under certain conditions.” Kyra couldn’t resist the challenge, and the opportunity to establish a working relationship with a prince was a very special opportunity, but she was no fool either. If she did this job, it would have to be done right. And that meant bringing in protection. Protection she could actually trust.
“I’m listening.”
“I’m going to have to hire some muscle for this job, and it won’t come cheap. I get coin for that upfront. I will also require triple my normal fee.” The prince was rich, Kyra figured he wouldn’t balk at such a price.
“Done, and done. Actually, I already negotiated a price for you far above what you are asking. Figure this out for the prince and you can easily wipe out your gambling debts and then some. Do you want me to arrange the muscle? I know a few sellswords who might be up to the task.”
Kyra shook her head. “No, the type of men you could hire are not what I need. I need someone that isn’t from Draisha. I need someone who scares the type of men you know.”
“Kyra, no! You can’t be serious. This isn’t protecting a caravan, or rescuing a hostage from bandits. You can’t bring that savage into Draisha,” said Hoggard in protest.
“He may be a savage, but I trust him. Maybe a savage is just what we need to get this job done. Besides, he can be civilized when necessary.”
Hoggard groaned. “Bazur has destroyed the bar in Pera more times than I can count. I am tempted to sell that damn place just so I don’t have to deal with him.”
Kyra laughed. “You old liar. You like having a bar in the badlands. It gives you access to all sorts of shifty characters you can’t find in Draisha. Besides, if you didn’t want your bar destroyed, why did you put a bounty up in your bar for the first man to beat Bazur up?”
“Because that bounty has made me triple the coin from fools going out there to try their hands at beating up the half-orc. Most of the time, the fools just sit around drinking, waiting for the opportunity to fight him, but most never get the opportunity as he visits so rarely. But I spend half my winnings fixing the place after Bazur is done destroying it.”
“My math says you are still making a healthy profit off of him.”
“That is true,” conceded Hoggard. “I would make a lot more, but he barely ever visits Pera, and when he does, he only stays long enough to trade, have a few drinks, and take on whichever challenger is waiting for him. If he’d be more reasonable, I would make a fortune off him.”
Kyra shook her head. Bazur was rough and tough, and enjoyed fighting, but he had a particular code of honor. He wouldn’t become Hoggard’s prize fighter, or for anyone else. He was too independent for that. “You’ll never get him to agree to being your fighter. Just be happy he likes your bar.”
“It’s the honey mead. Orcs drink mead. Orcs and elves love the stuff. Thank goodness the bartender keeps bees. Getting the really good stuff in from Irri is challenging.” Hoggard pulled a purse out of his desk and threw it to Kyra. “The prince wants you to start right away. There is more than enough coin to hire Bazur.”
“Have you taken your cut yet?” asked Kyra as she jiggled the purse. It was heavy with coin.
“No. I’m not taking a cut on this job.”
Kyra raised an eyebrow. That was very unlike Hoggard.
“Don’t give me that look. The prince is going to be king one day, and he will owe me a favor. That is worth far more than ten percent of your earnings.”
Kyra smiled, she could only imagine what kind of crooked deal Hoggard was cooking up that required a favor from a king. “True enough. Arrange a meeting with the prince. I’m going to need more details if I am going to sort this out.”
“Good luck, Kyra. Don’t get yourself killed. And for love of the gods, don’t let Bazur destroy the city.”
4
BADLANDS
BAZUR squinted as he scanned the horizon. The blazing hot sun often played tricks
“I’m listening.”
“I’m going to have to hire some muscle for this job, and it won’t come cheap. I get coin for that upfront. I will also require triple my normal fee.” The prince was rich, Kyra figured he wouldn’t balk at such a price.
“Done, and done. Actually, I already negotiated a price for you far above what you are asking. Figure this out for the prince and you can easily wipe out your gambling debts and then some. Do you want me to arrange the muscle? I know a few sellswords who might be up to the task.”
Kyra shook her head. “No, the type of men you could hire are not what I need. I need someone that isn’t from Draisha. I need someone who scares the type of men you know.”
“Kyra, no! You can’t be serious. This isn’t protecting a caravan, or rescuing a hostage from bandits. You can’t bring that savage into Draisha,” said Hoggard in protest.
“He may be a savage, but I trust him. Maybe a savage is just what we need to get this job done. Besides, he can be civilized when necessary.”
Hoggard groaned. “Bazur has destroyed the bar in Pera more times than I can count. I am tempted to sell that damn place just so I don’t have to deal with him.”
Kyra laughed. “You old liar. You like having a bar in the badlands. It gives you access to all sorts of shifty characters you can’t find in Draisha. Besides, if you didn’t want your bar destroyed, why did you put a bounty up in your bar for the first man to beat Bazur up?”
“Because that bounty has made me triple the coin from fools going out there to try their hands at beating up the half-orc. Most of the time, the fools just sit around drinking, waiting for the opportunity to fight him, but most never get the opportunity as he visits so rarely. But I spend half my winnings fixing the place after Bazur is done destroying it.”
“My math says you are still making a healthy profit off of him.”
“That is true,” conceded Hoggard. “I would make a lot more, but he barely ever visits Pera, and when he does, he only stays long enough to trade, have a few drinks, and take on whichever challenger is waiting for him. If he’d be more reasonable, I would make a fortune off him.”
Kyra shook her head. Bazur was rough and tough, and enjoyed fighting, but he had a particular code of honor. He wouldn’t become Hoggard’s prize fighter, or for anyone else. He was too independent for that. “You’ll never get him to agree to being your fighter. Just be happy he likes your bar.”
“It’s the honey mead. Orcs drink mead. Orcs and elves love the stuff. Thank goodness the bartender keeps bees. Getting the really good stuff in from Irri is challenging.” Hoggard pulled a purse out of his desk and threw it to Kyra. “The prince wants you to start right away. There is more than enough coin to hire Bazur.”
“Have you taken your cut yet?” asked Kyra as she jiggled the purse. It was heavy with coin.
“No. I’m not taking a cut on this job.”
Kyra raised an eyebrow. That was very unlike Hoggard.
“Don’t give me that look. The prince is going to be king one day, and he will owe me a favor. That is worth far more than ten percent of your earnings.”
Kyra smiled, she could only imagine what kind of crooked deal Hoggard was cooking up that required a favor from a king. “True enough. Arrange a meeting with the prince. I’m going to need more details if I am going to sort this out.”
“Good luck, Kyra. Don’t get yourself killed. And for love of the gods, don’t let Bazur destroy the city.”
4
BADLANDS
BAZUR squinted as he scanned the horizon. The blazing hot sun often played tricks
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