Take My Heart...: Dark Ages - Fantasy (Dark Gods & Tainted Souls Book 3) (26 page)

“Are we making the right choice?” he asked.

“We must be because it’s hard. What the hell are we going to do now?” she said.

“Being a scribe always seemed like a good life,” he said. “And if we ever change our minds, Grimm told me where he hid some nice drops of wine.”

Chapter Forty Seven.

Goldie stood on the docks with his motley group of friends. They were all washed and clean, yet still drew looks of fright from people who passed by. They were still a very dangerous looking group of people. The night had fallen and it was lit with lanterns along the small dock. He stood next to Minsetta, Josette, and Farirkar. Flint and Stone were in a tavern waiting there. He’d been told Seth was coming home, but not when.

“So you had a dream about the Lucky Lady and she told you Seth was coming home?” Josette asked him.

“She sure did,” Goldie said with a happy grin.

Josette laughed at him. “People think you’re crazy, you know? We hear you when you’re asleep now. It’s obscene, you moaning like a pleasure house girl! Every bloody night. Is sex all you dream about?”

He just laughed back. “Hey, I earned it and ‘Dream about’ is a very pale description. Anyway, in between other things she did tell me he was coming back and he was bringing a new woman, so…” he looked at Minsetta pointedly, “You behave.”

“I always behave. The woman is Seraphina, right? The one he pushed into the Land of the Dead?” Minsetta said with a laugh.

Goldie laughed as well. “I think so. Well, you know our boy. He can be pretty charming. He killed you and you still like him. Probably saved her life. Women love that. Wait, you do like him, right? We’re not going to have any drama are we?”

Minsetta just smiled so her teeth grew sharp and her eyes blackened, but she laughed. “Of course not. You don’t blame the lighting for striking you. You blame yourself for going out in the storm.”

Goldie looked at her. “Good. We should be happy. The king is dead, because of me. The realm is saved, because of me. Now before Seth gets here and everything changes... plans? Anyone? What’s next? The king is dead, after all, and I hear he is heir-less.”

They all laughed. He was half serious.

“Nothing has changed for me,” said Farirkar. “I’ve never even met the man and I fully intend to keep on being a bloodthirsty mercenary. I was kind of hoping you’d all join me,” he said.

“I will. I know that,” said Goldie. “I’m good at it and I think, with the money we’ve made so far, we can even expand the ranks. We’re running very low on men and as mentioned, the king is heir-less!”

Farirkar grabbed Goldie in his big arms and crushed him to his chest. “Thank Famir! I was worried I’d have to do all the planning as well as the fighting. Partners?” he asked, releasing him.

Goldie shook the big man’s hand in the warrior’s grip. “Partners. Sounds good. We’ll discuss the money split when you’re drunk.”

Josette looked at the approaching boat and thought of Seth. Were things changing for her? Her feelings for Seth had changed, that was for sure. Before it was like a crush of a young girl imaging a silly life that couldn’t be. She had become so much in the time he’d been gone. She was a different person and a person he didn’t know. She was glad he was safe and she had repaid him, but now her life was her own.

She looked deep inside herself and she knew that the fight was far from over. Not within her and not for this land. They had stopped some men who had risen up and tried to control it all, but she knew better than ever there were always more, and the only way to stop all the killers was to be better at it. She looked at Minsetta and the woman looked back. Strong, but a slight tinge of fear in her eyes; she could read it and it was just fear of being alone.

She took Minsetta’s hand and looked at Farirkar and Goldie. Killers and mercenaries both, but she loved each one. “Of course, we’ll stay with you. We’re family now.”

The ship,
The Opulent,
had slid up to the dock silently and without help. It rode quietly on the waves, like a silent ghost. Goldie looked up and saw Seth standing at the edge of the wooden rail, waving down to him. He was dressed as a simple soldier once more. Rough tunic and, at his hip, hung a simple eating dagger. Goldie felt such relief at seeing him. He looked just the same as he had before, just a Northern soldier with some important shit to do.

“Do you think he knows he left the Black Rock Keep in Elizebetha’s will?” Josette asked Goldie, as they began to walk towards the gangway and greet them.

Goldie laughed. “Doubt it. We’ll tell him, but first comes drinking. Lots and lots of drinking. We have a lot of catching up to do.”

From Julius

Well we've come to the end of the series and it's been a big journey for me as a writer and hopefully a fun one for you as a reader. I've gone from a guy wanting to write a book, to someone who writes full time and has done a series. I really hope you liked the series and found it to be unique and a bit different from other things you've read, or at least with some new kinds of magic and beasts.

Next, i'd love to do a stand alone book for maybe one or two of these character. I really like Josette, and Goldie was hell fun to write. I'll be doing a survey soon, so give me you're thoughts on who you'd like to see more of.

Also my new series will be out hopefully, sometimes this year, called something like 'Shadows of the Sea' it's all slave pirates, vikings and water wraiths.

As always, do me a favor and give this one a review on Amazon, it helps, a lot.