CHAPTER 14 - PREPARing foR THE UnExPECTEd

Baron Mournfell grabbed the body of the dead squireand tried to shake him back to life, even though he knew it was too late. “This was Sir Gondrath’s squire. He was incommand at the main outpost up along the river road….Only three miles from here! What do you suppose attackedhim?”Tarn looked down at the boy, examining the slashesacross his chest. He knew what had killed the boy.Gulping down his fear, he answered, “Milord, I believe the

Soul Stealer

did this.”“How can you know?”“These wounds look like what Alec described to us,and what Logan said that the dead orc boy had taken.” He

ran a nger gently down the largest slash. The blood oozed

out in a thin viscous jelly, as if the body had been dead fordays, yet it was warm to the touch. “This certainly isn’t likeanything I’ve ever seen,” Tarn murmured softly.His intellect now overcoming his grief and shock,the Baron said “I would tend to agree with you. We mustsend aid. For now, we must make sure that this body isprepared for burial. Tell the Castellian too….”Tarn cut him off. “Burn it, milord. And quickly!”Lord Mournfell responded with a raised eyebrow.“Burn it? As the pagan orcs do? Why?”“It isn’t

right

, milord. Look at the body. From whatLogan has said, it bares something similar to the taint of….Undeath.” Tarn watched the shudder run down the Baron’s back.“Are you sure? The boy’s family was well connected. I want

to be sure before I burn his body.”He simply nodded, and the Baron gruntedacknowledgment. “Well, I will have my priest bless the body

rst. Surely you can nd no aw in that?” Tarn shrugged.

“Very well, then. I will call out a score of our remainingmounted men-at-arms, Tarn. Fetch your companionsand meet me at the northern gate. You seem to be thecloset thing we have to experts in this creature aroundhere. You have one hour.” With that, the Baron strode off,calling again for his squire to fetch Sir Tonath, and yellingimpatiently for the squire to hurry up. Tarn, momentarilydumbstruck, left the audience chamber, his heart poundingin his chest before he even started to run.* * *Tarn raced down the hill, following the well-

worn path to the city. He realized again how thoroughly

indefensible the city was, especially for a city than hadbeen designed as a border outpost. There were no terrainfeatures apart from the river and watch hill, no places toanchor a defense at all – besides the castle itself. If warcame to this place, the populace could survive within the walls of the keep, but the city would be lost. The river wassimply too long to prevent orcs from crossing at a place of their choosing, and once an army was across, there was no way that men could stop an orc horde short of the castle’s walls.

Certainly

not, at any rate, without Alec’s men.

He skidded to a stop in front of the inn, and sawBear was standing behind the counter polishing a stackof ale steins. Tarn walked up to the counter and asked,“Where are the others?”

“You seem to be in a hurry.”Tarn nodded. “Yes, I am. We’ve been summonedback to the castle. Something has happened with… ourfriend, and the Baron has requested out aid.” Bear’seyebrow rose higher. “I can’t explain right now.”Bear took the hint and nodded to the stairway off to hisleft. “They’re up in their rooms. Can’t you tell me what’sgoing on?” Tarn shook his head. “Not now. I’m sorry I can’texplain. Just trust me that my silence is best for everyone.”Bear shrugged as he pointed toward the stairs. “Youknow the way, Tarn. Whatever’s happening, I’ll take your word. You haven’t steered me wrong…. yet.” Tarn noddedand headed up the stairs.Soon enough, he could see that two of the doors were

ajar. He poked his head into the rst one, and saw Nyla

poring over the scrolls.He whistled softly, and she shot Tarn a dirty look

for a moment before she realized who it was. “Grab your

gear, girl,” he ordered, “and anything you need for yourmagecraft. Meet me downstairs as quick as you can. The

stealer

has been sighted near the city.”Without bothering to shut her door, Tarn quickly went down the hall way to the other open door. He peakedin and was relieved to see the cleric sitting there, obliviousto his surroundings as he also poured over some scroll.“Grab you gear, Logan. The beast has been sighted, andthe Baron has asked us to help his guardsmen since weare, as he put it, ‘The experts on the

stealer

around here.’ ”Logan rolled his eyes, but he grabbed his breastplateand began strapping it on. “Tarn, this scroll is very