Belly of the Beast Warren Thomas (e novels for free .txt) 📖

women broke and ran, many throwing down their weapons in their frantic attempt to escape. He saw unarmed zombies stop to pick up the discarded weapons, then charge after them.

            Lifting Joelle up in his arms, Tane ran into the forest as well. She struggled weakly, only semi-conscious and delirious. Tane had little time for her mumbled words, fearing every footstep behind him might be zombies gaining on him.

            “Tane!” Sergeant Gareth called from his left rear.

            Tane turned to find the sergeant wending his way through the thick forest, a soldier thrown over his broad shoulder. It took a moment for Tane to realize it was Raven, and she was as limp as death.

            “What happened?” Tane said.

            “We got our butts tromped, that’s what!” Sergeant Gareth said, scowling. Then he grinned, patting Raven’s rump, “But the little priestess got herself knocked unconscious three kills short of my total. She’s lucky. If she’d been winning, I’d have left her behind.”

            Wild crashing behind them sent both men to running north again. Soon they reached the village they had spent the night inside. Quinn was already there and arguing with Corporal Pendar over some horses the half-elf had in hand.

            “This stupid elf won’t let me have the horses,” Corporal Pendar said. “He insists on waiting to ensure his friends make it back first, instead of giving them to men and women already here.”

            Tane noted then he had five horses. Tane smiled gratefully at the half-elf, and idly wondered if he would’ve had the courage to risk such a thing. Likely, he’d have just mounted the first horse he found and rode for Kestsax. But, maybe not. How could he have lived with himself if he had deserted his friends?

            “Raven!” Quinn cried, seeing her for the first time when Sergeant Gareth just dropped her on the ground at his feet. Before anyone could react, he had shoved the sergeant aside and knelt beside her, cradling her head in his lap. “What happened to her?”

            “Got whacked on the head by a zombie,” Sergeant Gareth said, glowering at the half-elf. “I saved her life, not you. So I’m the one to gain by her gratitude, elf boy.”

            Quinn growled low in his throat as he turned baleful eyes on the sergeant. Sergeant Gareth backed away a step, a hand dropping to his sword. Corporal Pendar also tensed.

            “Joelle!” Armin called, rushing out of the nearby forest.

            Before Tane could explain, Armin ripped his wife from Tane’s arms and fell to his knees, his face buried in her neck.

            “It’s all right, baby,” he whispered. “I’m here. I’ll take care of you. No one will hurt you again. Don’t worry.”

            “Rocking her like a baby won’t do any of us any good,” Sergeant Gareth said. “Get mounted, the lot of you. We’ve got to get back to Kestsax as fast as possible and warn them to be ready.”

            Armin said nothing. He just climbed to his feet and claimed the largest horse for himself and Joelle. Tane held the mare steady while Quinn took Joelle from Armin so he could mount up, then he found the next largest mount for Quinn and Raven. As Tane lifted Raven up to Quinn, she let out a pained groan, but didn’t open her eyes.

            “Mount up, boy,” Sergeant Gareth growled to Tane, though eyeing Quinn murderously, “or be left behind.”

            “What about Disa’s squad?” Corporal Pendar said as he reluctantly claimed the last horse. “As their sergeant, it’s your duty to ensure their safety.”

            “Damn you! I’m not a God!”

            “The zombies aren’t mounted, so you should be safe enough if you but waited a while,” the corporal said from between clenched teeth. “If you want, I’ll stay here with you. I’m sure Quinn can lead the others back to Kestsax.”

            Fear and anger warred on the old sergeant’s ugly face. Tane waited, fascinated by the scene unfolding. He had never believed any of those brutes who had pitilessly trained them could show any sign of honor and duty. Corporal Pendar was a surprise indeed.

            “Fine, we’ll both stay,” Sergeant Gareth said. “Elf, you have command of the squad.”

            “Follow me!” Quinn said, kicking his mount into a canter.

            Tane and Armin never hesitated, and never looked back.

~**~**~

            “Damn me for a fool!” Nizar cried, watching the last of his command fade into the forest.

            The ground was littered with bodies, everything splashed with wet crimson. The cries of ravens and other carrion eaters pulled his eyes up. For a second, he feared Ashtar had returned. But his magical senses detected no other forces at play. The Arisen were as vanquished as Their devotees.

            Nizar turned from the carrion eaters and the carnage of the battlefield. What happened to the bodies of the dead was not a concern. They were zombies and enemies, and now they were just the lowest part of the food chain. Nizar’s only concern was the absence of Tane Kyleson, or his body.

            Failure was unacceptable.

            Failure meant a trip to the altar, and a brutal death.

            Moving to the last spot Nizar had seen Tane; he found the bloody dagger lying in the dirt. Lifting it up, he closed his eyes and centered himself. His prayer was answered, thankfully wiping a terrible fear away. He prayed for the blood to seek out its owner, and felt the dagger turn slightly in his hand.

            The dagger was pointing toward Tane Kyleson.

Chapter 34

            The ride to Kestsax was nothing less than hellish for Tane, who had little experience ahorse. Quinn was like Tane, a devout pedestrian, and seemed as strained by the grueling ride as Joelle. The half-elf was also holding tightly to Raven, who remained unconscious, to spare her limp form the worst of the jarring. Thankfully for both men, they had to stop repeatedly for Joelle, who was quickly growing in strength but violently ill at times. She claimed the queasy stomach a result of too