{"id":130,"date":"2012-06-11T09:12:13","date_gmt":"2012-06-11T13:12:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/robsteinerauthor.com\/?p=130"},"modified":"2012-06-11T09:12:13","modified_gmt":"2012-06-11T13:12:13","slug":"zervakan-free-fantasy-novel-chapter-18","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/robsteinerauthor.com\/?p=130","title":{"rendered":"ZERVAKAN – Free Fantasy Novel – Chapter 18"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n
\n\"\"<\/a>
Cover by TJ Lomas.<\/a>\n<\/div>\n
\nI’m posting a chapter from my latest fantasy novel for free every Monday and Friday (click Zervakan<\/a> above for a synopsis and to start from the beginning). It’s in a “pre-published state,” meaning you might find the occasional spelling\/grammar mistake. If you do, please leave a comment below or email me at robsteiner01 [at] gmail [dot] com.<\/p>\n

If you’re uncomfortable getting something for nothing, you can hit the PayPal Donate<\/a> button in the Tip Jar section to the right. If you donate more than $3, I’ll send you a non-DRM ebook once the book is published (summer 2012). If you donate more than $20, I’ll send you a printed copy.<\/p>\n

Thanks, and I hope you enjoy it!<\/em>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

ZERVAKAN<\/h1>\n

by Rob Steiner<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Chapter 18<\/h2>\n

Karak stood in the shadows of a doorway across the street from the Breakers Inn and Tavern, watching people pass in and out of the swinging doors.\u00c2\u00a0 Raucous laughter and singing floated from the bright interior, and Karak saw through the main window many bodies moving back and forth in the lamp-lit common room.<\/p>\n

The Breakers was one of the busier taverns in the Low City, attracting mostly Low City residents or sailors from the merchant ships docked in Calaman for the night.\u00c2\u00a0 Business was brisk despite the late hour and the continuing drizzle.\u00c2\u00a0 Karak was not surprised.\u00c2\u00a0 It was one of his inns, and he had made sure they all had the stoutest ale and plumpest whores in all of Calaman, maybe even Gahall.<\/p>\n

Or at least the inn had<\/em> been his.<\/p>\n

Karak pulled his long, loose hair over his face as more people passed by.\u00c2\u00a0 His normally blond hair was more brown and greasy now.\u00c2\u00a0 He looked and smelled like one of the usual vagrants that haunted the Low City\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s corners and crevices searching for shelter.\u00c2\u00a0 He had rolled in piles of horse dung throughout the day to keep people from looking too closely at him.\u00c2\u00a0 Ironic that the worse he smelled, the more people tried to ignore him.\u00c2\u00a0 And the farther away people stayed from him, the better chance he had of evading Klahdera assassins.\u00c2\u00a0 At first he had to keep from gagging, but he was finally getting used to the smell after two days of wanting to retch.<\/p>\n

At least the smoke from the Orlenian quarter helped with the dung stench.\u00c2\u00a0 Karak glanced at the glowing orange sky less than twenty blocks from the Low City.\u00c2\u00a0 The Orlenians had been rioting ever since their favorite son, Dylan Edoss, had been kicked out of the Speaker\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s office.\u00c2\u00a0 Not even their Parliamentary leaders could calm their anger.\u00c2\u00a0 Karak normally hated riots\u00e2\u20ac\u201dit was bad for business.\u00c2\u00a0 People wanted a relatively safe place to indulge their vices.\u00c2\u00a0 But at least this riot kept most Klahdera Swornmen on Antahl Street to ensure the violence did not spill over into their Low City territories, which meant fewer Klahdera looking for him.<\/p>\n

Every time Karak thought about what got him into this situation, he felt sicker than when he first rolled in dung.\u00c2\u00a0 He had left his men to die with those\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6things.\u00c2\u00a0 He had lost loyal friends in that silo.\u00c2\u00a0 And Crane.\u00c2\u00a0 Karak had shot the man in the forehead, yet he got up as if the bullet hole were a bug bite.\u00c2\u00a0 Though Karak came from the Wild Kingdoms in the south, where supernaturalist beliefs still existed, he had spent most of his life in the Pathist Compact.\u00c2\u00a0 It was hard for him to accept what he saw, but he was a man who trusted his senses.\u00c2\u00a0 It was even harder for him to accept that he had run from a fight like a craven dandy.\u00c2\u00a0 Never mind that his cowardice had earned him a death sentence from the Klahdera Overlords.<\/p>\n

