Chapter Nineteen

Chapte r Nineteen

The forest is quiet. Calm. Khazak and are walking to... Where were we walking to again? I look over at him to ask, but when I speak, the words don’t sound right. When he turns to answer me, I can’t understand what he’s saying either. Suddenly, something in the sky swoops down at our heads. Then another, and another. A large flock of birds circle us in the sky overhead, their feathers pitch black. They’re huge. I’ve never seen so many. They dive at us again, attacking and driving us further into the woods. Their talons claw into my skin as I struggle to pull away. No matter where I turn, they just keep coming . I can’t—

“ —avid. David!” I freeze when I hear my name, opening my eyes a sec ond later.

Khazak lays in front me, hand on my shoulder.

“You were struggling in your sleep.” He runs his hand down my arm. “Are you alright?”

“Yeah.” I nod, rubbing my hand over my face. “Just a n ightmare.”

“I gathered from the thrashing,” he jokes. “What was it about?”

“Angry birds.” I shake my head. “It’s nothing.”

“Do you have nightmares a lot?” He keeps stroki ng my arm.

“No, not really.” Not until recently at least.

He seems happy to leave it at that. After allowing us to be lazy in bed a little longer, he gets us up and moving to get ready for the day. No time for morning sex today; it’s just bathroom, clothes, and breakfast. We grab lunch and are off to the station, same as yesterday.

I’m a lot less anxious when we arrive this time. I even work up the nerve to say hello to some of the people I met yesterday. Ragnar pops his head into Khazak’s office when he gets in, but the rest of the morning is pretty quiet, and I end up cracking open my language book sooner rather than later. I’m at Khazak’s desk asking for his help in pronouncing something when someone walks into the room.

“Attention,” Khazak whispers the order to me before standing and saluting his visitor. “ Krisur Mara’ok. ”

“ Kritar Uzigar .” This new orc is older and gruffer looking than Khazak but wearing a similar uniform. Khazak relaxes his stance as the two speak while I continue to stand in place at his side. Whatever they’re talking about seems important. When they finish, the new orc looks me over for a minute before turning to Khazak, who salutes him once more before he leaves.

“Who was that?” I ask when we’re al one again.

“That was Commander Grandfist, my superior.” Khazak answers before moving around the desk. “He also oversees the city’s militi a forces.”

“That was your boss?” Considering how high up Khazak is in the food chain, that guy must be really important.

“Correct.” He starts to leave the office. “Come with me. I need to discuss this wit h Ragnar.”

We walk across the hall to Ragnar’s office where he is seated behind his desk looking bored out of his mind.

“Ragnar.” Khazak pulls his friend’s attention away from his paperwork.

“Khazak.” He points at the door. “Was the commander j ust here?”

“Yes.” Khazak nods “There has been a potential robbery he wants me to look into pe rsonally.”

“A robbery?” Ragnar sounds skeptical. “Isn’t that a little below our p ay grade?”

“Normally I would agree with you,” he admits wryly. “However, this was a shipment of supplies meant for the militia, including some dwarven-smithed weapons a nd armor.”

“Shit.” That seems to cement the seriousness for him. “Do you nee d backup?”

“Not yet.” He shakes his head. “David and I are going down to the shipyard now to see what we can learn.” That actually sounds kinda fun.

“Alright, I will be here.” Ragnar turns back to his paperwork and sighs.

“So, we’re looking for stolen weapons?” I ask as Khazak and I go back to h is office.

“We do not know for certain they have been stolen yet,” Khazak responds while grabbing his sword from the wall.

“Then is that really necessary?” I point at t he weapon.

“Standard protocol.” He shrugs. “We can stop by Brull’s shop on the way. Your boots should be ready.”

I perk up even more at that. I’d almost forgotten ab out those.

We leave the station and start walking south. I can see the arena in the distance on our left, but eventually it vanishes behind the bars and other buildings I remember from our last visit. The area is a lot different in the daylight, most establishments not yet open for business. A lot less people too. I almost don’t recognize the building until Khazak is knocking on the closed door of Brull’s shop. It opens a crack and a suspicious looking eye peers out.

“Khazak, David!” Brull opens the door wider. “Co me on in!”

We enter the shop with Brull not quite closing the door behind us.

“Here for the boots?” He’s already walking to the backroom.

“That is correct,” Khazak answers as we move to th e counter.

“Finished ‘em yesterday. I’ll grab ‘em now.” He heads into the back, returning a minute later with a pair of black leather boots in his hands.

