The Hungering Flame by Andrew Hunter Read Free Book Online Page B

thing. He was not quite ready to give up the hood.
    He closed both of his hands around hers and gently squeezed.
    “ I wish things had been... normal, ” he said.
    Marla laughed. “ There’s nothing normal about either one of us, Garrett! ”
    “ I mean, I wish things could have been... easier ... better. ”
    “ Then it wouldn’t mean as much, ” she said.
    “ Yeah, I guess you’re right, ” he said, “ If I had to go through all this... even the really bad stuff... it was worth it to meet you. ”
    Marla’s eyes tightened, and she suddenly looked as though she might cry. She leaned forward and hugged him tightly.
    “ Be careful!’ she said, her voice breaking.
    Garrett closed his eyes and held her, giving his warmth to her. “ You too. ”
    ****
    Garrett found Prince Cabre, Warren, and a small group of ghouls near the entrance of the temple. The prince tended to his horse. A Chadiri saddle straddled Inglefras’s broad back, cinched around his middle with at least two different leather straps. The prince himself wore a Chadiri longsword on his hip and a green Templar’s tabard, turned inside out to conceal the sigil of Mauravant on its breast.
    Warren stood beside Hauskr, turning his shoulder to the big wolf who was trying to sniff at the bundle in the ghoul’s arms. Warren’s father was busily stuffing travel tarts into the bag.
    “ No runnin’ around in the broad daylight, boy! ” Warren’s father said, “ The dragon’ll snatch you up like a dimwitted mouse. ”
    “ Hi, Mr. Bargas, ” Garrett said as he got within speaking distance.
    The patchy haired ghoul grinned as he turned to face Garrett. A ragged, half-healed wound ran across his face from ear to jaw, his left eye swollen shut.
    “ Evening, boy! ” Bargas answered.
    “ Are you all right? ” Garrett asked.
    “ Hmn? Oh this? ” he said, lifting a dirty claw to his face, “ Just a scratch. The redjack that did it got away... short an arm. I reckon I’ll catch up with the rest of ‘im eventually ”
    “ I’m sorry I didn’t get a chance to talk to you , ” Garrett said.
    “ Never you mind. Ghouls keep odd hours, boy, ” Bargas said. He glanced at Warren and frowned, “ I can’t say I’m happy you two came out lookin’ for us, but I’m glad you made it. ”
    The sibling ghouls Diggs and Scupp slowly circled the prince’s horse, fascinated. Inglefras snorted, tossing his head to keep his eyes on the two carrion eaters. Cabre smiled nervously and patted Inglefras’s neck soothingly.
    “ I didn’ know they got that big! ” Scupp, the sister of the pair, said
    “ Do they come any bigger? ” Diggs asked.
    “ Ah... not really, ” Cabre answered.
    Inglefras nickered, shying back from Scupp’s paw as the ghoul reached out to touch his flank.
    “ Perhaps you’d better not touch him right now, ” Cabre said, “ He’s not accustomed to... strangers. ”
    “ Oh, ” Scupp sighed.
    “ You two get yer tools and get ready to head out, ” Bargas said, “ We got some more sappin’ to do. ”
    Scupp a nd Diggs jumped to attention. “ Bye Warren! ” they said, and then loped away toward the center of the dome.
    “ You’re doing what? ” Warren asked.
    “ Sappin’, ” Bargas said, “ We’re diggin’ out underneath the roads that the redjacks bring their wagons on. Then somethin’ heavy comes across, an’ BAM! Down they go. ”
    Warren looked disappointed. “ Well, save some of ‘em for me, ” he said.
    Warren’s father chuckled. “ Don’t worry, son, they never stop comin’. ”
    “ Thank you for loaning us your boy, Bargas, ” Cenick called out as he appro ached in the company of Max and Marla with the dire wolf Ghausse following close behind her.
    “ I’m just sorry you couldn’t find a dirtier job for him! ” Bargas laughed.
    Cenick grinned, but Max beside him looked every inch a vengeful ghost. Max wore his black armor sans the helm. His grim expression and dark shadows beneath his eyes gave him