In the Realm of the Wolf by David Gemmell Read Free Book Online Page A

him. He does that here sometimes.”
    “I see it now,” Angel said softly.
    “What do you see?”
    “Isn’t it obvious, Miriel? The killers are gathering: assassins, hunters, stalkers of the night. He cannot kill them all; he knows that. So why is he still here?”
    “You tell me.”
    “He’s like the old stag hunted by wolves. It takes to the highground, knowing it is finished, and then it turns and waits, facing the enemy for one last battle.”
    “But he’s not like that stag. He’s not old! He’s not! And he’s not finished, either.”
    “That’s not how he sees it. Danyal was what he lived for. Perhaps he thinks that in death they will be reunited; I don’t know. What I
do
know—and so does he—is that to stay here means death.”
    “You are wrong,” said Miriel, but her words carried no conviction.

3
     
    F LOATING ON A sea of pain, Ralis knew he was dying; his arms were tied behind him, the skin of his chest was seared and cut, his legs were broken. All his dignity had been stripped from him in the screams of anguish the knives and hot irons had torn from his soul. There was nothing of the man left save one small flickering spark of pride.
    He had told them nothing. Cold water drenched him, easing the pain of the burns, and he opened his one remaining eye. Morak knelt before him, an easy smile on his handsome face.
    “I can free you from this pain, old man,” he said. Ralis said nothing. “What is he to you? A son? A nephew? Why do you suffer this for him? You have walked these mountains for what … fifty, sixty years? He’s here, and you know where he is. We will find him anyway, eventually.”
    “He … will … kill you … all,” whispered Ralis.
    Morak laughed, the others following his lead. Ralis smelled the burning of his flesh moments before the pain seared into his skull. But his throat was hoarse and bleeding from screaming, and he could only utter a short, broken groan.
    And suddenly, wonderfully, the pain passed and Ralis heard a voice calling to him.
    He rose from his bonds and flew toward the voice. “I did not tell them, Father,” he shouted triumphantly. “I did not tell them!”
    “Old fool,” said Morak as he stared at the corpse sagging against the ropes. “Let’s go!”
    “Tough old man,” put in Belash as they left the glade. Morak rounded on the stocky Nadir tribesman.
    “He made us waste half a day, and for what? Had he told us at the start, he would have walked off with ten, maybe twenty gold pieces. Now he’s dead meat for the foxes and the carrion birds. Yes, he was tough. But he was also stupid.”
    Belash’s jet-black eyes stared up into Morak’s face. “He died with honor,” muttered the Nadir. “And great will be his welcome in the Hall of Heroes.”
    Morak’s laughter welled out. “The Hall of Heroes, eh? They must be getting short of men if they need to rely on elderly tinkers. What stories will he tell around the great table? How I sold a knife for twice its worth or how I mended a broken cook pot? I can see there’ll be some merry evenings ahead for all of them.”
    “Most men mock what they can never aspire to,” said Belash, striding on ahead, his hand on his sword hilt.
    The words cut through Morak’s good humor, and his hatred of the little Nadir welled anew. The Ventrian swung to face the nine men who followed him. “Kreeg came to these mountains because he had information that Waylander was here. We’ll split up and quarter the area. In three days we’ll meet at the foot of that peak to the north, where the stream forks. Baris, you go into Kasyra. Ask about Kreeg, who he stayed with, where he drank. Find out where he got his information.”
    “Why me?” asked the tall, sandy-haired young man. “And what happens if you find him while I’m gone? Do I still get a share?”
    “We all get a share,” promised Morak. “If we find him and kill him before you get back, I will see that the gold is held for you in Drenan.