“Here you go, pup.” Brull holds them o ut for me.

“Thanks.” I try not to mumble as the boots are ha nded over.

“Excellent work, Brull.” Khazak looks over the shoes with me. I run my fingers over the leather. They’re nice. Sturdy. “Try them o n, David.”

I nod, kneeling down and placing the new shoes on the ground while I untie the ratty pair on my feet. I pull on the new pair one at a time, lacing them up as I go. When I’m finished, I stand up and walk around a little. They need to be broken in some, but the fit i s perfect.

“Thank you,” I repeat a little louder. “They’ re great.”

“Glad you appr—” Brull’s teasing is interrupted by the sounds of shouting coming fro m outside.

The three of us move over to the front door, which Khazak pushes the rest of the way open to reveal a small crowd gathered outside. In the center are two orcs slowly circling each other, looking like they’re ready to fight.

“Just a moment,” Khazak sighs before stepping outside and calling out to the group. Most of the crowd disperses immediately at his appearance, but the two feuding orcs alternate between glaring at him and each other. They relax a little when Khazak starts speaking with them but still look pretty tense. Should I be out there he lping him?

“He’s got it handled,” Brull says from my side, reading my thoughts. “Just a couple of idiots who started drinking much earlier than they sho uld have.”

“Does that happen a lot?” I guess this is where most of the bars in the city are.

“Around this part of town.” Brull walks back around to the front counter, bending over to pick up my old boots. “Want me to get rid of thes e for ya?”

“Please, thank you.” I’ve got no sentimental attachmen t to them.

Brull once again disappears into the back while I wait for Khazak to finish outside. I look around the shop at all the toys and implements, some of which I have gotten to know very intimately. Some of them make me think about that one thing we haven’t done since that first day in the arena. The thing I’m not even sure how I would get ready for. But seeing all this, maybe Brull can help me with some of the logistics.

“Can I ask you something kind of weird?” I pose the question when Brull returns from tossing my shoes.

“Sure.” Brull eyes me sk eptically.

“Okay, well, when I first... met Khazak,” I start, already feeling my face and chest getting hot. “We, uh, did something that was very n ew to me.”

“I’m pretty sure everything you’ve done in the past week has been new to you,” he taunts, and he’s not wrong. “But I know what you’re talki ng about.”

“Right. Well, right before we went out, one of the attendants there did...something to me. Like, to my stomach. Something that made it easier to...” I full-on blush, unable to finish my ex planation.

Confusion colors Brull’s face before a wave of realization passes over. “Cleansi ng spell.”

“What?” I wasn’t expecting a two-word response.

“A cleansing spell,” he repeats. “It’s what they used on you. It empties out and lubes up the lower half of y our body.”

“I, uh, that—” Brull’s description has me s tammering.

He holds a finger up, reaching under the counter and placing an oval shaped sto ne on top.

“What’s that?” Besid es a rock.

“A cleansing charm,” he explains like I know what that is. “Place that right below your belly button for about five seconds, you’ll feel it start to warm up as the spell a ctivates.”

“Oh, wow.” That is a lot handier than I was expecting. “I was just gonna ask if you had any ideas for what I could do o n my own.”

“There are certainly less magical solutions,” he offers, “but they all require a lot of time and effort that is better spent on what comes after the cleaning.”

Morbid curiosity almost has me asking about those alternate solutions, but I think better of it. “Do you sell a lot of these?”

“Oh yeah, one of my best sellers.” He nods. “I’ve been trying to convince the head of the Healer’s Guild to let me start selling some that will work as contraceptives, but they won ’t budge.”

“They make them for that too?” I can think of a few girls back home who would have found a charm like that ve ry useful.

“You’d be surprised what the mind comes up with when a person is dedicated and horny enough.” He’s joking, but given all the new things I’ve discovered in the last week—several of them in this very shop—there has to be some trut h to that.

“How much are they?” I look down at the small and unassuming smo oth stone.

“Four gral.” My stomach sinks a little. That was almost as much as my entire wardrobe.

“Oh. I, uh, don’t have any money.” I frown, scratching the back of my head. I’ll need to talk to Sir about how I’m getting paid. Or if I’m getting pa id at all.

“Well, I’m sure we can come up with some way you can pay me back.” He eyes me lecherously before sliding the stone towards me. “Kidding. Consider it a gift. Not just for you, but fo r Khazak.”

“Really?” I know I shouldn’t be surprised by the kindness by now, but I’m still not exp ecting it.

