Adventurers Wanted, Book 4: Sands of Nezza Read Online Free PDF Page B

being interrupted.”
    Without another word Savage started back toward the trees. Alex followed, unsure if he was making the right decision. Savage seemed to have a lot to say, at least on some subjects, but he hadn’t said anything useful yet.
    Savage led Alex deeper into the hills. He didn’t seem to be following a path, or at least Alex couldn’t see anything that looked like a path as he hurried to keep up. The sun was going down before Savage finally stopped. He looked around quickly and then dropped to his knees and started crawling under a tangled tree. Not sure what Savage was doing or where he was going, Alex followed.
    After a few minutes of crawling, Alex found himself in an open space. The tree he’d crawled under was behind him, and massive stones formed three walls in front of him. Savage was already sitting against the back stone wall, his eyes resting on Alex.
    “So, explain,” said Savage.
    Alex looked around the enclosed space. “An easy spot to get trapped in,” he said to Savage.
    “Not as easy as you might think,” Savage replied. “You’ll notice the stone I’m leaning against, here at the back, is a bit smaller than the others. If a quick escape is needed, we can easily climb over it. So, explain why you are here, and what you need to know.”
    “Right,” said Alex, sitting down and leaning against one of the stones. “I am here because a friend of mine sent for me, asking for my help.”
    “An adventurer friend, no doubt,” said Savage.
    “Yes, he is an adventurer,” Alex answered. “He and a company of adventurers came to Nezza a few weeks ago. They have been taken prisoner and are either in Karmus or on their way there. I’ve come to rescue them.”
    “And get them all out of Nezza, I hope,” Savage said.
    “I don’t know about that,” said Alex. “I don’t know what their quest is. If it is something simple, then perhaps I can help them finish it quickly before we leave Nezza.”
    “Just get them out,” said Savage. “Things have gone from bad to worse here. Better to abandon the adventure and live than to stay here and die.”
    “You might be right,” said Alex. “But until I find them and free them, I need to blend in, if you know what I mean.”
    “Oh, I know what you mean. You’ll need to dirty up a bit if you want to blend in with the people of Nezza,” said Savage.
    “Dirty up?”
    “There are only three kinds of people in this land,” said Savage with a sigh. “Lords, who dress far more richly than you ever could and who never go anywhere without at least a dozen soldiers around them. Then there are the soldiers, who are always in uniform and always in groups of three or four.”
    “And the last group?”
    “Peasants,” said Savage. “The common people, who are all poor and worn out. Your clothes are too new, your boots are too shiny, and you don’t look worn down by years of struggling just to get enough to eat.”
    “I do have some older clothes that I can wear,” Alex said. “And some old boots as well.”
    “Nothing with too much color in it,” said Savage. “Most of the common people here wear gray or brown clothes. Only the lords can afford to wear clothes with bright colors in them.”
    “I understand,” said Alex.
    “Also, keep your head bowed as much as you can,” said Savage. “Remember, peasants are the bottom of the heap here. They don’t ask questions. They don’t stand up to soldiers or look them in the face. Peasants do what they’re told and only speak when spoken to.”
    “Not a pleasant life,” Alex said in a thoughtful tone.
    “No, it’s not,” Savage agreed. “It’s not so bad in some of the kingdoms where the lords aren’t so greedy and hungry for power. I think Karmus is probably the worst place in all of Nezza, and Lazar is the worst lord in this land.”
    “I’ve heard something of Lazar,” said Alex.
    “Nothing good, I’m sure,” said Savage.
    “No, nothing good. I did manage to talk with a few