The Warrior Returns - Anteros 04 by Allan Cole Read Free Book Online Page B

warriors. In my expedition against the Archon, I'd seen the need for such a thing. Most sailors must engage in combat from time to time. But their seamanship is valued over their fighting ability. Anyone who has been in even the mildest storm at sea would never quarrel with the wisdom of this practice.
    It seemed to me both things could be achieved, and at a high level of skill if the scale were kept small. And it seemed to be the perfect solution for a commercial enterprise such as ours. My brother had always maintained a crack security force composed of former soldiers or members of elite units. With Amalric's approval, I'd launched the plan and combed near and far for the best people.
    I'd promised hard training, high wages, and a clean life that might very well be short. To that end I'd established a handsome fund for those who were maimed or became too old, or died and left family behind. I'd been deluged with volunteers, so I had my pick. To my delight, many were women, although I'd had to be especially careful not to impede the rebuilding of the Maranon Guard, which had been decimated in the war against Lycanth.
    All the volunteers were trained as sailors by my brother's most worthy captains and as soldiers by myself. Later I became so busy, I'd been forced to turn this duty over to a retired Guardswoman, a steely-muscled sergeant with a game leg and an educated nose for laggards. Some got even more specialized training, such as handling caravan animals and desert fighting.
    When I left on the mission, most of these men and women were engaged in other Antero affairs. I didn't have a great variety of people to choose from. But I was well-satisfied with the men who volunteered, and my only regret was there were no women available.
    Among my men was a set of twins, Talu and Talay. They were blond, handsome lads so identical in looks, manner, and speech, it was useless to attempt to tell them apart. Therefore we called them both Talutalay. Or Talut for short. They'd trained for an elite Guards force, but in the army's age-old, small-minded manner, they were refused permission to serve together. They left when their first term ended, and I'd snapped them up before they'd reached the first tavern to drink away their woes.
    Another member of the crew worth mentioning was the cook. He was exceedingly tall and remained thin as a spar no matter how much or richly he ate or drank. He had a long neck and a small head, and was bald of pate and chin. He had a nervous habit of licking his lips, a quick dartlike motion of his tongue. He was a cheery sort, an extraordinary cook, and he could hurl a spear an amazing distance, using his long, lean body like a throwing stick. He was the son of a fishing family who'd caught the adventure bug.
    I forget his name, but that's because we all called him Lizard, which is how he introduced himself and was certainly the animal he most resembled. If you can imagine, that is, a lizard as friendly as an innkeep's pup.
    I hadn't told the men the specifics of our mission before we left, saying only that it was dangerous. Although I'd admitted the pay was triple and the bonuses among the most handsome ever, I'd downplayed that part and emphasized the danger. I didn't want need or greed to color anyone's decision.
    Just before we reached the Pillars of Te-Date I called them all together to explain what'd happened and what our purpose was.
    Carale, the only one who'd been with me on the last expedition, breathed a sigh when I was done.
    "I figgered that's what was up, me lady," he said. His normally dour expression had actually brightened, if you call a storm reduced to mere heavy showers a brightening. "Those poor blighters at the outposts'11 be right glad t' see us. I know I'd be."
    The others nodded in vigorous agreement. A side benefit of the mission, both Amalric and I had agreed, would be to show our employees that the Anteros were behind them no matter how far away from home our business took