The Darkslayer: Book 01 - Wrath of the Royals Read Online Free PDF

complaints from below. He made it over the top and crouched by the rim and stared on in wonder of the brigand camp.
    Billip, Mikkel and Chongo gathered at his side. It was laid out similar to the army camps they had served in over the years. Most noticeable was the variety of races that grouped together and the slaves they had acquired to serve them—a cruel and despairing life.
    “This is disgusting,” Mikkel muttered as he began climbing back down the hill.
    The archer grabbed him and said, “You leave they’ll feather you like a chicken.” The big man frowned but stayed his ground in silence.
    Humans, orcs and half-orcs were gathered by fires, armored and as filthy as a pig in the mud. The stench of sewage and rotting flesh filled their nostrils as large flies buzzed in their ears. Venir knew at that moment that they had seen all they needed to see—but they weren’t going anywhere.
    Venir and the rest stood stupefied as she spoke.
    “Make yourself at home.”
    She strode away, her head held high as all the men of the camp stood at attention and saluted her. Jarla the Brigand Queen …..
    The humans were a welcome sight in the midst of the other brash races. It was clear to Venir, however, that their time in the brigand army had worn down their humanity. Many of the men chewed food and grunted like a beast as they tormented the hapless slaves, women and children among him. He wanted to run them through.
    Billip whispered in his ear.
    “Just act like we’re new recruits?”
    He nodded.
    “Man, what have you gotten us into,” Mikkel said.
    Venir wasn’t so sure he knew.
    The suns were setting and they made a small camp near the edge of the plateau. No one or thing approached them as he watched humans abusing humans. The brigand men didn’t seem to care what happened to their own kind at the hands of the gnolls, orcs, or kobold bandits. He saw them make sport of a pair of human boys that wrestled in the slime of sewage. A gnoll, tall and powerful, barked fearsome commands as one child beat the other child senseless into the muck. They wanted to avert their eyes, but could not. Instead, they looked on the yellow eyes of the dog-faced gnoll. It snarled and looked away.
    Two days had passed and the men did all they could do to blend in while staying removed. It was evident that he and his men were not welcome. Their arrival with Jarla had an impact and no one dared approach them, but it was awkward. He watched as Jarla stayed busy controlling her camp like a field general. The decrepit army was an organized shuffle at her beck and call. She said little to him, but ignored his companions like the plague.
    “Vee, we got to go!” Mikkel said for the hundredth time.
    Venir sat, toying in a log with his ancient hunting knife. If he could only get used to the smell it wouldn’t be so bad, that and the chronic griping. He convinced them that he was still figuring things out, so they had to trust him and wait.
    Venir listened to the hundred different ways Mikkel would kill the kobolds. Those small humanoids looked a bit like halflings, with ruddy, snakelike skin, dog-like faces and two tiny horns on their heads.
    Mikkel rambled on through his sneered lips saying, “I’ll shoot them in the back of the head. I’ll bust their little heads. I’ll cut them in the belly. I’ll—”
    “—Why do you hate them so much, man,” the somber scout blurted out.
    The big man paused, crooked his neck and looked up into the starry sky.
    “I don’t know … I just do. You don’t have to have a reason to hate anything you know. Now where was I?”
    Billip rolled away from the campfire as Venir let out a chuckle.
    Venir knew his friends were concerned, but he assured himself he had things under control. He told himself he really wanted to find out what this brigand army was all about, but in truth he was infatuated with Jarla. The powerful warrior woman had captivated him in ways he did not understand. He was uncomfortable with