Family of Outcasts, Aaron McLeod [best book club books for discussion txt] 📗

single one of these fucking bastards! Kill them all! Kill them all!” The butcher yelled at the top of his lungs. He slashed at a guard’s head, but the helmet deflected the blade. The guard drew his sword and cut at the butchers arm, then slashed his throat. Blood soaked into the mud as the butcher fell to the ground dead. His wife kneeled down to him, screaming and crying yet again. Andreas’s nodded to the guard and the guard hacked his sword at the woman’s neck repeatedly until her head came off.

            “Listen here. I was proclaimed in the eyes of the Guardian as the lord of this town. I take whatever I want when I want it. You are nothing but bugs beneath my feet. And to show you your place, I will demonstrate what is going to happen. Bring them to them.” Andreas motioned to some guards to carry the dead bodies to the cage that was next to him. As a path was made for them, the cage was revealed to contain two spike dogs that were fighting over a human femur bone. They were chained to the sides of the cage so that they couldn’t get close enough to kill each other. The guards opened the cage and threw the dead bodies into the cage, along with the woman’s head, and the spike dogs began to devour their flesh. Some people in the crowd began to throw up as the sound of tearing flesh and crunching bone resounded from the cage.

            “The person who killed my men must come forward, confess his sins and offer himself to justice. If he does not, then I will feed all of the children, one by one and alive, to my dogs. Everyone is required to see this. The murderer has until dawn tomorrow.” Andreas turned his horse around and began to march his men back to his house. Theodric followed closely as the cage was pushed with the soldiers through the mud. The crowd dispersed in silence. Azoth could make out some weeping coming from some of the women. He quickly turned to return to the inn, only to find his companions and Eric staring at him. He froze in place for a moment, but then continued to walk towards the inn. They let him walk right past them as he quickly placed his sword on a table and sat down, placing his hands over his eyes. Everyone pulled up chairs and sat around the table with him. He looked up and they were all staring at him. Brendwin patted him on the shoulder and stared right into his eyes. Azoth stared back and he felt as if Brendwin was speaking to him. Not in the way he does with his hands or how he grunts. He was communicating with his eyes. That’s when it hit Azoth. Brendwin knew that Azoth knew something. Brendwin nodded slightly and Azoth broke eye contact with him, looking down at his hands.

“There’s something I have to tell all of you.” He said. They all seemed to stiffen up.

“I know what killed those guards. Last night, I heard a strange flapping noise and went outside to investigate. Those seven guards were standing outside, waiting to arrest me. I did kill one of them.” Azoth explained quietly enough so no one would overhear him. Arthur rubbed his face in annoyance. “But they managed to subdue and before they could kill me, something grabbed one of them and pulled it back into the darkness. Before I knew it, they were all dragged away, with only their screams remaining until everything went silent. I think the only reason no one heard them was because of the constant thunder. There was one left and he tried to run away. But just when lightning flash, I saw something grab him. It looked human, but bigger.”

“What do you mean by bigger?” Jordan asked.

“Everything. It was taller, its arms, legs and torso were bigger. It had punched straight through the armor the guard was wearing. When I ran for the inn door, it grabbed me and spoke to me. That’s when I saw it up close and realized it wasn’t completely human…” Azoth stopped for a moment to allow everything to sink in for them.

“It said he needed my help to kill Andreas. I was going to after he had told me what Andreas does to everyone here. But then all that just happened.”

“Well what did it look like?” Arthur asked. He was obviously angry with Azoth.

“It was taller than any man I’d ever seen, like I said. Taller even than that man, Theodric. Its skin was covered with what I’m assuming were darkly coloured scales. The face itself slightly resembled something like a human, but at the same time, it looks more like something else. Something that lives in the great Mountains of Fire of the south. Something that the dwarves spend hundreds of years eradicating in the Endless Mountains.”

They all knew what he was talking about, but they were far too scared to utter the words. Finally, Athos leaned forward.

“Are you saying it looked like a dragon?” He asked.

“Yes. Though this is not a dragon I have ever heard of. I know they have powerful magic that can allow them to take on a human form, but there are never even physical signs of them being a dragon. This you could clearly see its features. I could even see small horns around its head.”

“Quiet. Eric’s coming.” Arthur snapped. Eric came and sat down at the table with them. Tears were in his eyes.

“So you know what’s going to happen to my daughter, if it hasn’t happened already.” He said as he barely kept himself from weeping. “That murderer has brought doom upon us all. He should just come out to Andreas now and get it over with. Then everyone can get their children back.”

“You know that’s not going to happen.” Azoth said suddenly. Everyone let out a little gasp.

“What?”

