The Soul Forge by Andrew Lashway Read Free Book Online Page A

Nightmares
     
    Under the cover of nightfall, Thomas moved as quietly as he was able towards the concrete walls that blocked off the castle. Bathed and given a new set of clothes, he would have been grateful save for the blackmail he was operating under.
    Though to be fair, his role in the theft was rather simple.
    “Help!” Thomas shouted as he approached the castle gate. The two guards stationed there turned to him, one drawing his sword just in case. Thomas limped forward, holding his leg to sell the deception. The guards moved towards him, and he collapsed to the cold stone street.
    “What’s happened to you?”
    “I was…” Thomas coughed, inventing a stomach injury, “attacked by two thugs. They were twins, I think…”
    “The Trask twins?” one of the guards said as he helped Thomas to his feet. Thomas reached out and grabbed hold of the other guard a s well, ostensibly using him for support.
    In reality, the aforementioned twins used the opportunity to sneak past the guards and into the guard shack. Thomas didn’t look at them, letting the guards either help him or leave him there. He had fulfilled his purpose.
    The sound of commotion reached his ears, and Thomas almost swore. Looking towards the source, he heard several shouts and then an alarm rang out.
    “Stay with him!” one of the guards yelled, running for the raised portcullis that usually guarded the entrance. The other guard put his arm around Thomas, helping the former stable boy stand. Then there was a scream of pain and fear, and the guard immediately set Thomas down to lend aid.
    That guard disappeared into the darkness, leaving Thomas alone on the cold stone. He lay there, his pretend injuries forgotten, when he heard a whisper he would have very much liked to ignore.
    “Thomas, something’s gone wrong! Get in there!”
    He turned to see the woman hiding in the shadows, motioning him to get moving. Thomas looked at the darkness of the castle courtyard, and hesitated. If something was in there that neither the twins nor the guards could handle, the odds weren’t in his favor.
    But Lucille was on the line, and so Thomas picked himself up off of the floor and ran into the unwelcome dark.
    The moment he crossed the threshold, the sounds of battle reached his ears. He immediately hid behind a bush as he tried to determine what was going on.
    He could barely make out the twins, engaged in battle with black-cloaked intruders. Sword met sword in a clash of sparks as the combatants circled each other. The twins stood back to back, guarding each other’s flank as their dueling partners tried to breach their defenses. Thomas was lost in the back and forth of the battle as steel clashed.
    The bush rustled beside Thomas, almost making him jump out of his skin. A moment later, he was joined by the woman, looking very disheveled.
    “Okay, change of plan,” she said in his ear.
    “What’s goin’ on here?” Thomas asked, gesturing to the battle.
    “No idea. No idea who these men are. But the twins should be able to handle them. Unfortunately, there goes the element of surprise. So we’re – you and I – are going to have to sneak in and steal the staff.”
    “No way,” Thomas said, “I did my part. I distracted the guards.”
    “Yes, you did. But this is so much more important now. Don’t you see? If other people are trying to steal the staff…”
    “We’ve got no proof that’s why they’re here. They could be here for a hundred different reasons.”
    The woman nodded, but her face split into a smile. “Would any of those reasons let you sleep soundly tonight?”
    Thomas had no answer, mulling over the options. They could be thieves after the same prize, or they could be assassins looking to end the King’s rule. Any way he thought about it, he couldn’t believe the black-garbed attackers were there for any saintly purpose.
    Then again, neither was he. But when it all came down to it, the woman was right, and he had a job to