Swords of the Imperium (Dark Fantasy Novel) (The Polaris Chronicles Book 2) by Bryan Choi, E H Carson Read Free Book Online Page B

Mezeta?”
    “No. But she is a grave threat to my people if she’s gone off on her own. We will certainly find her. And if needed, we will kill her.”
    “I forbid it!”
    Aslatiel shrugged. “You’ll forbid nothing.”
    “If anyone kills her,” Lotte said, “it’ll be me. It’s my right , you godrotting Imperial swine! I’ll do whatever it takes. I’ll even join your army!”
    “Really?” Aslatiel let out a snort. “Will you prostrate yourself before the padishah? Accept me as your superior? Follow my orders? Salute my flag? You’ll really debase yourself that much for revenge?”
    “Yes.” Lotte fell to her knees and pressed her forehead on the dirt. “If that’s what I must do to find and kill the bitch!”
    “And me too,” Draco said. “Mezeta’s ruined my life. I aim to ruin hers.” He kowtowed beside Lotte.
    Hadassah, whose face was streaked with tears and grime, grumbled something unintelligible and did the same.
    “I just want my bullets, so count me in,” Karma said. He took his hat off and bowed with a flourish.
    “Forgive me, but I highly doubt your sincerity. Fare thee well.” Aslatiel tugged at his reins.
    Taki’s hand shot out and grasped the ankle of Aslatiel’s calfskin boot. “Sir Aslatiel, I can vouch for them. I beg you to reconsider.” He locked eyes with his new commander. What the hell am I doing?
    “I was under the impression you held them in disdain,” Aslatiel said. “Sending Lucatiel to your room instead of the wench you’d hired was their idea, after all.”
    Taki bit the inside of his cheek. Hard. “Please grant me this boon, Oberleutnant.”
    Aslatiel chuckled. “Fine, but I’ve only brought one extra mount. They’ll have to walk.”
    “So be it,” Taki said, and grinned.

3
    Taki was farther from home than he’d ever been. For the last season, he’d evaded death from storms aboard an Imperial carrack, ridden a rusty iron serpent through the sands of a shifting desert, and itched sand from every possible orifice on the human body. Whatever beauty the Imperium’s enormous territories possessed had been overwhelmed by the sheer horror of travel, and there was yet more to come. They headed relentlessly east for a destination deep within the heartland, a place Aslatiel called “Xizhang” but refused to divulge more about.
    For the last month, Taki had been tasked with guard duty on an Imperial caravan. With twenty heavy wagons overloaded with supplies, this stretch was the slowest and most monotonous part of the journey thus far. He rode with the crates and barrels, squeezing in wherever he could and sleeping next to the wagons when they made camp for the evenings. He caught himself ofttimes wishing for an encounter with bandits, as there was often nothing to do but watch the sun’s slow arc through the sky while inhaling the stench of horses and dust.
    At first, Taki had feared that his former squad would cause no end of ruckus once Aslatiel had announced they’d be traveling to the opposite end of the world. But to his surprise, Lotte and the others simply assented and had even made themselves useful. A shadow seemed to have sapped everyone’s usual truculence, and Taki could not remember a time when he’d exchanged fewer words with any of them. He spent most of his time chatting with Aslatiel, whose time seemed more and more dear with the passing days. The other Alfa were polite but seemed to avoid him.
    A day from the Xizhang border, rain turned the road to mud, forcing them to camp early. Hunting was out of the question, so the day’s most filling meal was dried jerky and tea under a hastily erected tarp. Silence and boredom loomed, and the moistness and heat of the air threatened everyone’s groins with ulcers.
    Taki could take it no more. “Sir Aslatiel, may I impose for a word?”
    “Yes, Fahnrich?”
    Taki’s rank still sounded grating and unpleasant to his ears. “Will you finally tell me what we’re meant to do in this land of