Dragonlance Tales II, Vol. 2 – The Cataclysm

his mouth open.

For a fat middle-aged man, Graym could move

quickly. He slammed into Jarek, and both went sprawling.

The barrel crashed onto a rock and bounced off, spraying

foam sideways before it came to rest, punctured end up.

Graym, unfortunately, came to rest on top of Jarek.

Darll, manacles clanging, pulled Graym to his feet.

“You all right?”

“Fine, sir, fine.” Graym felt his ribs and arms for

breakage.

“Pity,” Darll grunted. “What about you, boy?” He bent

down and helped Jarek up. “If you only hurt your head,

we’re in luck.”

Jarek wheezed and gasped.

“He’ll be fine,” Graym said, slapping Jarek’s shoulder.

Jarek collapsed again, and Graym helped him up again.

“Probably do us both good. Exercise new muscles.”

“Try thinking. That should exercise a new muscle for

you.” Darll looked down at their feet. Foam was seeping

quickly into the ground. The smell of ale was

overpowering.

Graym followed his glance. “Only another loss,” he

said cheerfully. “Crisis of transport, sir. Part of business.”

He and Jarek limped over to the broken barrel.

Jarek, still wheezing, managed to say, “I’m sorry,

Graym. You said ‘Stop pushing when I say now,’ and that

was when you said ‘now,’ so then I thought you meant

‘now.’ ”

“Don’t you feel bad at all, boy.” Graym looked at the

damp rock and the damp soil below it. “This’ll drive the

price up when we reach Krinneor. Supply and demand.”

He added, struck by it, “Makes the other kegs worth

more.”

He finished, convinced, “Best thing that could happen,

really.”

Graym shook Jarek’s limp hand. “Thank you for upping

profits. A bold move – not one I’d have made – but worth it

in the long run.”

Jarek smiled proudly. Darll snorted.

The Wolf brothers looked down from the perch on top

of the cart. “Want us to roll another off?” Fenris asked

eagerly.

“Say when,” Fanris added.

Graym shook his head. “Let’s take inventory first.”

The Wolf brothers slid cautiously off the wagon. They

looked (and claimed) to be several years older than Jarek,

but no one would ever know their real age until one of them

washed, which was hardly likely. From their narrow beetle-

browed eyes to their black boots, they looked wickedly

dangerous.

A songbird whistled, and the two jumped and crouched

low behind the wagon wheel.

“Don’t crawl underneath,” Graym pleaded. “That’s how

you tipped it the last time. It’s all right now. The bad men

are gone. And they weren’t that bad, once we got their

weapons away from them.”

“We? WE?” Darll demanded.

“I helped,” Jarek said proudly. “I threw a rock at one.

You did most of it,” he added honestly. “But you should

have. You’re supposed to be a great mercenary.”

“I’m SUPPOSED to be your prisoner” Darll said

bitingly.

Graym put a hand on Darll’s shoulder. “Don’t take it so

hard, sir. You’re the Bailey of Sarem’s prisoner. We’re just

transporting you to Krinneor.” He patted Darll. “Think of

us as company.”

“I think of you,” Darll said bitterly, “the way I’d think

of the underside of an owlbear’s – ”

“I’m going to be a mercenary like you someday,” Jarek

broke in.

Fenris came out from behind the wagon wheel. He

looked worried. “Did you hear what that man said just

before running off?”

“You mean the part about ‘Let Skorm Bonelover take

them’?” Fanris finished nervously. “I heard it. What does it

mean? Who’s Skorm Bonelover?”

Graym was checking the fallen barrel. “An idle threat.

Poor man, I don’t think he was happy.” He examined the

sprung staves.

“You may be a cooper,” Darll said, “but you can’t mend

that.”

Graym felt along the keg sides, skilled hands finding

the sprung barrel stave. “Not on the road,” he said

reluctantly. “And it’s over half full still.”

The Wolf brothers edged forward hopefully. “Be a

shame to let it go to waste, Fan.”

“Right again, Fen.”

Jarek, rubbing his head, looked meaningfully at the

bung-puller stored inside the cart.

“Half a keg of Skull-Splitter Premium. Well . . .”

Graym sighed loudly, then smiled. “Not a bad place to

camp.”

*****

They waited until nightfall to light the fire, so no one

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