Free The Way of the Sword and Gun by Stuart Jaffe Page B

fearful places she had come across in Corlin — the ones that built walls around the entire town, kept guard at all hours, and deeply mistrusted any strangers that came their way.
    Fires smoldered, filling the air with a rich aroma. The main gate had been blasted open, the stench of magic surrounded it, and the ground had been churned up by a hundred horses. Bodies of man and beast were strewn about the rubble. Malja wondered if the first days after the Devastation had looked like this.
    Among the few people still alive, two worked together to clear the dead away. They wore long, tan robes that hid their features, but Malja caught a glimpse of tattooed arms. They stopped long enough to watch Malja and her team pass by. Owl waved but the disheartened expressions the two wore stopped him from speaking. They ran a finger across the forehead and nodded when Owl and Fawbry returned the gesture.
    "Up ahead," Sprint said, pointing to a crumbling structure built against the compound walls.
    They pulled up to a hitching post and dismounted. Owl fussed with his clothing and combed his hair with his fingers. To Malja, he said, "Wait here. I'll be right back."
    Malja watched him approach a heavy door with Sprint at his side. He hesitated, let out a shudder, and entered the building. She looked to Fawbry. "You know anything about what goes on in there?"
    Fawbry raised an eyebrow. Malja knew this look too well now — an attempt to appear knowledgeable whenever Fawbry had no clue what he was talking about. "I think—"
    "Forget it," she said. "Go help Tommy rub down the horses."
    Fawbry stepped toward Malja to protest, or at least complain, when Tommy slapped a brush in his hand. The two had a good rapport and worked well together. She wondered if she should be concerned that Tommy showed no interest in Sprint — a boy close to his own age.
    She walked away without looking back. There were more pressing problems, and she didn't want them to see the concern on her face.
    First, she had to get her mind straight that Owl had been telling the truth all along — he was not a potential enemy. That also meant this queen was a real threat and that the Library — she didn't want to think further about that. Better to focus on more immediate concerns.
    After letting that scout escape, Malja had kept an ear open for any indication of an attack. Soon Queen Salia would learn that not only was Malja nearby, but that the Order had not been entirely razed. Her army most likely marched toward them.
    She looked around the shambles of the compound. The only thing not damaged was a statue of Moonlo, his gaunt face and stern eyes watching over his followers. In Moonlo's hand, the sculptor had carved the Book of Kryssta which Moonlo wrote, supposedly, after being visited by the brother god Kryssta. The statue stood in the center of a cracked fountain.
    Everywhere else, debris and blood littered the ground. Five Guardians stood atop a ledge on the wall keeping watch. A robed woman stood amongst them — a magician, no doubt.
    At the far end of the main courtyard, a young woman passed by carrying bandages and water. The moans of suffering rose in volume when she opened a door to a small building. It was a sorry mess.
    At least Malja understood how to deal with all of this. Far better than having to deal with Tommy. No. Easier not better.
    As she made her plans, her eyes grabbing every detail, Fawbry and Tommy finished with the horses. At length, Owl re-emerged from the building. He took a few steps and simply waved for the others to join him.
    Malja's men waited for her to lead the way. Good. No matter what else, Tommy and Fawbry knew who to get behind in an unfamiliar situation.
    Little light found its way inside the building. The damp, cool air carried that sour odor of magic that permeated everything. Even the walls stank of it.
    Owl must have seen her wrinkle her nose. He said, "Please forgive the air if it's bad. The Order is first one of magicians, and