Chapter 10 | Part 1

The tavern had three exits. Eldric chose a chair with its back against the wall and moved a sticky cup out of the way of his sword hand. From here he could reach the kitchen door before anyone at the bar stood up.

He had been out of command for nearly a year. The habits refused to leave with the commission.

The ale was weak and cheap, which was what mattered now that his pay had stopped. Dismissed with honors, they had called it. He had asked what the honors paid. Nobody had laughed.

He tried not to count the days.

Three hundred and forty-seven since his dismissal. He could not remember what he had eaten that morning, but the number was waiting whenever he woke.

Varian’s body had been found ninety-three days ago. Garrick’s five days later. He had paid for those drinks too.

Organized, he had told them. The Grukmar raids aren’t random. They’re coordinated. Someone is unifying the tribes.

They had nodded.

Then sent him away.

Varian and Garrick had died afterward.

“Eldric.”

He looked up.

Sera stood beside the table, travel-worn and dusty.

“Sera.” He gestured to the empty chair. “Didn’t expect you this far from Zuraldi.”

“Didn’t expect to be here.” She sat. “I’m looking for Xandor.”

That got his attention.

“He’s in Riverhold. Scholar’s Rest.”

Relief came and went across her face.

“Why?”

Sera hesitated.

Eldric waited.

“Dulint and Balin. Dwarves from Stonehold; an older merchant and his nephew. They came through Zuraldi carrying something.”

“Valuable?”

“I don’t know.” She leaned closer. “But the people following them did.”

Eldric’s eyes moved automatically to the nearest exit.

“When?”

“Four days ago. Maybe five.”

With that much time they could have reached Riverhold. Eldric set his cup down.

“How far behind them were these people?”

“Close enough that I didn’t wait to see what they wanted.”

“I need to see Xandor.”

“Then take me with you.”

They crossed Riverhold through the evening market.

Eldric tracked the crowd without thinking about it: hands hidden beneath cloaks, people holding position instead of moving, carts blocking lines of sight, alleys that narrowed into traps.

Nothing obvious followed them.

That meant little.

At the Scholar’s Rest, Xandor opened the door before Sera knocked twice.

“Eldric.”

“You sent her?”

“No. I was about to send someone else.”

“Why?”

Xandor looked toward the inner room.

“Because Dulint and Balin arrived yesterday.”

Sera closed her eyes briefly. “Alive. Good. I’ll take a room downstairs; I haven’t slept since yesterday.” Xandor directed her to the innkeeper.

“What did they bring?” Eldric asked when she had gone.

“I have spent a day with it and cannot give you a name I trust.”

“Show me.”

Xandor opened the inner door.

End of Chapter 10.1 —> 10.2: The Knot at Riverhold: The Summons