I ease Rugar down to a sitting position, and Simka tilts her head. “Fio must be in there,” I explain.

She gives me a wide smile and charges off into the stable. While she’s gone, Rugar and I stare upward, aghast, as a ball of fire shoots into the sky and more people scream. Nearby, there’s an orc carrying a big pack, his head tilted back while he watches the show.

“Damn it,” he says, pushing up the big goggles he was wearing. “Just got off the train to go and see that place, and now it’s up in flames?”

I tilt my head at him. “You came for the mine? Are you a new worker?”

“No. I was looking for something in that there mountain, but I don’t think I’ll be finding it now.” He snaps his fingers.

With a snicker I say, “I don’t think so, either.”

Only a few moments later Simka emerges with her mule in tow. When she reaches us, Simka nods at Rugar. “Fio can carry him. It’ll be easier to travel that way.”

I nod in agreement, and between the two of us, we’re able to heft the injured orc up onto Fio’s back. The fuzzy coot isn’t pleased about it, but Simka’s here now, and he’ll do whatever she asks. Even as another explosion rattles the ground, he looks utterly unfazed by it.

With Rugar taken care of, we make our way to the high walls of the city. For a moment, it looks like there’s no one at the guard posts, and I think maybe Gorren’s gambit has worked. We’ll be able to pass freely through, and return to Simka’s village. We’ll get out of this alive.

“Halt!” Someone steps out in front of us—one of the human guards who must have stayed behind, the single one of my colleagues left to defend the city while the rest are off fighting orcs. Damn it.

I didn’t want it to come to this. He’s simply a cog in a much greater machine, just like I was. He doesn’t know any better. This is his job, and he likely has a family here in the city.

But I’m done playing the Grand Chieftain’s games. When the guard approaches us, I offer him one chance.

“We’re leaving,” I tell him cooly. He looks us up and down.

“You’re that prisoner.” He reaches for the hilt of his blade. “There’s no way I’m letting you?—”

Before he can draw it, Simka has her sword out and pointed at his throat. Somehow, she snuck up on him while he was focused on me. He freezes.

“Now,” she says in a low, scathing voice. “You’ll let us go, now.” She gestures up at the mountain. Rocks are tumbling down from the highest peaks as it shakes. “I think you have much bigger problems.”

The man swallows hard, looking at me, then at Rugar and Simka. Uneasily, he backs away, and gestures for us to go through. She lowers her sword, returns it to its sheath, and takes Fio by the lead rope.

I found the best woman there is.

As a trophy, I take the guard’s sword with me.

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