Taker Of Skulls (Book 5) Read Online Free PDF

runes in the rubble of Khazduroth.” She let the implied question hang in the air.
    “Speaking of dwarf weapons, where did you get the one on your back?”
    “The stonethrower? It belonged to my father. He found it up in Durea. I’ve got few fire-eggs for it. It might prove handy if we run into any goblins.”
    “Let’s hope we don’t.”
    Her lips compressed and she glanced back in the direction of the town. “Yes, let’s.”
    He let the silence hang for a moment then said, “Is Tam your kid?”
    She nodded. “Duncan, his father, died last year. He was killed by goblins on the way out of Khazduroth.”
    “Sorry to hear that. Is your sister going to look after Tam while you’re gone?”
    “Why you interested?” She sounded guilty and her tone was aggressive.
    “Just making conversation.”
    “You always this curious?”
    “I am when my life might depend on someone.”
    “You don’t trust me?”
    “I don’t trust anybody. No offence.”
    “You think I’m going to lead you down the wrong path, like Otto would.”
    “It would be a big mistake if you did.”
    “Don’t worry. I won’t. I want your money. And I confess I am curious about what you are doing… soldier.” She placed an ironic strain on the last word.
    “It does not pay to be too curious,” he said. Another glance behind showed a large party on the road. He counted the numbers. They were just right for Otto’s gang.

Chapter   Five

    THEY MADE CAMP in the shelter of a group of large rocks, up a side track just off the Dwarf Road. Boreas built a fire from lichen and some sticks he had gathered. He did it with the ease of long practise. Clearly he was a man who was used to setting up camps. The mules were all tethered alongside Kormak’s pony.
    Karnea got a pot full of herbs and dried meat and some wine stirring. Smoke smudged her cheeks. The flames reflected in her glasses making it look as if she had eyes of fire. She stirred the mixture with a wooden spoon, clearly enjoying herself. Kormak walked back to the road and looked along it.
    In the moonlight, he could see quite far. In front of him the cliff dropped away, falling scores of feet. He had a clear view of the road below. Beyond the path the mountains were vague bulks in the darkness. They were a long way up and the air was cold. The sweep of the wind was audible. His shadow danced in front of him reacting to the blaze of the fire. He sensed someone coming closer, recognised the tread as belonging to Sasha.
    “Looking for Otto?” she asked.
    “Or anybody else who might come on us in the night.”
    “I took us off the main road and our fire is well hid up here among the rocks.”
    “If he knows these hills as well as you, he’ll know about this place, won’t he?”
    “We’ll hear him coming up the road, and his men can only reach this place one at a time.” Kormak thought about the narrow path they had led the mules up and saw that this was true. “And if you are as good with that blade as you seemed to think you were back in the Axe and Hammer, they won’t get past you.”
    “Only if I am standing there when they come, and I have to sleep some time.”
    “Your friend looks like he can handle a weapon as well.”
    “That he does.”
    “Go back to the fire. I’ll shout if evil Otto and his boys come up the path. It smells like the food will be ready soon, and you need to eat.”
    “So do you?”
    “I’ll eat later. We do the watches in rotation.”
    Kormak shrugged and made his way back to the fire.
    “Interesting conversation?” Boreas asked. His voice was flat and there was no real curiosity in it.
    “We talked about setting up watches. Sasha reckons one man can hold the path.”
    “She’s right, if the people coming up it don’t take a bow or a slingshot to him.”
    “If they can do it on that path in the dark, they’ll be miraculously good shots.”
    “Or fortunate ones. I’ve seen some very good warriors go down to a lucky blow.”
    “It must