I arrived at Baron Turvin's castle gates to find most my friends there also. Apparently they got invitations also. The only person missing was Draco. Who was out of town apparently.
"So," I asked the group, " You think the Baron plans on killing us now?"
"Maybe I plan on killing him now." was Max's reply.
"I don't think so." Shakes said. "Unar has a man on the inside. I am supposed to deliver a message to him. If Turvin was planning to kill us today Unar would have given me a heads up."
I didn't know what the relationship was between Unar and Shakes, but I had the impression Unar would feed Shakes to the wolves a piece at a time if it would further his own goals.
I just shrugged and hailed the gate.
The gate opened to at least a dozen guards.
They promptly disarmed us.
Max growled when they took his axe. Skylar wisely left the sword of Zog behind at his Lodge. Shakes and I knew that if it came to a fight, we would be throwing the heavy blows. As we were being disarmed one of the guards searching Shakes was obviously trying to talk to him but couldn't, Shakes gave me the eye, meaning a distraction would be helpful right about now.
"Hey honey!' I called to the sergeant. A rather large and brutish looking woman. "You didn't get this dagger I have hidden over here."
The Sergeant and several of her guards approached me. Giving Shakes the distraction he needed to slip Unar's man a message.
"Where's this dagger ye have hidden?" asked the burly she guard.
"It's right here. Down the front of my britches." I said to the laughter of the rest of the guards.
The sergeant was not, however, laughing. She grabbed me by my crotch and squeezed, causing me to grimace in pain as tears started to form in my eyes. Then surprisingly she let go with a smile on her face. "That's quite the weapon ye have there pretty boy. I'll let ye hold onto that for now. But I may be needin' to get it from you later, after my shift is over. Hope ye know how to wield it."
"Gulp." I gulped. To all the guards laughter.
"Thanks." said Shakes as we were marched along.
"What are friends for." I said, noticing that my voice was an octave higher.
We were brought before the baron and fed a lavish dinner. Turvin was a gracious host. He was flanked by two very imposing and heavily armed guards. At his feet was the biggest Wolfhound I had ever seen. A very beautiful woman watched from the balconies above. I knew, if it came to a fight, our position was precarious. We would most likely die.
I was not nervous in the least. I had taken measures to make sure I was avenged.
Earlier today I had left a letter with Nob, my brightest of the goblin lackeys. I told him if I did not report in by tomorrow afternoon he was to deliver that letter to Gronk, the Goblin leader. The letter stated simply, "Turvin has the Sword of Zog. We inflicted heavy casualties before we died. Now is the time to strike and retrieve it. Become the king you were meant to be."
If Turvin meant to scare us he failed big time. Not a member of ours at the table was the least bit intimidated. Even disarmed. On the contrary, the Baron was the one who looked nervous. After we had finished our meal Turvin gave us his pitch.
"Let me be frank." he said. "I am not happy with your sudden rise to fame. As of this moment you are all working for me. You may continue your forays into the dungeons below Thornkeep, but you will take one of my men, and he will report back to me everything that happens. You do not have a choice in this matter."
"It is very dangerous down there." said Shakes. "Your man will probably die."
"He will be able to handle himself. And if he dies I will find another."
We discussed this briefly and agreed to the Baron's terms. He promptly dismissed us and told us to send word when we were ready to make another trip to the Accursed Halls.
As we were leaving I took note of Turvin's boot size. I have been doing this with everyone I met since the werewolf incident nearly a month ago. I had 46 matches to date.
The Baron's was 47.
As the gate closed behind us I asked Skylar how long the werewolf attacks have been going on for?
"About two years." he said.
Two years. The same duration as the current Baron's reign. Of the 47 matches I had of the werewolf tracks, 46 had an alibi. I had a new number one suspect.
As I lay down to sleep, I think I have come up with a a title of a book I intend to write.
"Nitro's Boys verses Baron Werewolf"
I know I will have pleasant dreams tonight.
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