The Emerald Storm (The Riyria Revelations #4)

The warlord laughed. “Oh, Galenti, you voud do dis for you I dink, not for Erandabon. But Erandabon does not know vere ’e ez.”


“Do you expect him to visit again?” Hadrian pressed.

“No, dere be no need. Erandabon vill not be ’ere long. Dis place ez old. Et ez not good.” He rolled a fallen block of granite from the balcony. “Erandabon and ’is ants vill go to dee great fortress vere even dee Old Ones cannot reach us. Erandabon vill vatch dee return of dee gods and dee burning of dee vorld. You could ’ave a seat beside Erandabon. You could lead dee ants.”

Hadrian shook his head. “Drumindor will be destroyed. There will be no fortress f you and your ants. If you release me and my friends we can stop this from happening.”

Erandabon roared a great laugh. “Galenti, you make big joke. You dink Erandabon is dumb like dee ants? Vie do you try to tell me such lies? You vill say anything to leave ’ere vis your dog friends.”

He finished off the leg by ripping the meat from the bone and chewed it with an open mouth, spitting out bits of gristle.

“Galenti, you offer Erandabon so much ’elp. You must see ’ow great Erandabon ez and vish to please me. Erandabon likes dis. I know of someting you can do to please Erandabon.”

“What is that?”

“Dere is a Ghazel chieftain, called Uzla Bar.” He spat on the ground. “’E defies Erandabon. ’As even challenged Erandabon for control of dee ants. Now vis no food for dee Many ’e be big problem for Erandabon. Uzla Bar attacks caravans from Avryn stealing dee veapons and the Many’s food to veaken Erandabon in dee eyes of dee ants. Uzla Bar challenge Erandabon to fight. But Erandabon ez no fool. Erandabon knows none of ’is varriors can vin against dee speed and strength of dee Ba Ran Ghazel. But den dee stars shine on Erandabon and bring you ’ere.”

“You want me to fight him?”

“Dee challenge ez by Ghazel tradition. Dey are clan, not single fighters. Dey do not fight one to one. For dem single combat ez not known. Dee battle will be five against five in dee arena.”

“Who will I be fighting with? You?”

He shook his head and laughed. “Erandabon does not dirty ’is ’ands so.”

“Your warriors?”

“Vie should Erandabon use Tenkin Varriors. Erandabon need dem to control dee ants. I saw dose dogs dat you lead. Dey fight good. Ven backed in a corner Erandabon saw dee bravery in deir eyes. Dey vill do vell vis you to lead dem. Erandabon knows you ’ave succeeded in dee arena vis lesser men. And if you lose—Erandabon ez same as before.”

“And why would I do this?”

“Did you not offer to ’elp Erandabon, twice already?” he paused. “I can see you like your dogs. But you and dem keel many of my men. For dat you must die. But…if you do dis…Erandabon vill let you live. Do dis, Galenti, dee heavens voud be less bright vis out all etz stars.”

Hadrian pretended to consider the proposal in silence. He waited so long that Erandabon became agitated. It was obvious the warlord had nearly as much riding on this fight as Hadrian did.

“You answer Erandabon now!”

Hadrian remained quiet for a few moments longer and then said, “If we win, I want our immediate release. You will not hold us until the full moon. I want a ship, a small, fast ship, fully provisioned and waiting the moment the battle is won.”

“Done.”

“I also want you to look into finding an elven girl who is called Allie. She may have been brought with the last shipment from Avryn. If she is alive, I want her brought here.”

Erandabon looked doubtful, but nodded.

“I want my companions freed, treated well, and all of our weapons and gear returned to us immediately.”

“I vill ’ave dee dogs you fought vis brought ’ere so you can feast vis dem veen I am gone. Along vis vaat other veapons you might need.”

“And the others?”

“Dey did not keel my men, but I ’ave deal vis dem. I ’old dem until deal ez done. All goes vell—I send dem on deir vey. Deal no good, dey go to dee Ghazel. Do vee have a deal?”

“Yes. I agree.”

“Excellent, Erandabon ez very ’appy. I get to see Galenti fight in my arena once more.” Erandabon clapped twice and warriors appeared on the balcony each reverently carrying one of Hadrian’s three swords. More approached with the rest of their gear. Erandabon took Hadrian’s spadone and lifted it.

“Erandabon ’as ’eard of your famous sword. Et ez an old veapon of dee ancient style.”

“It’s a family heirloom.”

The warlord gave it to Hadrian. “,” the warlord said, picking up Royce’s dagger, “Dis Erandabon ’as never seen dee like. Does it belong to dee small one? Dee one ou fought next to you?”

“Yes.” Hadrian saw the greed in Erandabon’s eyes. “That’s Alverstone. You don’t even want to think of keeping that weapon.”

“You vill not fight if Erandabon does?”

“That too,” Hadrian told him.

“Dat one ez a kaz?”

“Yes, and as you saw he is a good fighter. I need him and his weapon.” Hadrian strapped his swords back on, feeling more like himself again.

“So, dee Tiger of Mandalin vill fight for Erandabon.”

“It looks that way,” Hadrian said then sighed.





***




“So, two sit the battle out?” Royce asked checking over his dagger.

The sun had risen on a gray day. The seven of them ate together on the balcony. The food—leftovers from the warlord—was now suitable for the dogs.

Hadrian nodded. “I was thinking Wesley and Poe ought to be the ones, they’re the youngest—”

“We’ll draw lots,” Wesley declared firmly.

“Wesley, you’ve never fought the Ba Ran Ghazel before. They are extremely dangerous. They’re stronger than men, faster too, and to disarm them you literally have to, well, disarm them.”

“We’ll draw lots,” Wesley repeated, and finding a dead branch snapped seven twigs—two shorter than the others.

“I have to fight, it’s part of the deal,” Hadrian said.

Wesley nodded and tossed one of the long twigs away.

“I’m fighting too,” Royce told him.

“We need to do this fairly,” Wesley protested.

“If Hadrian fights, so do I,” the thief declared.

Hadrian nodded. “So, it will be between you five.”

Wesley hesitated then threw aside another twig and held his fist out. Wyatt pulled the first stick, a long one. Poe drew next and got the first short twig. He showed no emotion and simply stepped back. Grady drew—a long one. Derning drew last receiving the other short stick leaving the last long twig in Wesley’s fist.

“When do we fight?”

“Tomorrow at sunset,” Hadrian explained. “Ghazel prefer to fight in the dark. That gives us the day to plan, practice a few things, and take a quick nap before facing them.”

“I don’t think I can sleep,” Wesley told them.

“Best give it a try anyway.”