The Elf King by Sean McKenzie Read Free Book Online Page B

the other. They
were tired and in dire need for real food. Qenn had stopped several
times to pick roots for them to devour, but they were not the
solution. The woods had thinned out and the air became cooler
still, while the sky overhead was void of any clouds. As the
brothers tied their cloaks a little more snug around their waists,
the scent of burning wood caught their attention.
    Tane stopped them.
“Fire.”
    “ Camp fire,” Qenn
corrected. “It’s not far, either.”
    Even though neither said
it, they were both hoping to run across someone who would eagerly
serve them a hot plate. They proceeded forward once again, keeping
an eye out for a yellow glow.
    They spotted it only
minutes later, rounding a small rise, staring down to a clearing at
the bottom of the hill. Not far off the trail was the fire, glowing
bits of yellow flickering into the sky as two forms moved around
it. Behind them rested a horse, and a wagon-carriage.
    “ Well,” questioned Qenn,
“do we take a look?”
    Tane had a hard time
denying his stomach too. “Be careful. Don’t give out any
information about ourselves. We would just like to share the
fire.”
    Qenn nodded. And anything else they would offer.
    They started down the hill
slowly, not wanting to catch the two men off guard, making enough
noise to alert them of their approach. Before they reached the
valley, they could hear the mumbled voices grunt anew, whispering
an alert, as they watched the two men rise and await them. The
brothers slowed even more once it was known that they were being
watched.
    They were greeted by a ruff
voice well before they reached the fire, before they could make out
who was speaking. “Hold on right there.”
    Tane and Qenn stopped as
they were told, feeling an uneasiness settle between them. “We mean
you no harm.” Tane shot back. “We’re hoping to share your
fire.”
    “ Who are you?” The other
angry voice fired, even less friendly than the first.
    “ We are making our way to
Skadar Port. We carry nothing of value, nor do we have anything to
trade.”
    The two angry voices
collaborated for a moment before the first man spoke again. “Sorry
for the inconvenience, but one can’t be too careful these
days.”
    “ Come over, if you want,”
the other man added, chuckling something under his breath, spitting
something into the grass. “Share what we have.”
    Tane whispered to Qenn,
“Watch them closely. Trust your instincts.”
    He led Qenn over to the
fire where two dingy men held drinking bottles. They were hard
looking men, who either paid no attention to their appearance or
simply gave up trying to maintain it. Each held a gruff beard and
wild hair, with faces that were tan and dirty and casting
unfriendly glares. Tane and Qenn exchanged brief greetings with
them and were offered a place to sit next to the flames. One of the
men handed Qenn a bottle. When he thought no one would notice, he
wiped it off on his cloak and gingerly tipped the bottle up to his
lips. He spit almost instantly; the taste far too strong for what
he desired. He passed the bottle to Tane happily. The men then took
their seats across from their guests.
    “ We thank you.” Tane forced
a smile, not caring for how they were looking at him. “Where are
you two heading?”
    “ Stew?” The shorter man
asked, disregarding Tane altogether. Before he was given an answer,
he was preparing two plates and handing them over to Qenn and
Tane.
    Qenn took his plate
immediately and began eating. “Thank you a hundred times over. I
have not eaten anything since...” He thought better of finishing
his sentence and went to eating.
    The two men huddled close
to each other, whispering beneath the crackling fire. Eye contact
was made with Tane several times, followed by smiles that were not
too friendly. They continued to drink from their bottles, tossing
one and getting another as soon as it was empty, staring through
the flames at the two brothers.
    Tane was uncomfortable.