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.Although more than a decade had passed, he’d never told anyone the identity of the assassin he’d killed.Ironically, it was that victory that had helped bring him to the attention of Prince Amaltar and the emperor.It also had further strengthened his resolve not to reveal the millstone’s existence.As these thoughts were flashing quickly through Tol’s mind, he said, “Well, whatever he is, this ‘job’ suits our needs very well.We’ll need a ship to take us across the gulf to Ergoth.Orlien must have a ship waiting if he’s on such an urgent schedule.One way or another, the ship’ll take us to Ergoth.”Careful to avoid the appearance of haste, Tol’s party finished their meal then ambled outside.The corral Orlien spoke of wasn’t hard to locate in so small a village.By a single barn and pen four wagons were drawn up.Rather than the usual oxen, two sturdy draft horses were hitched to each wagon.Horses were rare and expensive in the hill country, as Orlien himself had noted when he greeted them.If he owned eight of the animals, he was not a poor man.The first two wagons were loaded, their freight covered by thick tarpaulins and secured by crisscrossing ropes.Each of the last pair was framed with wooden hoops supporting a canvas roof that hid their cargoes.Orlien emerged from the barn, followed by a fearsome henchman.Hugely muscled and scarred, the fellow had tufts of curly white hair sticking out all over his enormous body.One eye was gone, the socket covered by a leather patch.He wore furs and rested a dwarven battle-axe on his meaty shoulder.“Greetings, noble friends!” Orlien called, spreading his arms wide.“Time is short.Shall we get underway?”“What are we carrying?” asked Tol with feigned indifference.“Goods I acquired locally: rough gems, medicinal plants and mushrooms, honey of the mountain bees, and other such.My trade.My life.” Orlien smiled again.Miya had moved toward the last pair of wagons.As she reached a hand out to touch one, the axe came off the big man’s shoulder and he took a step in her direction.“Lady, please!” Orlien said, raising his voice, but quelling his henchman with a sidelong glare.“Those contain delicate goods.Things that would be damaged by the sun.”Shrugging, Miya moved away from the covered wagon.The other one-the last in line-suddenly rocked a little, and a muffled thumping was heard.Orlien’s ready smile slid from his face.“That one’s not delicate.That’s Faranu, a notorious mountain bandit,” he explained.“The good people of this village captured him during a raid not ten days past.There’s a price on his head, to be paid by the Marshal of the Southern Hundred in Ergoth.He’s wanted there for murder and a host of other foul crimes.”Surprise changed to understanding.“Well, why didn’t you say so?” Kiya said.“We’ll see he gets there.”“We hate bandits,” agreed Miya, nodding.Tol said, “This Faranu-does he have followers who might try to rescue him?”Orlien looked away for a moment.“Well, yes.”“How many followers?” asked Frez quickly.The half-elf hemmed and hawed but finally replied, “No more than twenty, certainly.Mountain trash.No match for professionals like yourselves.”Miya looked to Tol, a hopeful expression on her face, and he nodded.Fists on hips, she said, “You just raised our pay, friend Orlien.Taking such risks is going to cost you.”He wriggled and resisted like a hooked trout, but Miya was relentless.As shadows lengthened in the street, Orlien finally cracked.“All right!” he said, sweat dripping from his chin.“Two gold pieces each, plus a silver for every bandit you kill.” He glared.“But I won’t pay for wounded ones!”“Done,” said Tol, anxious to get underway.Each wagon had a driver and a hired guard riding on its bench.Orlien’s axe-wielding henchman (whose name was Yull) rode on the wagon that carried the villain Faranu.Orlien walked down the line of horses, doling out single gold coins to each member of Tol’s party.“Yull will pay you the balance when you deliver my goods to the ship’s owner.Good luck, and make haste!”The caravan rolled out of the village just as the sun began to dip beneath the western hills.Tol assigned one of his people to each wagon, giving Kiya the plum task of watching the one containing the captive bandit.He himself rode ahead of the lead wagon.Following the winding trail around the foot of the many hills, they soon lost sight of the village.The sun slowly vanished, painting the undersides of the towering columns of cloud a brilliant pink.Tol set a brisk pace
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