Free Circle of Thieves: Legends of Dimmingwood by C. Greenwood

make their regular
reports to Rideon, but there will be other more detailed reports for our ears
alone. For example, I don’t think any of us have any notion yet as to how the
Skeltai move their warriors from one location to the next with such speed. I
know I haven’t been able to figure it out. But even the stealthiest of armies
cannot pass through Dimming unmarked by those who know how to look for them.
Our scouts will comb the forest daily for sign of them.
    Our spies in the woods villages will be quick to get word to
us of an army on the move. We should be prepared to act at the first suggestion
of another attack. In this way, I believe we have a chance at preventing
another tragedy like Hammond’s Bend.”
    Seeing they weren’t thoroughly convinced yet, I hesitated
before adding, “I won’t pretend my motives for this scheme are entirely
unselfish. I suspect a number of you are inwardly asking the question, what is
it to us what becomes of the woods villagers?
    True, we’ve an alliance against the Fists but are we bound
to risk our lives for their protection? We’re thieves after all, and by
definition, care first for ourselves. Why defend our neighbors?”
    The number of guilty faces looking back at me proved I had
read their thoughts accurately.
    I said, “You’re right to ask yourselves these questions. And
the answer is no, we aren’t obligated to aid the woods folk. In similar
circumstances, I doubt they would do as much for us.”
    Nods followed my words but I didn’t let them get too
comfortable. I said, “But let me ask you something, my brothers. If we turn a
blind eye to the Skeltai raids, how long do you think it will be before the
savages turn next on us? We’ve always held out against the Fists, but how well
will we stand against a fierce enemy like the Skeltai? An enemy we know little
about, one with unknown mystical powers at its disposal.”
    A thoughtful silence fell over the gathering. I suspected it
was my final reminder of the Skeltai magic that had really captured their
consideration. Many of these men had spent a lifetime beneath Dimming’s shadow
and woods folk were always a superstitious lot.
    After a prolonged silence Dradac cleared his throat. I tried
not to tense, for fear everyone would see how uncertain I was. “You make a good
point, Ilan,” he said. “I, for one, am willing to join you in a fight against
the raiders. You have also my vow of silence on all things related to
this…secret circle of yours.”
    I smiled. I should have known my old friend wouldn’t abandon
me when I was depending on his support. The others were quick to come forward
after that, one by one, giving their pledges of support. By the end of it all,
only two men had refused involvement out of loyalty to Rideon, and from them,
we easily extracted vows of silence. If they wouldn’t join our rebellion,
neither would they do anything to oppose it.
    At the conclusion of the meeting, our inner circle contained
eleven members, and Ada confided to me she might find a couple more, given time
to sound things out. It was a small start, but I was satisfied.

 
    Chapter
Eight
     
    It was exactly three days after the forming of the inner
circle that we met with our first success. Two of our members sent out on
reconnaissance came upon the discovery of a lone Skeltai scout stalking a tiny
settlement along the Dimming Road. Our men became overly enthusiastic, and
rather than setting one of them to tail the Skeltai, and the other to report
back to us, they decided to jump him alone. They managed to take the Skeltai
alive but not without sustaining minor injuries to themselves as well as
presenting the rest of us with a dilemma.
    We had no place to keep a prisoner, no predetermined form
for dealing with an uncooperative one, and perhaps most important, no notion of
how to keep this particular captive a secret from the rest of our band. Rideon
had kept a prisoner or two for ransom in the past, but then we had just