For the rest of the trip to Stronburg the night watches were doubled and the fires built even higher. Whenever there was an unexplained noise in the night the other porters looked to me. Fortunately there were no further incidents, but the one was more than enough to solidify my reputation.

When the forest finally thinned out and the full light of day returned, the relief was palpable. Our steps lightened and silent tongues were loosened, a few happy chuckles worked their way free as a weight lifted from our shoulders. We came out of the forest onto a long sloped hill leading down into a valley on the first official day of the winter season.

Surrounded by a ring of farmland, the massive walled city of Stronburg sat in the center of the valley. A long line of people waited to be allowed entrance to the capitol. Farmers, merchants, fishermen, and tinkers mingled and gossiped while they waited; all of whom had wagons full of their various wares to sell in the great markets of Stronburg. Each wagon had to be searched and cleared by the city guard before it could enter the gates. It would take hours to get into the city that way.

Fortunately for us, official mining caravans had their own entrance to the city, paid for and maintained by the mining companies themselves. The guards here greeted Lisa warmly and after a cursory inspection of the wagons we were through the gates. The caravan guards, having delivered us safely to the city, took their leave and went to inform their superiors of the guards who had lost their lives on this run.

Solomon approached me before he followed his men, his hands resting on the two scabbard sheathed swords on his hips.

“You impressed me with your skills out there,” he said.

“Thanks,” I murmured, knowing what he would ask next.

“Matthew mentioned that you wanted to avoid a job that involved combat so I won’t pressure you but I will say that you would be a welcome addition to my company if you were to join us. No need to give me an answer now, find us in the mercenary quarter should you like.” He stuck out a hand and I shook it. “Good luck,” he offered over his shoulder as he left.

I climbed up onto a wagon as the caravan clattered into motion down the cobbled streets among the tall stone buildings; I was in awe. Stronburg was even more amazing and intimidating than Father Aaran had warned me it would be. Everywhere I looked there was motion, a mass of people traversed the streets in either direction, flowing around carriages and wagons. Being the capitol, Stronburg was host to the cutting edge of technology; a horseless carriage puttered by, belching steam into the air; along the riverfront giant wooden cranes unloaded cargo from ships; floating over the the docks was an enormous airship, one of the first to exist James informed me.

The porter who sat next to me in the wagon nudged me in the ribs and I noticed we had stopped moving. The caravan had pulled into a gated, stone-paved yard behind a warehouse. The porters went to work immediately untying securing ropes and lifting crates out of wagon beds. I followed James’ instructions and brought over a large red wheelbarrow that was quickly loaded up and I hauled ore into the building for a solid hour.

Ms. Kershaw doled out the silver once the wagons were emptied, I got a bit extra and a quick hug for ’helping ensure the safety of the caravan’. James invited me to a celebratory lunch with the rest of the crew but I politely declined. I wanted to get started on finding my new job quickly, he nodded and shook my hand, directing me to the lumber quarter.

* * *

After leaving my third failed interview for a lumber gig (turned out that a lot of folks could chop wood better’n I could) I heard my name being shouted.

“Drake!” Mycah was jogging towards me, waving his arms like I couldn’t see him. I slowed down so he could catch up to me, he was sweating and breathing hard, his face was cherry red.

“Hey,” he said, hauling in a deep breath “I been looking for you all over town.”

“What for? I already paid you your cut from the pelts.”

“Well, a friend of mine in the local town guard told me that there was a job opening and I immediately thought of you.”

“I gotta warn you, I already failed out of three interviews just this morning,” I said, grimly. “Which lumber company is it with?”

“Oh it’s nothing to do with lumber,” he said with a grin. A cold wind danced across my skin, was everyone going to offer me a job I didn’t want to take?

“The Regent is putting together an official Hunting Party to rid the realm of the Wolfen menace, when I told my friend about what you did out in the Great Forest he about lost it. Told me he’d give me a large finder’s fee if’n I brought you to him!”

“I’m just a woodcutter...” I began, but he steamed right over me like an iron horse on the rails.

“I ain’t even told you the best part yet,” his grin widening, “The pay is outrageous!”

Sometime between leaving the first logging company and my arrival at the second, my newly filled coin-purse had disappeared from my pocket. It may have been when I was distracted by that comely redheaded woman. The fact that I now had a total of five silver to my name was weighing heavily on me.

“Now look, my pa and I...” I started to say, but the greedy gleam in his eye got to me, “Just how outrageous?”

He looked around like he wanted to be sure no one else was listening to us, leaned in real close and whispered, “One thousand silver a week.”

I’m sure the avarice in my eyes was a match for his upon hearing this.

“No way he’s payin’ that much.”

“I got the papers right here to prove it,” he said, brandishing a folder tied with string.

I snatched the folder out of his hand and went to reading straight away, sure enough, one thousand silver a week and right there below it the Regent’s signature and seal.

“Crannoch’s Beard that’s a pretty penny.”

Now, I could say that I was down on my luck and couldn’t afford not to take the job, but in all honesty, my greed outweighed my conscience right then. I followed the guard to the town hall and signed up immediately.

Next Chapter: Chapter 6