A heavy hand landed on his shoulder as he set up his tent.
“Don’t let it get you down,” Cobb said. “The men need to see their commander with his head held high, confident that he knows what to do.”
“I wish I did know what to do. The attacks seem random, so I can’t predict when one might come and set a trap. Garenland lacks the resources, or at least the willingness, to put a small garrison in each town. I’ll discuss it again with the commander when we get back, but frankly, I’m at my wit’s end.”
“I wouldn’t waste your time trying to get soldiers stationed in the villages.” Cobb dug his pipe out and started packing it. “The reason folks live up here is to get away from authority. Soldiers are only a little less welcome than raiders.”
“That’s madness.”
Cobb shrugged. “Madness to you maybe, but to the people living in this part of the country it’s their preference.”
One of the men had a fire going and had started getting a stew put together. Axel and Cobb ambled over and Cobb used a burning brand to light his pipe. Colten joined them and held his hands out to the flames.
“Pickets in place?” Axel asked.
“Yes, sir,” Colten said. “In place and the rotation set.”
Axel nodded. He wished the bastards would attack the camp. Anything would be better than finding another burned-out village.
Chapter 5
Otto lay in his feather bed and stared up at the ceiling. After four blissful days without sword practice, Sunday had arrived. It was Master Enoch’s day off. Though he would have preferred to study every day, Otto understood that the master needed a bit of rest now and then. Since Otto had little in the way of responsibilities, Sundays were his to do with as he pleased. Especially if he escaped the castle without his father spotting him.
He agitated the ether, causing a ball of light to appear. Once the room became visible, he rolled out of bed, dressed in a soft, brown tunic and leggings, and put on a well-worn pair of shoes. Damned if he was going hiking in those horrid cavalry boots. With the addition of his satchel and dagger he was set.
The hall outside was silent and empty when he stuck his head out. So far so good. He slipped out and tiptoed down the hall. As he passed his brother’s room, he tried not to think about what he’d seen earlier in the week. There was nothing to be done about Griswalda’s unborn daughter, so best not to dwell.
A quick glance over the railing revealed a great hall devoid of hounds and relatives. He sighed. Father and Stephan must have gone on an early morning hunt. Part of him wanted to feel indignant that they hadn’t asked him to join them, but he didn’t have it in him.
Otto had never cared much for hunting. As far as he could tell it was just an excuse for the men to get drunk and ride around. Heaven help any farmer’s daughter out this morning. Stephan’s appetites were well known amongst the country lasses. No doubt more than one Shenk bastard wandered the barony.
When he reached the ground floor he turned toward the kitchen. Otto planned to be gone all day so he’d need lunch. Heat from the spits and ovens washed over him as he stepped into the room. Cook bellowed orders at his assistants, his three chins jiggling. His white shirt sported a splash of blood stains along with a coating of flour. Two girls in faded blue smocks chopped vegetables while a third pulled loaves from the oven.
Cook finally spotted him standing in the doorway and hurried over. “Morning, my lord. Something for breakfast?”
“I’ll grab an apple or two on my way. I need bread, ham, and a skin of ale.”
Cook offered a little bow and bellowed for the girls to fetch his food. While they were gathering it he asked, “Anything else, my lord?”
Otto shook his head. “Did my father go out hunting this morning?”
“He did indeed. I believe the plan was for boar up on Oak Ridge. Will you ride out to join him?”
“No, I’d never catch up.”
One of the girls in blue ran up with a cloth-wrapped bundle and skin, handed them to him, curtsied, and rushed back to her chopping.
“Thanks. I’ll be back for dinner so set me a place.”
“Of course, my lord.” Cook bowed again and returned to his work.
Otto left the kitchen and walked out into the courtyard. Now he knew which way not to go. Oak Ridge was two hours north of the castle, so he’d head south. There was a pond he’d found years ago in a little glen three miles away. That would be a nice place to while away the day and practice his new electricity magic. Maybe he’d zap a fish to go with his lunch.
Fifteen minutes later found him clear of the castle town and on his way. Most of the people had packed into one of the three small temples. The Shenk family had never been overly religious and Otto considered most of it superstitious nonsense. His father ostensibly prayed to Branik, the King of Swords, but the archangel was largely honored on his two holy days and ignored the rest of the time, barring an upcoming battle.
Otto sometimes wondered if the many archangels and demon lords ever grew bored with the self-serving prayers of men. Most people he knew only cared about them when they needed something. For Otto, the wisest path seemed to be to ignore them all and hope they returned the favor.
He’d barely left the outskirts of the village when two blond boys, perhaps ten and twelve, wearing torn trousers and battered tunics of tan wool emerged from the newly harvested corn field at the edge of the road. The panting children spotted him and raced over.
Both took a knee and bowed their heads. “Lord Shenk,” the elder said. “Please, my lord, our sister is missing.”
So much for his morning hike. “On your feet, boys, and start from the beginning.”
The youngsters scrambled up but refused to meet his gaze. “We were playing with our sister near Rock Creek, my lord. We got bored and started up a game of dares. One thing led to another and we dared her to go into the Haunted Forest.”
“It was your dare,” the younger boy said.
“Was not.”
“Was so!”
“Quiet, both of you.” Otto rubbed the bridge of his nose. “So your sister went into the forest and hasn’t come back out. And you two are clearly too frightened to go looking for her.”
They hung their heads. “Yes, Lord Shenk.”
“Very well. Show me where she went in and I’ll see if I can find her. What are your names?”
“I’m Walden,” the older said. “And this is my brother Danen. Our sister’s Jessa. She’s eight.”
“What’s she look like?” Otto followed the boys back across the field.
“Small, blond, red dress,” Walden said over his shoulder.
“She’s always dragging a doll around with her too,” Danen added.
“So basically a girl version of you two.” They stopped twenty feet from the tree line. “The red dress should make her easier to spot.”
“As long as the ghosts didn’t get her.” Danen shivered and hugged himself.
“She went in there, my lord.” Walden pointed to a deer trail a little way to their right. “We’ll wait for you here.”
“Best head on home.” Otto examined the ground for tracks. He wasn’t as good a woodsman as his older brothers, but he’d learned the basics. “Heaven knows how long it will take me to find her.”