The Ranger of Marzanna (The Goddess War #1) - Jon Skovron Page 0,89
be hard-pressed to equip our soldiers properly. Would you want to send the brave men of Izmoroz against a horde of undead unarmed?”
“Of course not, sir.”
“Good. So you understand what is at stake here?”
“I do, sir.”
“Excellent. Once you have ended the revolt, I would then ask you to investigate the cause. It has been my experience that such things only happen when men are pushed beyond their capacity. It is true that the miners have broken the law and therefore must be punished. But if the owners have abused their authority, you are also authorized to punish them in whatever way you see fit. As with all things, the empire must approach this unfortunate incident with a fair and unbiased hand.”
“Y-yes, sir.”
Vittorio gazed at him for a moment, his eyes clear and strong. “This is your first mission, Captain. Do not disappoint me.”
35
The Bledney Mines were located northwest of Gogoleth at the base of the Cherny Mountains. Sebastian was not as good a rider as his sister and had never felt comfortable on horseback. But a captain was expected to ride with his men rather than in a carriage, so he managed as best he could, hoping no one noticed the awkwardness with which he held his reins or the stiffness of his posture.
The landscape north of Gogoleth was flat, with sparse copses of pine dotting the white powdery fields. The Cherny Mountains loomed in the distance, seeming to get no closer, while Sebastian’s thighs, groin, and rear grew increasingly sore. He knew he couldn’t show weakness to his men, so he clenched his teeth and bore the pain silently. Unfortunately, this meant that by the time they reached the mines near midnight, his jaw was sore, he had a raging headache, and combined with his weariness, he was in a foul mood.
Ten gaunt, filthy men stood at the entrance to the mine. Their clothes were ragged and stained with dirt, and they were armed with shovels, pickaxes, and the occasional knife. The idea that they could stand up to Sebastian’s twenty trained and well-armed soldiers was so preposterous, he nearly laughed with relief. But he reminded himself what Vittorio had said about men being pushed beyond their capacity. They probably deserved his pity, not his mockery.
He halted his men a short distance from the miners and prodded his horse a few steps closer so that he was in front.
“We come in the name of Her Imperial Majesty, Empress Caterina Morante the First, to restore the peace.” He tried to make his voice sound as commanding as possible. “Lay down your weapons and your lives will be spared.”
A bald miner, so pale and thin he almost appeared to be a skeleton, spat on the ground. “The damn empire sends children to punish us, huh? Well fuck you, pretty boy. We’re sick of it.”
Sebastian stared at him, not quite able to fathom what had just happened. Even though the odds were clearly in Sebastian’s favor, this man was not only defying him, but insulting him.
Rykov pulled his horse up beside Sebastian and drew his sword. “You want me to teach this guy a lesson about respect?”
The miner eyed Rykov’s gleaming sword, but did not back down. Instead he gripped his pickax with both hands. “We ain’t going to surrender. I promise you that.”
Sebastian was tempted to let Rykov handle it. But he knew his standing with his own men was still tenuous. Pretty speeches were nice, but a soldier proved their true worth by their actions. Besides, this man had insulted him directly. He needed to decisively show his men that they could count on his firm leadership.
“That won’t be necessary, Private.” He grasped his diamond, which hung from a leather thong around his neck. “This fellow will soon regret being so hot-blooded.”
The human body contained a vast amount of fluid. Not just blood, but sweat, saliva, tears, and urine as well. Sebastian would have to be extremely careful here or he would instantly cook the man alive. This was a lesson, after all, not an execution. A few degrees should be enough to get the message across.
He focused his will into the diamond, then let it out slowly. The miner gasped as his face began to flush bright red. Sweat broke out on his bald scalp, cutting through the grime in streaks as it trickled down his face and neck. His lip curled into a snarl as he glared up at Sebastian.