Amaranthe bent to pick up a branch that appeared somewhat less damp and muddy than the others. When she stood, a rivulet of raindrops dripped off the top of her hood and spattered her nose. Frogs croaked in the stagnant pond stretching alongside the campsite, their enthusiasm undaunted by the gloomy weather or the green film painting the water’s surface.
Arms laden with damp wood, Amaranthe returned to the fire Basilard had coaxed to life. A canopy of evergreens over the camp provided some protection from the rain. The flames bathed a rusty iron tripod, which supported a pot where beans simmered. Basilard manned a skillet, turning sausages, beans, and onions into something that smelled far more delectable than one would expect.
Maldynado and Books wrestled with poles and a tarp, fashioning a tent beside the lorry. Inside the cab, Akstyr read his book in the fading daylight. Sicarius had disappeared as soon as they arrived “to scout.”
“Boss,” Maldynado said, “how come some of us are working hard and some of us are reading books?”
Amaranthe set down her load of logs and arranged them in a tidy pile while she debated the merit of the complaint. Akstyr did have a predilection for reading his books instead of helping out; in fact, those tomes seemed to get especially interesting when physical labor needed to be done. He was a tricky one to manage, whining and shirking duties when assigned them. Since he bristled at receiving orders, she always felt she had to find creative ways to coerce him. Maybe guilt today?
“Because,” Amaranthe said, “some of you like me more than others and go out of your way to make my day easier.”
“Sicarius isn’t helping,” Akstyr said without looking up.
She opened her mouth to point out Sicarius did his share to make her day easier, but Books spoke first.
“Is he truly someone you want to emulate? Maybe it’s time you grew up and shared group responsibilities without being asked.”
Akstyr glared over his shoulder. “You think you’re my father? I didn’t ask for your advice.”
Books blanched, and Amaranthe grimaced, sure the words made him think of the days when he had been a father and how all that was lost. She was going to have a hard time keeping him in the group if all the interactions with the men were unpleasant ones.
“Can you even understand any of the words in that book?” Maldynado asked. “Or do you just carry it around, pretending to be useful, so you can get out of chores?”
“I understand plenty. I’m learning about healing. Don’t you think that could be useful out here?”
Maldynado staked down a tent corner. “You don’t actually believe you’d be able to do anything in an emergency, do you? Learning magic from a book? Come now, let’s be serious.”
Akstyr scowled. “I can do things.”
“We don’t ever see you do things.”
“Because it’s the empire, Stupid. You get hanged for practicing the Science.”
Amaranthe strode to the lorry and draped her arms across the side of the bed, trying to nonchalantly end the bickering before it escalated. “Looks like Basilard’s preparing a nice dinner, gentlemen. The sooner we have the camp set up and the firewood gathered, the sooner we can eat.”
Amidst grumbling, Books and Maldynado returned to work. Akstyr sighed dramatically and climbed out of the lorry, though he kept the book tucked under his arm.
“Anything interesting in there?” Amaranthe nodded toward the tome.
“What?” He stared at her, as if surprised she had asked. “Oh. Sure. There are some exercises I found. I need someone to practice on though.”
YOU ARE READING
The Emperor's Edge 2: Dark Currents
FantasyIt's been three months since former enforcer Amaranthe Lokdon and the notorious assassin Sicarius thwarted kidnappers and saved the emperor's life. The problem? Nobody knows they were responsible for this good deed. Worse, they're being blamed for t...
