Soron's Quest by Robyn Wideman Page A

this. “It Mariah, she worked as a server at another pub last night to help out a friend. The pub was a little seedy but she had helped out there before. Last night she was grabbed and taken like a working girl, a common whore. The bastards used her, beat her and left her in a heap in the back alley. She is lucky to be alive.
    Soron felt a burning in his chest. Mariah was a sweet girl, flirty yet innocent. That anyone would do her harm was incomprehensible. “Where is she now?” asked Soron.
    “She is in her room. Her friend noticed she was missing last night and went looking for her. When she found her she took her to a doctor then came and got me. The doctor says she will eventually be fine, but she is badly bruised and hasn’t said a word all day.” Howard had tears in his eyes as he spoke. He shared his daughter’s pain.
    “And the ones who did this, have the city constables found them?”
    “The constables know who did it, but can’t touch them,” said Howard bitterly. “The city constables are easily purchased in this city, and the ones who did this come from powerful families. No one that was in the pub will even admit the group was in the pub last evening. My daughter’s friend says they were there, but she is terrified to say anything else. No one will stand in the way of the noble shits. Their fathers buy the constables off and anyone who complains about the lads ends up hurt or out of business. There is nothing to be done.”
    Soron frowned. His anger was turning into a burning rage; this was the kind of injustice that brought Soron to a boil. A calm man, Soron held a deep anger within him. Some said it was from the giant’s blood that coursed through his veins. But regardless of the reason, once Soron got to a certain degree of anger, he would act without hesitation. His dislike for violence thrown aside as the need arose. It was what allowed him to destroy an elite squadron of foot soldiers; it was the same force that gave him the strength to defeat some of the mightiest of foes. Now Soron’s anger was directed at an unknown group of men who used an innocent girl and escaped justice due to the influence of their families.
    “What pub did she work at last night?”
    Howard looked up at Soron. There was something in the northerner’s tone that suggested that to not answer his question was to invite danger. Howard could see a flicker in Soron’s eyes that scared him, Howard didn’t want the northerner getting hurt on their behalf but he was not about to lie to the man again. He simply answered Soron’s question “The Hell Cat.”
    …
    Marin found Soron sitting at a corner table of the Hell Cat. He was nursing a drink while watching the crowd. Marin could see the storm brewing within the great northerner. “May I join you?” he asked.
    Soron looked at his friend and gave him a nod, he was in no mood to smile or be friendly. “Of course.”
    “I was at the Inn looking for you; Howard said I might find you here. I heard what happened to Mariah.” Marin paused, “I don’t suppose I can stop you from doing something stupid?”
    Soron look at Marin, “Define stupid.”
    Marin treaded carefully, Soron was a friend but the man looked ready to explode. “Well, by stupid, I mean anything that gets your head chopped off by the city guard. The constables are a joke, but if you are caught killing those men, without having just-cause the families will insist on the city guard being called in. The city guard is much more formidable than the constables, and not as corrupt. I would have a hard time bribing them to release you.”
    Soron looked away, “so what would you suggest? Let them go free, don’t avenge Mariah?”
    “Nah, just for a moment pay more attention to my words. If the men were caught in the act, or attacked you, then anything you did would be justifiable. You can avenge Mariah, and do all of Venecia a favor while doing it. But you have to do it in the correct way. Those men are vile