The Marenon Chronicles Collection - By Jason D. Morrow Page 0,5

asked.

Garland smiled, but it turned into a agonizing grimace. “Yes.”

“I wish there was something I could do.”

“You need to listen to me,” Garland said. He took a deep breath, almost counting down the seconds. “You know where the medallion is. Don't tell them.”

Silas nodded, hanging on every word.

“These next couple of days are going to be difficult. They are not going to kill you as long as they think you know where the medallion is. If anything, tell them I hid it in the woods. It may buy you some time.” Garland swallowed hard. “They’ll get impatient. They’ll threaten to kill you and will eventually do so if you keep refusing. But by then you will hopefully have help. A protector.”

Silas began to interrupt, but Garland held up a finger. “Your protector will be here no later than two days. You must hold out until then.”

“How? Who?” Silas said.

“Just follow him, Silas. Do everything as he tells you. Take him to the medallion and he will take you to safety.”

“How do you know this?”

“It was planned from the beginning.”

“What beginning?”

Garland let out a deep cough. Silas could tell the pain within him was becoming too much to endure. He knew he shouldn't be pestering his dying grandfather with questions, but there was so much left to learn.

There was a long pause as Garland gathered the strength to speak.

“Silas.”

He bent forward to hear his nearly soundless words.

“I never thought it would begin like this, dear boy,” he said.

A hot tear rolled down Silas’ cheek as he clutched his grandfather’s hand as much as his bound wrists would allow. Garlands fingers were releasing their ever-weakening grip. Silas tried to tell him not to talk, but the old man ignored him.

“There is something I need you to do.”

“Anything,” Silas said.

“Remain brave. The days ahead of you are the beginning of something great and terrible. Your future is uncertain, but one thing is for sure, you are powerful and the Stühocs know it.”

A look of confusion crossed Silas’ face. What does he mean, powerful?

Garland’s eyes widened. “The Stühocs have been waiting for this moment, Silas. Follow the one who can lead you home.”

His eyes slowly closed and in an instant, his grandfather was lifeless by Silas’ side and his grip went limp.

“Grandpa, don't go.” The tears were uncontrollable now. “Please, don't go.”

Silas sat alone in the dark room. He was alone in the world. He had no one to help him and no one to care if he made it out alive. But according to his grandfather, he only needed to survive for two more days.

Chapter Two

Julian Hobbes walked slowly in the night as he made his way to the entrance of the Green Pumpkin. An odd name for a pub, he thought. The place was notorious for hosting some of Marenon's most vile criminals. Julian hated being there. This wasn't the first time, either. Going to places like this was just another part of the mission. He knew the scum inside would sense that he was not their kind. He always tried to avoid the gazes that accompanied his arrival.

He had been there a week before and was only in a hurry to return now due to the nature of his mission. He had been sent to the Green Pumpkin to find Alric Thirsk. The man was well known and well traveled in these parts, probably because of jobs just like the one Julian had offered him. From what Julian knew, Alric's work, and that of his three-man crew, was not always criminal in nature, rather it consisted of whatever would bring in the money. Julian’s eyebrows furrowed as he thought. Even in Marenon, everything’s about money. His father had always told him that was how it was in the old world too. Nevertheless, Alric and his crew were the best at what they did, and Julian could only accept the best.

The week before, Julian had presented Alric with his proposal as well as maps of the targeted area and other information he would need to complete the job. As expected, Alric said he would have to discuss it with his crew and they would meet him a week later to give an answer. Julian had hoped to get an answer that day, but Alric wouldn't budge. Everything was done in collaboration with his crew.

Julian looked up and down the cobblestone streets of the city of Canor. Aside from the occasional horse and buggy, there was hardly a soul out that night. He