The swinging doors of the tavern fell open and the man he was waiting for strode out, accompanied by three men as large as Castle, their hands resting on the butts of their revolvers and their eyes searching the dark streets.\u00c2\u00a0 The Klahdera Overlord wore a black tri-corner hat, with a pony-tail of steel-gray hair hanging at the nape of his neck.\u00c2\u00a0 He was well dressed in a crisply pressed black suit.\u00c2\u00a0 He still retained the large build that helped him survive the harsh climb up the steps to Klahdera Overlord.\u00c2\u00a0 He nonchalantly smoked a cigar, content after a couple of hours with Karak\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s whores\u00e2\u20ac\u201dSammilia was his favorite, Karak remembered.\u00c2\u00a0 The Overlord strode down the street as if he were the king of Low City.\u00c2\u00a0 In a sense, he was.<\/p>\n

Karak affected the stagger of a drunk, stumbled forward, and crossed the street toward the Overlord.\u00c2\u00a0 He dodged a carriage, prompting curses from the driver, and stepped onto the sidewalk in front of the Overlord.<\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Spare a penny, my lord?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Karak said, holding a grimy hand out and keeping his head low so that his hair fell over his face.<\/p>\n

One of the Overlord\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s men, a Kingdomer by the looks of his long blond hair tied back in a single tail, shoved him out of the way without a word.\u00c2\u00a0 A second one used his forearm to push Karak onto the street.\u00c2\u00a0 The Overlord did not even look his way.<\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u0153I reckon the weather is finer in the Kingdoms this time of year, my lord,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Karak said.<\/p>\n

The Overlord stopped, then turned slowly to stare at Karak.\u00c2\u00a0 The Overlord\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s men followed, but the Overlord said, \u00e2\u20ac\u0153It\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s all right, Marwa\u00e2\u20ac\u2122jin.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

The blond-haired Marwa\u00e2\u20ac\u2122jin reluctantly motioned the other two men to stay back, but he and they kept their hands securely fastened on their revolvers.<\/p>\n

Overlord Silek approached Karak, squinting at his face, trying to peer beyond Karak\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s hair.\u00c2\u00a0 Then he laughed, shaking his head.\u00c2\u00a0 \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Mercy, Karak,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d he said.\u00c2\u00a0 \u00e2\u20ac\u0153You smell like a stable.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

Karak grinned.\u00c2\u00a0 \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Keeps away the curious.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

Silek\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s laugh faded.\u00c2\u00a0 \u00e2\u20ac\u0153You lost your entire crew, and that\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s one thing the Overlords won\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t forgive.\u00c2\u00a0 They\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re going to kill you, boy.\u00c2\u00a0 And there\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s nothing I can do about it this time.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u0153I know,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Karak said.\u00c2\u00a0 \u00e2\u20ac\u0153You\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ve done more for me than you should have done.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

Silek shrugged.\u00c2\u00a0 \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Kingdomers need all the help they can get in this country.\u00c2\u00a0 Someone did the same for me once, now I do the same for you.\u00c2\u00a0 Or did…\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

Silek scanned the street with his sharp gray eyes.\u00c2\u00a0 \u00e2\u20ac\u0153You shouldn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t be here.\u00c2\u00a0 You need to get out of Calaman, get out of the Compact.\u00c2\u00a0 Go back to the Kingdoms.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u0153That is my plan, old friend,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Karak said, then hesitated, embarrassed at what he was about to ask.\u00c2\u00a0 \u00e2\u20ac\u0153It\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s just that…I don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t have any money.\u00c2\u00a0 I cannot get back to my inns, they\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re being watched.\u00c2\u00a0 And Klahdera owns all the banks where I keep the rest of my money.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

