The Shadow Realm (The Age of Dawn Book 4) Read Online Free PDF Page A

suppose we’ll just move along then. Just tryin’ to survive in this fucking wasteland.”
    “Thank you, we’ll get you some new robes,” Nyset offered.
    “I don’t want your pities. Can I get myself dressed now?”
    Juzo gave a quick nod. “Seems like a fine idea.”
    The bearded man came out, stumbling like he’d just taken a fierce blow to the head. He was buttoning the foulest piece of clothing Nyset had ever seen. It was stained with urine around his crotch and belly, and matted with shit on his backside. “We’ll leave the tent, not that nice a one anyway,” he chuckled in good spirits.
    “You would leave such a treasured item?” Juzo chuckled.
    Nyset had to fight the urge to laugh and elbowed him in the shoulder. “Stop,” she hissed at Juzo. When was the last time her lips had formed a smile? Too long.
    The white beard stood staring at the tent. “Don’t suppose you have any beer or—”
    “Water?” Nyset slid a full skin from her shoulder, held it in her hand for him to take. They were harmless, just trying to survive, like her.
    “Beer?”
    “No,” she said flatly.
    “Get moving,” Juzo growled. The beggars skittered away like drink was just on the horizon, ignoring Nyset’s offerings.
    “No one was really going to hurt them, right?” Nyset asked, watching the beggars make their way back towards the city’s gates.
    Grimbald stuck his finger into an eye of the skull pommel. “Of course not.”
    “Good. We don’t need any unnecessary bloodshed.”
    Juzo grunted.
    Grimbald eyed the undulating earth “After we clear out the tent, we’ll have to get rid of all the shrubs.”
    Nyset dismounted, squatted down and dug her hands into the mix of clay and dirt, letting it sift between her fingers. “I truly appreciate your help. I don’t know what I would do without you two.”
    “Of course, Ny,” said Grimbald.
    Juzo nodded at her and forced a smile.
    “I think the Tower has a vault here. I might be able to get some marks to pay you—”
    “It’s nothing. Just glad to be here.” Grimbald swatted at a buzzing fly.
    Nyset bit her cracked lip. “I have to warn you, being so close to the Arch Wizard will make you both a target.”
    Juzo let out a hearty laugh with a touch of mania in his voice. “I think it’s a little too late for that. Besides, life would be a bore any other way.”
    “I don’t need marks. Friends is the one thing I‘ve always been short on.” Grimbald frowned down at his wide-toed boots.
    “You now have friends of the most esteemed class,” Juzo said, giving the back of Grim’s neck a squeeze.
    “Oh, that feels good,” Grimbald crooned. “You don’t have to stop, really.”
    Juzo slapped him on the back before striding off to the tent and started dismantling it.
    “Uh, the horror.” Juzo groaned, covering his nose.
    Grimbald extracted another vagrant from inside the tent, male or female Nyset couldn’t say. The beggar dragged a filthy sack of belongings behind as Grimbald shooed him along.
    “I need to go into the city and meet with Vesla now,” Nyset said, deftly mounting the midnight gelding. The horse’s nostrils were already lathered by the mid-day heat. “Do you need anything from me?”
    “Some—” Grimbald lowered his voice, watching the vagrant dragging his trash. “Some elixir ale would be nice.”
    “I’ll send cheese and nuts with your men, if I catch them in time.”
    Grimbald grinned at her and made an exaggerated slurping sound, tongue tracing his lips. “Might as well get to it then.” He strode around to a black leather pack on the Blood Donkey and retrieved the measuring string he purchased at the market earlier today. He tossed one end to Juzo and they started taking measurements of the stone block supporting the ruined house.
    She turned on her gelding and left for Helm’s Reach. The city was all concentric rings, each ring containing a different class of citizens. It looked like a strange pastry at this distance.
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