Free CITY OF THE GODS: FORGOTTEN by M.Scott Verne, Wynn Wynn Mercere Page A

in the black liquid. It fell to the ground, gurgling, its tentacles still searching for its victim’s neck.
    D’Molay lay on the ground trying to catch his breath, exhausted. He was bruised, cut, and his neck hurt like hell, but he would recover. A small crowd had gathered, muttering to each other as they pointed at the carnage. One of them, a priest of Artemis, stood over him. “Don’t move. I’ve summoned a guardian.”
    “I won’t,” D’Molay managed to get out between gasps of air. He barely looked at the priest as he tried to recover from the fight. Slowly he caught his breath and was able to sit up, gathering his strength. “That’s the last time I show an opponent mercy. Next time, I’ll just kill them.   Mercy almost cost me my life,” he angrily muttered, staring at a smear of his own blood on the street.
    Within minutes, a white, winged horse with a rider descended from the sky. As they sought a spot to land on the street pedestrians scattered out of the way. “Move aside, City business!” a strong, feminine voice called out.   D’Molay felt the air rush past him from the beating of the horse’s wings. Looking up, he saw its rider was a Valkyrie carrying a long golden spear. The horse landed gently on the ground, taking a few steps before coming to a halt. The horse folded its large, white wings. The rider gracefully slid off her mount and stood for a moment, surveying the scene in front of her  
    D’Molay couldn’t help but turn his gaze to her. She was a combination of beauty and strength, tall and full figured, with white-blonde hair flowing behind her like a flaxen banner down to her waist. On her head was a silver helmet with white dove wings on either side. She wore silvery metal armor. Over her shoulders and across her chest rested a dark blue leather collar. She carried a shield with the City Council symbol on it, much like symbol on the medallion D’Molay carried. Around her waist was a matching belt and skirt that hung about mid-thigh. Her boots laced up on the sides and went up to the top of her calves. As she walked toward him, she pointed her golden spear, an item carried by all the guardians, at him. D’Molay wiped the blood dripping from the corner of his mouth with the back of his hand, hoping he could talk his way out of this.   City guardians had considerable discretionary power. One could never be sure if a guardian would truly mete out justice. Some were just as likely to abuse their power for their own amusement.
    “What’s this all about?   Answer or face the justice of the Council,” the Valkyrie said as she placed her shield on the ground and held her spear with both hands. She had angular features and thin lips which gave her the appearance of an elf that had been in the cold for too long.   D’Molay quickly judged she was not someone to be joked or flirted with, so he wasted no time in giving her an answer.
    “That creature attacked me first, while I was riding in that cart. I defended myself and I had to kill it.” D’Molay noticed the horse still waiting for him. “I also work for the Council as a courier and a tracker.   I have a Council medallion if you want to see it,” he added.
    The Valkyrie stepped closer, taking a defensive stance and aiming her spear right at his heart. It was so close that if she just gave a thrust forward her spear would pierce him with ease. “Show me. But I wouldn’t pull anything else out of that pocket.”
    D’Molay reached in his coat pocket and pulled out the emblem the Council had given him years ago.   He always carried the medallion for it often helped him in situations like this one. He held it up for her to see.   “I was delivering a small box to one of the Egyptian pantheon, when that thing lying there attacked.”
    She looked at the emblem without touching it. “You can put it away, but stay where you are until I say otherwise.”   Then she turned to the small crowd standing nearby. “Who attacked