Silek chuckled.\u00c2\u00a0 \u00e2\u20ac\u0153My boy, you never did plan ahead, did you?\u00c2\u00a0 I have secret stores of han<\/em> all over the city just in case I…well, just in case.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

Silek sighed, then said, \u00e2\u20ac\u0153All right, I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ll tell you where to find one of them.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

He gave Karak directions to the Hallowed Bridge, which crossed the Veda River on the north side of Calaman, just outside the walls of the Old City.\u00c2\u00a0 It was a place Karak knew well, for he had taken possession of many a smuggled shipment there.\u00c2\u00a0 It was quiet, virtually abandoned, and he would not attract attention.\u00c2\u00a0 Ironic to think he had probably stood next to a large store of Silek\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s gold on several occasions.<\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Thank you, my friend,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Karak said.\u00c2\u00a0 \u00e2\u20ac\u0153I will not forget this.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u0153You had better not,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Silek said with his usual wry grin.\u00c2\u00a0 \u00e2\u20ac\u0153I expect repayment with interest.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

Karak smiled back, and was about to turn away when he looked back at Silek.\u00c2\u00a0 \u00e2\u20ac\u0153That business back in the silo was bad.\u00c2\u00a0 Really bad.\u00c2\u00a0 Did anyone go there after…after I was there?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

Silek glanced back at his men, then said in a low voice, \u00e2\u20ac\u0153All they found where the bodies of your men.\u00c2\u00a0 Or what was left of them.\u00c2\u00a0 Now I know you would never intentionally allow such a thing to happen to your men, but intentions are irrelevant with the Klahdera.\u00c2\u00a0 You know that.\u00c2\u00a0 Results are what count, and you failed spectacularly.\u00c2\u00a0 Ten Swornmen were killed that night.\u00c2\u00a0 Ten of your<\/em> Swornmen.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u0153You don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t have to remind me,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Karak growled.\u00c2\u00a0 \u00e2\u20ac\u0153I was there.\u00c2\u00a0 I saw it all.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

Karak then calmed himself, and shook his head.\u00c2\u00a0 \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Something bad is going to happen in this city, I can feel it.\u00c2\u00a0 My advice probably doesn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t mean much these days, but you should leave the city for a while, too.\u00c2\u00a0 At least a few weeks.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

Silek laughed.\u00c2\u00a0 \u00e2\u20ac\u0153You\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re not going supernaturalist on me, are you Karak?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Yes,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Karak said, with as deadly serious of a voice as he could manage.\u00c2\u00a0 \u00e2\u20ac\u0153After what I saw two nights ago, yes I am.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

Silek\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s smile melted.\u00c2\u00a0 \u00e2\u20ac\u0153I don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t care what you saw, boy.\u00c2\u00a0 What I care about is that the longer you stay in this city, the more likely you\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ll get a bullet in the back of your head.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d\u00c2\u00a0 Glancing around at the people on the street, Silek said, \u00e2\u20ac\u0153I think we\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ve talked long enough.\u00c2\u00a0 You\u00e2\u20ac\u2122d better go.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

Silek turned without another word, and was immediately surrounded by his Swornmen.\u00c2\u00a0 Karak stood on the sidewalk watching his patron until he rounded a corner.\u00c2\u00a0 He glanced about the street, saw nothing but vagrants, drunks, and those looking for a place to get drunk, then wrapped his raggedy cloaks around him and set off toward the Hallowed Bridge.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Cover by TJ Lomas. I’m posting a chapter from my latest fantasy novel for free every Monday and Friday (click Zervakan above for a synopsis and to start from the beginning). It’s in a “pre-published state,” meaning you might find the occasional spelling\/grammar mistake. If you do, please leave a comment below or email me […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[7,28,14],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-130","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-free-stuff","category-novels","category-zervakan"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/robsteinerauthor.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/130","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/robsteinerauthor.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/robsteinerauthor.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/robsteinerauthor.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/robsteinerauthor.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=130"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/robsteinerauthor.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/130\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/robsteinerauthor.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=130"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/robsteinerauthor.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=130"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/robsteinerauthor.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=130"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}