“Yeah. I know it’s only been a week, but I think you’re good for him.” He smiles and waves off my concerns. “The charm holds fifty charges. When they’ve all been used, you can either find a healer who knows the spell to recharge it or just buy a new one.”

“Got it.” I nod and take the charm and slide it into my pocket. Fifty charges should be more than enough for the next two months. Who would even know that spell? Gods, I can just imagine trying to ask Corrine to recharge it. “Is there anything else I should know?” Using unknown magical items can be dangerous.

“Don’t use it more than three times a week and never more than once a day. Good way to end up malnourished.” My eyes go wide. I never considered that. “Other than that, just have fun.”

“I will. Thanks.” I smile at the horny orc.

“Yes, thank you, Brull.” Khazak steps back inside at that exact moment. “The boots look wonderful. As much as I would love to stay and catch up, David and I need to get back to work.” He turns to me . “Ready?”

“Yes, Sir.” I nod and clutch the charm in my pocket. Can’t wait to surprise him later. One that won’t end with an arguably well-deserved spanking for once!

“Good to see you as always, brother.” Brull walks us to the door. “Don’t be a stranger. You either, David.” With a wink, he shuts the door behind us.

We continue our march south, leaving most of the bars and shops behind us. I notice the buildings around us getting bigger, not taller but taking up more space. Off in the distance, I can see the wall surrounding the city getting closer, and I think I spot a section where it opens up entirely.

“This is the industrial section of the city,” Khazak explains as we walk. “Mainly workshops and factories as well as a few sto rehouses.”

That explains the size of the buildings. Manufacturing things ta kes space.

“See that building there?” He points to a lot on the right. “That is where Jar ek works.”

On our right is a set of smaller buildings surrounding a large open yard filled with young trees—a nursery. I see a pair of orcs surround one and use magic to remove it from the ground, almost like they’re melting the earth away from its roots. They lift it and bring it to an open-air building, laying it onto a workbench. Then, still using magic, they begin to bend and shape the tree in tandem. It’s fascinating to watch.

“That’s what Jarek does?” As far as I know, we just have regular woodworkers and carpenters in Lutheria.

“He made much of the furniture in my home personally,” he muses. “A housewarm ing gift.”

As we continue walking, I think I hear the sound of running water. Not much farther ahead, I see where the wall ends and gives way to reveal the banks of a wide river on our right. Looking across to the other bank, I see a small cottage in front of an open clearing, one that is filled with livestock—cows, goats, chickens. So that’s where they’ve been kee ping them.

“The area we use for farmland is an island.” He gestures across the river. “The river forks about two kilometers east of here and then loops around to rejoin two kilometers in the west.”

“And two kilometers is...” Am I going to have to relearn math while I’m here too?

“One and a quarter miles.” He rolls his eyes. “The river is the main way shipments and deliveries are brought in and out o f Tah’lj.”

“Isn’t that dangerous with the whole secret city thing?” What’s to stop anyone from just floating down and wa ltzing in?

“We have a number of guard posts set up along the river.” He points a finger both down and upstream. “Should someone manage to slip past them, there are a series of silent alarm spells set along the path. If one of them is tripped, or if a guard alerts us and we activate them, illusion spells designed to disguise the riverbanks are t riggered.”

“Sounds like a lot of work.” Hiding a city in the forest seems e xhausting.

“It is a very rare occurrence.” Moving down the river bank, he points at a set of docks and small buildings coming up on our side of the river. “That is the shipyard.”

It is indeed a shipyard, though much smaller than one you’d see on the coast. A series of docks extend into the river, a few with small boats tied to them. Small unassuming buildings stand in front, and I can see where the city wall and forest begin again just beyond them. Khazak leads the way inside the closest building.

“ Drepa lat .” The person behind the counter greets us as we enter, doing a double take when he sees Khazak’ s uniform.

“Good morning,” Khazak responds in Common for my benefit. “Captain Ironstorm with the rangers. We are here about the missing militia shipment.”

“Oh yes! Let me just—”

“Captain Ironstorm.” The voice catches all three of us by surprise, and we turn to see an older, very well-dressed orc emerging from a back room.

“Councilman Murbank.” Khazak gives a little bow, and I wonder if I should copy him.

“I just learned what happened this morning.” The man’s voice is filled with concern. “The men and women who serve on the militia are nothing short of heroes, and the idea that someone would steal from them is unconscionable. I insisted on coming down personally to assist in any way I could.”

