Jalia and the Slavers (Jalia - World of Jalon) by John Booth Read Free Book Online Page A

of my men are missing. I don’t suppose you have seen them?” Marcus asked in a casual manner, though his eyes had the look of an eagle hunting prey.
    “As you said, I’m a stranger to your glorious city and I’m afraid I don’t even know what a Gathering Pool is, let alone know the men who guard it. I’ve noticed a lot of your men at the Hotel, if that is of any help.” Daniel spoke in such innocent tones that Jalia was impressed. She made a mental note to remember he could lie like that, it could explain a few things that had been bothering her.
    “For a trader you’ve made no attempt to sell your goods in the city,” Marcus carried on relentlessly, “I find that unusual.”
    “Yesterday, I was too tired from the journey to do any trading. Today, I was given instruction to attend this ball. Obtaining and putting on this silly frock…” Daniel waved at his finery, “has taken me all of the day. Perhaps I could interest you in some fine southern spices, since you bring the matter up?”
    “I’m not interested in your goods,” Marcus said and walked away, his guards followed him closely, looking around suspiciously.
    “I think he suspects us of being troublemakers,” Jalia said quietly into Daniel’s ear.
    “Yes, he struck me as a man of dangerously accurate discernment too.”
    At that moment the orchestra sprang into life and people started to drift towards the dance floor. Karn started dancing with his eldest daughter and Sam with Jema, leaving Ralta looking annoyed at the edge of the floor. Daniel found he was being dragged towards the dance floor by Jalia.
    “If I have to wear this dress, I’m damned if I’m not dancing,” she told Daniel as he tried to resist. Knowing that there are times a man has no choice but to accept defeat gracefully, Daniel gave up his resistance and held Jalia’s hand as they walked to the floor and began to dance.
    Daniel knew how to dance. There were occasions at fairs when he had danced before so he had a pretty clear idea of what was expected of him. Jalia, on the other hand, was a superb dancer and was good enough to adjust to Daniel’s movement to make him look excellent. Within a minute or two the other dancers stood aside to watch them. Daniel was too busy to notice as he watched his feet and listened to the beat of the music, but Jalia noticed and put on a show for the assembled crowd.
    Jalia had danced at the Royal Court of Bagdor with Princes, back when her father was the richest trader in that city and she attended the royal school. She was taught by the best and Jalia had a natural grace. Dancing and swordplay are similar skills and she excelled at both.
    The music stopped and Daniel bowed to Jalia and she curtseyed back to him. The other dancers cheered and clapped in appreciation. The cheering died as two of Marcus’s men walked across the dance floor and one grabbed Jalia by the arm.
    “The next dance is mine, I think,” the man said in a sneering tone. “I get to sample all the new girls in town.”
    Jalia pulled away from him causing him to drop his mask. She might have gone along with the idea of dancing with him before she saw who he was, but without his mask she recognized him as Burn, the man that raped Patrus’s daughter with his partner Kale.
    Daniel recognized a set up when he saw one. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Marcus nodding in satisfaction. He stepped back to give himself room to fight and felt the sharp point of a crossbow bolt in his back. A guard had moved behind him.
    “Back off or die.” Daniel had no choice but to walk back to the edge of the dance floor taking him away from Jalia and the two guards. Daniel knew he would be dead if he twitched suspiciously and did as he was told.
    Jalia knew that if the first man was Burn the other was probably Kale. She saw Daniel walking back with his arms slightly raised and knew she was going to be on her own. She could still get out of it if she kept calm and danced with this scum.