Forest Kingdom Trilogy 3 - Down Among the Dead Men

been getting slow and sloppy lately.”
    “Right,” said the Dancer. “Over the hill and past it, that’s me.”
    They chuckled quietly together. Behind them, Constance was smiling too, but her eyes were faraway. More than once she’d sensed a presence in the fort, and it was at its strongest in the cellar. And now they were going back there. Constance’s smile widened slightly. She’d never faced a real challenge to her powers before. She’d make MacNeil proud of her yet.

CHAPTER 5
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Dangers Seen and Unseen
    Hammer and Wilde were already sound asleep. The noise of the storm was a long way off, and the small annex was warm and dry and peaceful. Jack leaned back against the rough stone wall and fought back a yawn. He knew it was asking for trouble for all three of them to fall asleep, but it had been a long, hard day, and his eyes were closing in spite of himself. Sleep settled slowly about him like an old familiar blanket. The torch crackled quietly in its wall holder, and the gold and amber light was pleasantly peaceful. Jack stretched slowly, easing his tired muscles. For the first time since he’d entered the border fort he felt comfortable and at peace. If he’d been a little less sleepy he would have found that worrying, but as it was the thought passed briefly through his mind without disturbing him. Hammer murmured something and shifted in his chair, but didn’t waken. Wilde breathed noisily through his mouth. Jack’s eyes closed, and his chin sank forward onto his chest. The three outlaws sank slowly deeper into sleep.
    And dreamed.
    Jonathon Hammer ran through the Forest, sword in hand. His boots thudded loudly on the packed earth of the beaten trail as he forced himself on despite his heaving chest and aching legs. He wasn’t sure how long he’d been running, but he knew he couldn’t keep going much longer. He looked quickly about him, blinking furiously as sweat ran down his forehead and into his eyes. The tall trees stretched away in every direction, blending into a featureless mass of shadow and greenery and dappled light. He stumbled to a halt, gasping for breath, and leaned against a wide tree trunk for support. Being chased by half a dozen guards was bad enough, but having to run in full chain mail was adding insult to injury.
    He considered taking it off and dumping it, but reluctantly decided he didn’t have the time. The guards couldn’t be more than a few minutes behind him, rot their souls. He’d been careful to stick to the narrow and more obscure Forest trails so that they couldn’t come after him on horseback, but even so he hadn’t been able to lose his pursuers. Someone among them must know this part of the Forest as well as he did.
    Hammer shook his head disgustedly and waited impatiently for his breathing to settle. He wiped the sweat from his face with his sleeve, and flexed his aching muscles. He couldn’t afford to stiffen up; a cramp or a stitch at the wrong moment could get him killed. Hammer held his breath and listened carefully. He couldn’t hold it for long in his exhausted state, but as far as he could tell he was safe for the moment. The only sounds he could hear were the normal Forest sounds of wind and bird and animal. Hammer glared about him, and wondered what to do next.
    In the beginning, it had all seemed so simple. The guard Commanders had watched everyone like a hawk during the border patrol, but once that was finished they relaxed a little, and for any man with an eye to the main chance, it was the perfect time to organize a friendly little poker school. Everything had been going fine, until that fat fool Norris had accused him of cheating. Before he knew what he was doing, Hammer had drawn his sword and cut Norris down. After that, he’d had to break and run for it, cursing his own hot temper all the way. He should have waited till he and Norris next had guard duty together, and then stabbed the bastard in the back. Now he’d have to change his name again. Luckily he only called himself Hammer when he was fighting as a mercenary.
    Hammer had always known he had a great destiny ahead of him. He’d always known he was special, set apart from other men. He’d tried pretty much everything in his time, searching for his true vocation, the one that would lead him to greatness, but his only real skill was as a soldier. He’d served as a mercenary, as a man at arms, and finally as a guard. He didn’t care whom he fought for or against, as long