mes; some were two-story, stone houses, others were wooden huts or shacks, and the farther south he went, the smaller and shabbier the homes were,

. Thin, small, puffy clouds blotted the blue sky. Wildflowers of all colors danced in the winds. Before too much longer, the sounds of men joking, hammers smashing stone, and carts rolling over

led out, his voice e

hile gazing at him from beneath hands shading eyes from the sun. They seemed to turn to each other in confusion,

t, " a burly, swa

an envoy from Ruvonia. The Duke of

ed. "A fancy n

r dinners for the night. Please fet

the group. His white tunic was almost sandy brown with dust. The pale brute's hair

l, " he added with a motion of his head to follow over

were out of earshot, and the worker's returned to the

ome to see me, " Dolf sa

s because I'm trying to

tch what little shade there was. For a moment, the two simply scrutinized one another with

Ograk told me you'r

t didn't appear shocked,

ck attacked the town becaus

eeme

nt, and Larson and me by extension, other men will be hired for the same reason." Garrett paused a moment. Dolf nodded slowly, but his stoic expression never waver

, " Dolf agreed. "You did

rett nodded in

eesn't there, " D

ust stared at one another for a time. The bre

he fencer said while looking off toward the horizo

ng dark een the works, and I vas sent to deescover vhat, but…this I cannot divulge. Vhat

ag

me I do n

do keep an ear out

y, " Dolf

cour

u do een

ket off with a friend. It will be safe

? I might come vi

ety if you stayed here…besides, you sai

rett smiled broadly. Butterflies flapped about the men, momentarily