Free Night of Wolves by David Dalglish Page B

like a bit of a leap, but still…
    “Not entirely sure I buy this,” he said.
    “They’ve found us weak,” Darius said, shaking his head. “And now they’ll do whatever they can to starve us, deny us safety in numbers. When will the pack descend upon Durham? And in how great a number?”
    “Lot of assumptions here,” Jeremy insisted. “We’ve killed plenty of them. That alone should prove we are no easy prey.”
    Daniel thought of the viciousness the wolf-men had displayed in attacking their boat. They hadn’t cared about their losses or the disadvantages they faced because of the water. No, they’d fought and died to ensure they didn’t reach the village. Still, they’d failed, which meant they weren’t invincible. Daniel felt pride swell in his chest knowing they’d given as good as they’d gotten, if not better, and that was without armor or solid footing.
    “Not easy,” Daniel said. He glanced at the three. “But I don’t think they expect it to be easy. If they attack here, it will be soon. The longer they wait, the greater the chance Sir Godley realizes the danger and sends more reinforcements from the other towers.”
    “What is it you suggest?” Jeremy asked.
    The paladins shared a look, then deferred to Daniel.
    “We either prepare a defense, or flee until we return with greater numbers.”
    “Fight or flight,” said Darius. “It always seems to come down to those two, doesn’t it?”
    “We cannot leave our homes!” insisted Jeremy. “For nearly everyone here, this is all we have. Our few wagons will not carry a tenth of our possessions. Our livestock will lack for food wherever we go, for how will we bring our grain and hay? Autumn will soon end; there is nothing for us to forage.”
    “It is better to live with less than die with more,” Jerico said.
    “Such a fine platitude,” Darius said. “But there’s a problem. We cannot outrun the wolf-men, not loaded and bearing women and children. Even if we left several days before them, they would descend upon us before we ever reached safety.”
    “You think their attack will be so soon?” Daniel asked.
    “Why else would they attack your ship? Whoever leads them is not stupid. They know time is running out. Even more, I know that defending a caravan of hungry, tired people is far harder than a prepared fortification.”
    “Prepared fortification?” Jeremy laughed. “We’re a farming village. We fish and plant crops. Our homes are plain and made of wood. What fortifications?”
    Darius grinned at him, and there was something dangerous in the smile.
    “Such little faith,” he said.
    “Enough,” said Jerico. “We don’t know what numbers we face. We don’t know who leads them and we don’t know how much time we have. Everything is guesswork, and in such a state, we are talking out of our behinds. Hot tempers help no one.”
    “Then what is it you suggest?” Daniel asked, throwing up his hands.
    “We go into the Wedge and find out for ourselves.”
    “We?” asked Jeremy. “Might I remind you how well that turned out last time?”
    Darius’s face turned red.
    “No reminder needed,” he said. He glared at Jerico. “And you mean just the two of us, don’t you?”
    “I do. We slip in and out of the Wedge unnoticed, and when we return, we prepare accordingly.”
    Daniel stood, feeling the conversation reaching its end.
    “And if you do not return?” he asked.
    “Then I expect your men to defend this village with their lives,” Jerico said, as if it should be obvious. “Whether that is in flight, guarding the river, or behind locked doors, I don’t care.”
    “Of course you don’t care,” Darius muttered. “We’ll be dead, after all.”
    “These are simple folk,” Jeremy said, rising. “Keep news of this to yourselves, all of you. That is the only thing I ask. It’s not the unknown they’ll fear, only the lack of action. Once we know what we’re to do, trust me, trust us, to stand tall and do what