Krytien way in back by the way he can barely stay on his horse. So if it was a trap, I don’t understand why Melchizan would let them ride unguarded. The real issue is what’s going on with everyone else.”
“What do you mean?”
“Well, they look more uncomfortable than Krytien on those horses, almost like they never rode one before. They’re all pretty small too and don’t carry themselves like a bunch of soldiers.”
Jonrell squinted into the night, thankful for the clear sky. His eyes weren’t nearly as good as Yanasi’s but now he knew what to look for and what she said made sense. He realized what was going on.
“Sir, is everything all right? Do I need to ready the rest of the men?”
“No, everything isn’t all right. But we aren’t in any trouble just yet,” snapped Jonrell. He sighed as Yanasi flinched from his tone and he realized he was taking his anger out on the wrong person. “Good job.”
Even in the dark, he saw the young woman blush. “Thank you, Sir. But I don’t understand what’s wrong.”
He muttered a curse. “Those aren’t soldiers in that train. Those are Melchizan’s slaves.”
Jonrell waited at the bottom of the small rise, watching in silence. With each step the horses took, he saw how awkward the riders were. Cassus came up to Jonrell. Neither said a word.
The commander watched each brown-skinned slave make their way past, noticing not only men, but women and children, tucked away in the covered wagons. Jonrell waited until Krytien neared before speaking. “You two. Come with me.”
The three men rode off and stopped just out of earshot of the others. Jonrell’s eyes went back to the slaves trying to keep control of their animals. His men were in the midst of the chaos, doing their best to manage the situation. The commotion could wake the dead. Jonrell’s face hardened. He spoke, ice lining his voice. “Start explaining.”
The plump mage cleared his throat and started to reply, “Well, you see…”
But Jonrell cut him off, scowling at the two men. “I wasn’t asking you.” He glared at Cassus. “I know this was your idea.”
“Well, you said we could take anyone who was interested in coming with us,” said Cassus.
Jonrell cut in again. “Don’t give me that. These people aren’t soldiers. What were you thinking? They belong to Melchizan and so do the horses and wagons.”
“Well, I figured he still owes us quite a bit on our contract. We could sell the horses and wagons when we make it to port. That should cover most of it.”
“And leave the cavalry even weaker than before? Very compassionate. What about the slaves?” said Jonrell.
Cassus spat, growing agitated. “That’s what I think about Melchizan, his cavalry, and his army. He was going to send the Byzernians to their deaths tomorrow.”
“What do you mean?”
“I overheard him talking to one of his captains. They were planning to have the slaves in front of the infantry. They were going to give them some crude weapons, and use them as human shields. He said it was becoming too costly to keep them alive.”
“And so you thought to take them with us?”
“Seemed like the right thing to do.”
“Maybe. But it definitely wasn’t the smartest. This continent has kept Byzernians as slaves for decades. No one would find fault with Melchizan for doing what he liked with his property.”
“That doesn’t make it right, Jonrell.”
Jonrell shook his head. “He may have overlooked the Hell Patrol and a few deserters leaving, but almost three hundred slaves besides? Not likely.”
“I wasn’t going to leave them to their deaths,” said Cassus.
Jonrell sighed. He looked up into the night sky, speaking to no one in particular. “Why do you keep testing me?” He met Cassus’s eyes. “Then they’re your responsibility. You’re in charge of their organization, their needs, and their final destination because they aren’t coming with us to Cadonia and I won’t have them
“What do you mean?”
“Well, they look more uncomfortable than Krytien on those horses, almost like they never rode one before. They’re all pretty small too and don’t carry themselves like a bunch of soldiers.”
Jonrell squinted into the night, thankful for the clear sky. His eyes weren’t nearly as good as Yanasi’s but now he knew what to look for and what she said made sense. He realized what was going on.
“Sir, is everything all right? Do I need to ready the rest of the men?”
“No, everything isn’t all right. But we aren’t in any trouble just yet,” snapped Jonrell. He sighed as Yanasi flinched from his tone and he realized he was taking his anger out on the wrong person. “Good job.”
Even in the dark, he saw the young woman blush. “Thank you, Sir. But I don’t understand what’s wrong.”
He muttered a curse. “Those aren’t soldiers in that train. Those are Melchizan’s slaves.”
Jonrell waited at the bottom of the small rise, watching in silence. With each step the horses took, he saw how awkward the riders were. Cassus came up to Jonrell. Neither said a word.
The commander watched each brown-skinned slave make their way past, noticing not only men, but women and children, tucked away in the covered wagons. Jonrell waited until Krytien neared before speaking. “You two. Come with me.”
The three men rode off and stopped just out of earshot of the others. Jonrell’s eyes went back to the slaves trying to keep control of their animals. His men were in the midst of the chaos, doing their best to manage the situation. The commotion could wake the dead. Jonrell’s face hardened. He spoke, ice lining his voice. “Start explaining.”
The plump mage cleared his throat and started to reply, “Well, you see…”
But Jonrell cut him off, scowling at the two men. “I wasn’t asking you.” He glared at Cassus. “I know this was your idea.”
“Well, you said we could take anyone who was interested in coming with us,” said Cassus.
Jonrell cut in again. “Don’t give me that. These people aren’t soldiers. What were you thinking? They belong to Melchizan and so do the horses and wagons.”
“Well, I figured he still owes us quite a bit on our contract. We could sell the horses and wagons when we make it to port. That should cover most of it.”
“And leave the cavalry even weaker than before? Very compassionate. What about the slaves?” said Jonrell.
Cassus spat, growing agitated. “That’s what I think about Melchizan, his cavalry, and his army. He was going to send the Byzernians to their deaths tomorrow.”
“What do you mean?”
“I overheard him talking to one of his captains. They were planning to have the slaves in front of the infantry. They were going to give them some crude weapons, and use them as human shields. He said it was becoming too costly to keep them alive.”
“And so you thought to take them with us?”
“Seemed like the right thing to do.”
“Maybe. But it definitely wasn’t the smartest. This continent has kept Byzernians as slaves for decades. No one would find fault with Melchizan for doing what he liked with his property.”
“That doesn’t make it right, Jonrell.”
Jonrell shook his head. “He may have overlooked the Hell Patrol and a few deserters leaving, but almost three hundred slaves besides? Not likely.”
“I wasn’t going to leave them to their deaths,” said Cassus.
Jonrell sighed. He looked up into the night sky, speaking to no one in particular. “Why do you keep testing me?” He met Cassus’s eyes. “Then they’re your responsibility. You’re in charge of their organization, their needs, and their final destination because they aren’t coming with us to Cadonia and I won’t have them
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