Warden (Book 2: Lure of the Lamia) by Kevin Hardman Read Free Book Online Page A

visited the farmstead, no one had actually tried to grow anything there in ages.
    Upon arrival at the Station, he took the horse to the barn, unsaddled and watered it. He actually liked the big animal, but he was wary of growing too close to it. Like the Pierces’ dogs, horses and other domesticated animals had a tendency not to last very long in the company of Wardens, so it didn’t pay to get too attached to them. Still, that didn’t mean he couldn’t give any horse he rode the very best care and attention when he could.
    After finishing with the horse, he went inside the Station House. It was initially a modest structure that had been expanded over the years until it included not only the Warden’s office, but also his living quarters and a few other areas.
    Errol went directly to the pantry, where the day’s meal should have been placed if no one were around to receive it. Inside, he found what he was looking for: a basket of recently-cooked food, which contained freshly baked bread, and a plate of grilled meat and vegetables – items obviously meant for dinner. In addition, there was a small wheel of cheese, cooked sausages, and eggs. These, he assumed, were for his breakfast.
    This, in Errol’s opinion, was the single redeeming aspect of being a Warden: the food. The people of their wards cooked the food and provided the meals for the Wardens. Thus, every evening, someone would arrive with dinner, as well as breakfast for the next day. If no one were around, the person would leave the food in the Station House pantry, taking the pots, pans, and any leftovers from the previous day with them when they left.
    As to lunch, Tom had always required that a certain amount of dry goods and non-perishables be delivered. Those were the items that would serve as the midday meal when Errol and Tom (now Errol alone) made their daily rounds. In addition, as long as he received a heads-up regarding the fact, Tom – like the prior Wardens in their region before him – didn’t even require the meal to be cooked, citing the fact that Wardens really needed to know how to cook for themselves.
    These were all things that Errol had continued in his brother’s absence. Things he contemplated as he ate the meal that had been delivered. When dinner was finished, he stood for a moment, wearily looking out the Station House’s main window at the aviary. Typically, he checked the ravens every night before he went to bed, as Tom had taught him. There was no telling when a bird would arrive with an emergency message, and Errol tried to be as responsive as possible. Tonight, though, he was just too tired. Regardless of any potential situation, he had endured too much recently and was simply in no condition to deal with anything that required him to do more than hold a pillow down on a set of boxsprings with his head. With that thought, he went to bed.
     
    *****
     
    Errol slept soundly for what felt like the first time in weeks. He awoke refreshed, but still felt tempted to sleep in. Duty and training, however, forced him to rise.
    His typical routine usually consisted of exercising, weapons training, breakfast, and studying. Also, Wardens kept a daily log which he had neglected to bring on his trip with him, so he now had to play catch-up in terms of stating everything that had occurred since he’d left. He’d also have to cross-reference everything by writing it for a second time in the reference manuals. It was one of the many chores that he had hated before, but he certainly appreciated its value now that he was the person in charge, albeit (hopefully) temporarily. He also had to check the ravens to see if any emergencies had arisen in his absence.
    Bearing all that in mind, Errol went through his normal schedule but added one extra item on this particular day: he had a long, leisurely bath after studying. By his estimation, he had close to a week’s worth of grime on him (along with blood, gore, and other repellent substances).