Dave Smeds: The Schemes of Dragons

"Going somewhere?" Keron asked.

"How?" the silk trader squeaked, when he could breathe.

"I'm strong," Keron replied.

"It wasn't my doing! They forced me!" Luo whined.

"Who forced you? Give me names!"

"I don't know." Luo managed to roll on his side, lifting one hand in supplication.

Keron walked unsteadily forward and picked up the sword that had broken free of Luo's belt on impact. Clothing soaked with blood, skin an unhealthy pallor, he advanced toward the merchant.

"Listen, Elandri! We can bargain!"

Keron chopped through Luo's neck like an executioner. He wiped the steel off on the fine quarn suit of the deceased.

"The best bargain we've ever struck," Keron muttered. He paused only long enough to search the body. He found the pearls he had given Luo earlier, along with another small sack. It contained only five objects. Four were gems of the highest quality. The fifth was another amath pearl. Had the latter not contained a flaw, it would have been fit for a king. As it was, it was still extremely valuable. Keron had rarely seen a specimen this large.

Shouts came from the inn above. Keron glanced up and saw Ampet silhouetted in a window frame. He heard running feet. His ravaged body threatened to buckle, but he had to find safety, a place to heal. The neck of the beast he had downed was broken, so he seized another from the stables, not stopping to look for a saddle. He knocked an oil lamp into straw fodder on his way out and left Eruth blazing with two kinds of fire.