Stolen Lives: A LitRPG/GameLit Novel (The Underhill Chronicles Book 1) Keith Ahrens (best e reader for epub txt) 📖

Hey. Don't judge me. But if one must, try to look at the mitigating factors and remember that none of us started off this way. Anyway, back to the matter at hand.

“She has at least a dozen stab wounds to the abdomen. Most aren't that deep; they didn't want to kill her right away,” I say in a neutral voice.

“They were looking for information, or they tortured her because they're sadistic fucks. In my opinion, though, they wanted to get intel out of her. It looks like a rush job, especially being out here in the middle of the road. They had no way of knowing when someone else would come along,” Olivia's voice continues to be professional and detached.

Jesse has been walking the edge of the road, going about thirty yards past us before he starts making his slow way back in our direction, staring at the ground.

Des finally gets himself together enough to look at the wound. “Yeah, I think magic could’ve done this, but no spell I ever saw, anyhow. It charred the bone somethin' fierce. Y'all think she was still alive when they done this?”

“Yeah, she was, but that’s not what killed her. This one here,” I gesture to a large gash in her abdomen. “This is the one that killed her. They angled it up through the diaphragm and into the heart. Bastards twisted the blade around a few times to make sure it did its job. Olivia was right on both accounts. They were in a rush, and they are sadistic fucks.” The autopsy ends here when Jesse calls for our attention.

“Sergeant, I have established the course taken by these heinous perpetrators!” Jesse says as he salutes Haynes. I guess Jesse has reverted to whatever military role he had, probably the only thing his brain can make sense of anymore. On the other hand, this past day is the most animated and alive I've ever seen him.

“At ease, soldier. Report!” Haynes replies, returning the salute.

“I believe the lass dismounted yonder—” he gestures to a spot about ten yards away from us "—and walked over to meet the wagon. She was surrounded and forced to her knees here—” he points to a spot a few feet behind the body. “A small struggle ensued but was over quickly, as she had nary a chance. I count at least six different boots, perhaps more. Another took her mount and made off with it. But, sir, I must confess to a bit of confusion. Verily, there seems to have been two wagons here at about the same time.”

Haynes rubs his chin with a gloved hand, looking troubled. “All right, good work, soldier. Caleb, you and Olivia put Sylvia's body with the rest of the deceased, and then load up. At this time, we have to believe we were betrayed by the other group that escaped with us. We must assume they know what we know and are not running for the exit, but setting up an ambush for us. I want everyone on alert, anyone who has and can wield a weapon is to be outside the wagons and ready. When we reach the lake, Jesse and I will scout out the path on foot until we are sure that there is no trap. From this point forward, if anyone sees anything even slightly out of the ordinary, call it out. Questions?”

No one says anything. We just set about our tasks and load back up. I hop onto the driver's bench with Colt. Vince kneels down on top of the wagon, bow in hand and arrow ready. Des rides with Jesse, who perches alert in his seat with his pistol in one hand, sword in the other.

Miles and Thorn stay in the wagon with the wounded. Olivia stands at the door of the wagon in a defensive stance with her sword out. A deadly serious scowl rests on her pretty face, her resolve written across her body as she sets herself to protect our people.

We start rolling once again.

The lake comes into view a few hours before sunset just as we crest a final hill. The closer we get to the fork in the road, the stronger my sense of unease grows. In the distance, I can see a gathering of red and gray clouds over the far banks maybe a half-mile away. No birds circle in the air.

Thorn points to the clouds and calls out, “'Tis a mage storm. Strange colors and it does not move with the winds. We should be safe as long as it stays on the opposite side.”

“Can you tell what it does?” asks Des.

“Not from here, but I promise you, nothing good.”

Haynes holds a hand up to stop the caravan once more. “Bodies in the road. Jesse, take the other horse and come with me.”

We all wait while Jesse unhitches Thorn's horse and mounts up. The two men and their steeds continue on at a slow, cautious pace. The rest of us stand guard on high alert, facing in all directions to watch and wait. It's equal parts boring and tense as hell.

Twenty or so minutes pass before they come back, having finished inspecting the scene. They return at a faster pace than they left. We all relax a little when we see that they don't seem in a rush or panic.

“Two wagons and a horse met at the lake's shore. There was a pretty brutal fight. We found one dead ogre, two dead goblins, and a dead human. After it was over, the wagons split up, one going right and the other in the direction we need to go. The single horse seems to have been killed and dragged into the lake,” Haynes recites his report for the rest of us like he's reading a newspaper out loud.

“Shit, can we tell if the wagons traveled together before they brawled?” I ask.

“No way to be sure. They were either together or within an hour of each other,”