“If Andreas is anything like I think he is then he’s not going to give up any of the girls. He may let the boys go after a while, but the girls he’s most likely going to keep for himself for as long as he likes.”

“But he gave his word!”

“Did he also give his word that he would protect the people here and help this town grow?”

Eric stopped himself from responding. He could barely contain the tears that were streaming down his face.

“What’s the matter with you?” Arthur yelled as he stood up suddenly from his seat. “Why can’t you be positive about something at least once?”

“Because I know what kind of man Andreas is, if he can even be called that. He’s like that man in the forest who tried to rape Hannah. He’ll do whatever he likes to people because he feels powerful when he does.”

“That doesn’t mean you have to bring a man’s hopes down.”

“Stop it! Stop it! Stop it! Stop it! Stop it!” Jade screamed. She was burying her face into Ariana’s side. Arthur sat back down, glaring at Azoth. They remained silent for a few minutes. Eric had left them alone.

“Maybe we should leave?” Ragosh asked, finally breaking the silence.

“They’ll be making sure no one leaves. We can’t risk it.” Athos answered.

“Well what are we going to do?”

“Stop him.” A woman in the corner said. Everyone turned to look at her. She was sitting in the corner of the inn, dressed in a thick cloak with the hood up. The hood hid her face as she stood up and walked over to them.             “How long have you been listening to us?” Azoth asked.

“It doesn’t matter. What matters is that you have to stop him.”

“We’d need an army, or at least a group of really good fighters who were willing to help. Even then, he has all those children. If anyone tries anything, they’ll be fed to the spike dogs.”

“What if I helped you free them?”

“And how would you do that?” Azoth stood up to face the woman. She stood as tall as him. He could smell some sort of perfume emanating from her.

“I’ve lived in my father’s home my entire life. I know every secret passage in and out.” The young woman pulled her hood down. Her hair was short and dark brown. It was braided down the right side of her hairline. One of her eyes was dark green, while the other one was pale and blind. “I am Alicia, daughter of Andreas.”

The room grew silent. Everyone sat awkwardly as they waited for someone to say something.

“Very well then.” Alicia said as she pulled another chair forward.

“Wait.” Azoth said. “Do you have proof that you are his daughter?”

“Yes. “Alicia took out the necklace she was wearing, which was in the shape of a ferret. “This is the family crest. It used to belong to the old mayor’s family, but it’s my father’s now.”

“Fair enough. Wait. The old mayor’s family?”

“Yes,” Alicia sat down. “My father used to be a servant of theirs. He only wanted the best for me. He didn’t want to do anything bad, but he said he had to keep me safe.”

            “What did he do?” Arthur asked.

            “Like I said, my father was a servant for the old family. Not a high ranking one, but he was well respected by the old master. My mother died when I was very young and the old mayor took us in out of sympathy. We never had much, but it was enough for my father. But then he said he heard the son of the old mayor say something bad. That he was going to force us to leave once his father died. My father didn’t want us to have to live out in the cold. So he convinced the old mayor to change the will so that my father and I would get everything. When he finally died, the will was read and my father had the son taken away. I was the happiest girl. I had everything I ever wanted, we had lots of money and we’d never be cold…”

            Azoth coughed to remind Alicia to stay on the subject.

            “Sorry. Anyways, everything was fine. But then my father began to change. He seemed to be more mean spirited and as time went on, he grew fatter, uglier and then those different girls began to arrive at the house. The first time it happened, I was awoken by the woman’s screams and I went to investigate. Theodric kept me from opening the door, so I didn’t see anything. It always sounds like the woman is in great pain.”

            “I’m sorry, but can you get on with your point?” Azoth was beginning to grow impatient.

            “Sorry,” Alicia sounded hurt. “I’ve barely talked to my father recently, mostly because he doesn’t want to see me. I was afraid that maybe the money and power had affected his mind. Today my fears were realized when I snuck out. I ask you to help my father see reason.”

            “And how would I do that?” Azoth said.

            “By keeping me safe, and if necessary…” Alicia’s eyes moved to look at Azoth’s falchion. Azoth looked at the blade, then back at her.

            “Only if you pay us.” Azoth said.

            “What do you think you’re doing?” Ariana suddenly snapped. Everyone stared at her in surprise. “This girl is asking for your help and you expect her to pay you?”

            “I spent a good chunk of my life as a mercenary. Getting paid was part of my living. Besides, the gold Donan gave us isn’t going to last long.” Azoth snapped back. “Pay us one hundred gold coins or I’m not doing anything.”

            “The hell you aren’t. Alicia, Ragosh, Athos and I will help you. You don’t need his help. All he cares about is money, drink, and apparently, women.” Arthur said as he stood up.

            “Says the boy who doesn’t know how to fight guards.” Azoth said. “You