AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Systorak seems stunned. “Why?”
“That girl is trouble,” the monster remarks. “I don’t have time for trouble.”
Systorak scoffs and returns to the bag, hoisting it over his shoulder again. He leads me back into the crowd, mumbling profanities under his breath as we weave through countless creatures.
“Why did he say that?” I ask curiously.
Systorak sighs. “I imagine the counts of the court have already warned the warriors not to protect you. They want you as an easy target to get their hands on the coin.”
A monster shoves me, and I lose Systorak’s hand. I stand, frozen, feeling fear creep over my being.
Suddenly, Systorak reaches a hand through and takes mine once more, tighter this time. He continues with his sentence nonchalantly.
“Most warriors are too worried about kissing ass to go against their lord’s wishes.”
“Great,” I mumble, following him to the next tent.
After seven tents and seven different creatures, we are defeated. We find a rock on the side of the training ground to sit on, and Systorak rubs the back of his head, inhaling deeply.
“Any bright ideas now?” I ask doubtfully.
“One,” he pauses, his face severe and gloomy, “but it’s a bit insane.”
I motion to the crowd. “Systorak,allof this is insane,” I look at him. “Insane might be the only way.”
He puts his tongue in his cheek and nods. “There’s a berserker demon; his name is Durr,” he pauses and looks at the crowd, lost in thought, before snapping back into reality. “He’s slow, simple, and not ruled by any count or lord. He’s a bit,” he pauses, “unpredictable, but he would likely take it on.”
I nudge Systorak playfully. “Let’s go get him, then.”
We hiked to the end of the training grounds and approached a small hut. Systorak knocked on the door, and I watched his body tense as loud footsteps approached from inside.
A giant, red-skinned demon answers the door. I gawk at his eyes resting on his cheeks and horns sticking from his ears. He looks almost feral with the dirt beneath his razor-sharp claws. He shakes his head quickly, almost manically.
“Durr,” Systorak says calmly. “I have a favor to ask of you.”
The creature grunts. “Ask away,” he says, moving his eyes in different directions.
“The heir needs a guard,” Systorak begins.
The creature holds a claw to him and examines me quickly before turning back to Systorak. “How much?” he asks.
Systorak’s face lights up. “Three hundred coins a day.”
Durr grunts and shakes his head. Systorak rolls his eyes. “Fine,” Systorak says. “Five hundred.”
The demon smiles creepily and shakes Systorak’s hand. “Where is my post?”
“Krett tower, east side,” Systorak informs him.
The creature snatches the sack and begins to close the door. “I will report in the morning,” he says, shutting the door in our faces.
Systorak turns to me. “Well,” he says, straightening out his shirt. “I think that went well.”
I exhale through my nose sharply and cross my arms. “Sure, I guess so.”
Systorak leads me away from the village and back to Krett tower. Along the walk, I catch his gaze and sigh.
“I guess now would be the perfect time for me to learn about the demonic court,” I say, watching Systorak’s eyes light up.
