The Hammer of Fire by Tom Liberman Read Free Book Online Page A

to the world. Send an army of our finest
soldiers to join Corancil in the invasion of the southlands, we’ll
become an important nation in the new empire being forged. You have
to convince Dol, Milli. You can do it; you can convince any dwarf
of anything. There are probably less than a dozen girls on the
whole mountain that aren’t dwarves, and you’re by far the
prettiest. This is important, Milli. There is a lot more going on
than I’ve told you about.”
    “Keeping secrets again, Uldex?” said Milli
with a shake of her head and she put her hands on her hips.
    “It’s not like that, Milli,” said Uldex his
voice raising on octave as he held his hands out towards her. “I
don’t know for certain what my uncle has in mind but the Blackirons
have stood behind the Firefists for too long. I don’t know what the
plan is, I don’t know anything that my uncle doesn’t want me to
know, I just hear hints, rumors, things, but the Firefists, they’re
crafty and powerful.”
    “So you are keeping secrets,” said Milli.
    “It’s a feeling, an idea, I don’t know
anything for certain, but Borrumbus, he’s up to something and I
want to be part of it. I want to get in early because whoever comes
out on top is going to be an important person, Milli. I could be
that somebody if there’s a change at the top. You could be there
with me, if you wanted,” he finished and put his hand on her
shoulder. “We could be there together.”
    “You’ll always be a hired thug, Uldex,” said
Milli her face hardening into an expressionless mask. “They can put
you in the finest gold robes and you’ll never be more than
that.”
    Uldex’s face dropped, he closed his mouth and
stared at her for a few long seconds that seemed to take an
eternity. “Well, maybe you’re right, but I’ll help you anyway,
that’s how much of a thug I am. I’ll talk to Uncle Borrombus and
see if they can come up with something for Dol. But you work on him
too, get him hungry for the hammer; you can make men do whatever
you want if you put your mind to it, Milli.”
    Milli nodded her head and started to reach
out with her hand to touch Uldex on the shoulder but then stopped
at the last moment, “I’ll speak with Dol,” she finally said and
then turned back to where Brogus waited with his face still in a
grimace and his hand at the dirk on his hip. “Meet me tomorrow
afternoon by the fountains on the grand deck, maybe we’ll see a
dragon fly by, I’ve heard Corancil is gathering them for the
assault.”
    Uldex nodded and vanished into the shadows
while Milli walked over to her friend with a smile on her face
although her hand twitched nervously at her side.

Chapter
4
    “It’s cramped in here, Cleathelm,” said the
little half-breed goblin to the raw boned dwarf chief apprentice as
they sat knees to chest in a small alcove that overlooked a
darkened room below. The alcove, although old and high up in the
wall was as clean as a newly scrubbed floor and its marble surface
reflected light from the sharp blade in the hand of the goblin
creature. Above them an iron bound painting depicted a snarling
dwarf warrior his axe raised high over his head. The work was of
fine quality, and the frame, filigreed with gold wire and gemstones
spaced at regular intervals, stood out like little stars in the
night.
    “Shut up, Blaggard,” replied the big dwarf
and gave the other fellow a quick elbow in the ribs to drive home
the point. “They’ll be along shortly and we’ll catch them in the
act. Then you get to interrogate them. You’ll like that, it’s your
specialty.”
    The little fellow twisted his dagger so that
it reflected light around the chamber below them and smiled to show
numerous sharp teeth that spoke of a darkling heritage, “I like to
ask questions.”
    “I know you do, that’s why you’re along, my
father will be well pleased when we catch Delius trying to steal
the staff,” said Cleathelm and spun a short throwing axe around