“Thank you very much, sir. I agree about the militia.” Khazak nods his head. “We were just about to begin the investigation, but I will personally make sure you are updated as we le arn more.”

“Excellent.” He clasps Khazak on the shoulder, smiling. “Please let me know if there is anything I can do for you.” He then turns to his employee before he returns to his backroom. “Help them with whatever t hey need.”

“Yes, sir.” The empl oyee nods.

“Who was that?” Besides a p olitician?

“One of the members of the tribal council.” I gathered that from the title. “He owns this shipyard.”

“Wow. So he’s rich?” Owning the city’s shipyard must be very lucrative.

“Do you remember the story I told you about the orcs who invented our plumbing system?” I nod. “One of them was hi s father.”

“Oh, so he’s rich -rich.” Should have figured when I realized he was a p olitician.

“Quite.” He turns back to the man who has been waiting patiently behind the counter. “Good morning.”

“Good morning, sir.” He repeats. “I was just gathering the records on that delivery for you.” He hands over a stack of papers. “The shipment from the city of Kiz’Urngor arrived yesterday evening. If you will follow me, I can take you to the storage unit it was held in.”

Ironstorm starts to flip through the pages while the man walks us out of the building and across the street. He opens the gate to a series of small warehouses all lined up in rows, which feels a little familiar and not in a great way. We wind through them until we come to a stop in front of a specific unit as the orc leading us pulls out a key.

“Two members of the militia came this morning to pick up and transport the delivery to their headquarters, but when they were brought to retrieve the items...” The worker opens the large doors on the unit, revealing an empty interior. “Nothing was here.”

“I can see that.” Khazak steps inside and looks around. “What about the wards usually placed on the stora ge units?”

“All dispelled,” the man says with a sigh. “Not a single alarm spell was triggered, and there is no sign of anyone having been in or out o vernight.”

“An officer will be down later to run a magical analysis and verify that.” Khazak runs his fingers along the unit’s inner wall. “This sheet says Thog Grimrock accepted the delivery. Is he here?”

“No sir, he is not working today.” The employee shakes his head.

“Do you know him well?” I can see Sir switching into interroga tion mode.

“We have worked together for a few years.” He thinks for a moment. “I would not exactly say we are friends.”

“Is he a hard worker? Difficult to work with at all?” He seems to think he might ha ve a lead.

“He always gets his job done, and we get along fine.” The man shrugs. “He’s always seemed nic e enough.”

“Thank you for the answers. I am afraid I will need to speak with him next.” Sir exits the unit. “Would it be possible to get his address?”

“Yes, sir. I can get you that back in the office.” The man closes and locks the gate on the storage unit before leadi ng us out.

“You think this Thog guy did it?” I ask under my breath.

“I do not know, but it is the only lead we have at the moment.” He pauses. “If the ward spells were all removed from the unit, that means whoever did this is either an employee or working with a powerful ma gic user.”

“Are there a lot of strong wizards in the area?” I wonder if that is something you can even keep track of.

“Not many that I know of.” He sighs. “Hopefully the forensic mages will be able to pull traces of s omething.”

Back inside, the employee walks back around the desk, grabbing a pen, ink, and a sheet of paper before pulling out a thick book. Must be some of the business’s records. He’s flipping through to find something in p articular.

“Here we are.” He spots it and begins jotting down words. “Here is the address I have on f ile, sir.”

“Thank you very much, Mister...” I think he just realized we never got the g uy’s name.

“Kurdt Swiftrun.” He hands over the paper. “I hope this helps. Please let us know if there is anything else we can do,” he repeats his boss’s l ine to us.

“Thank you. I hope the rest of your day is a pleasant one.” He gives the man a quick bow of his head. “ Rum k’r avon .”

“You as well. Rumk’r avon .” Kurdt returns the bow as we walk out of the building.

“Is that our next stop?” I indicate to the paper in Khazak’s hand as we start walk ing north.

“Not yet. I want to go back to the station first.” He looks bothered by something. “If they are the magic user we are looking for, this may be more dangerous than ant icipated.”

“So backup might be a good idea.” Hadn’t considered that. I might be fast and Khazak might be strong, but a wizard just needs one well-timed spell and we’re finished.

“I am sure it is nothing we cannot handle.” He turns to grin at me. “Much more exciting than your first day, eh?”

“Looking good so far.” I have to agree, though I still haven’t done anything except stand around gawking. Hopefully I’ll be of more use when we meet Thog.