Free Goldest and the Kingdom of Thorns by Joanne Durda

remedial herbal pain concoction.
I will deal with the both of them later
, an angry Theo thought to himself. We grow our booberry for pain and healing purposes, not to use in expanding or pleasuring our minds, Theo murmured to himself. The pleasure in our minds comes from the enjoyment of reading and studying the books, ancient recipes and scriptures in our vast library.
    A flabbergasted Savagio panned the fields of stick figures filled with protruding thorns, which were planted in the ground above their ankles, some to their knees, depending on each stick figure’s height, weight and growth.
    Oxon ignored Theo’s dark, disturbed look and walked boldly up to him. “Our army has been standing quietly, waiting patiently for their time to be uprooted tonight.”
    All noticed the incredulous look on Savagio’s face.
    “This,
this
is what I am to train to be warriors?” a bewildered Savagio asked.
    “What else did you expect from the Kingdom of Thorns?” Theo replied dryly.
    Meek was annoyed by Savagio’s reaction and usedhis mind and words to bend Savagio closer to them. “Savagio, if you think this is too much of a challenge for you, then we shall seek the assistance of another warrior like yourself to train our army.”
    Now Savagio was angry. “There is no challenge that I cannot handle! When will they be ready?”
    “First light tomorrow morning!” an excited Oxon exclaimed.
    “I will be ready for them. I wish to go back to my room and be alone tonight. The hour is late already. I will turn in early,” Savagio told them coldly.
    With those final words, Savagio turned and headed back to the Thorn Castle. “I have mixed emotions about this,” Savagio quietly told himself.
    Theo turned to one of his most trusted Monks. “Alme, please escort him back. We do not wish him to wander into our certain, so-called vengeful herbs.”
    Alme, understanding Theo’s spoken words, immediately followed close behind Savagio. Alme, too, did not want their vengeful herbal gardens to harm Savagio, who would be a stranger to those gardens. That could be quite disastrous to their cause, and negate the reason for him being here.
    Theo then turned to Imbecile. “Go with them, and fix Savagio a meal that will make him sleep deeply tonight.”
    “Y-y-yes, Brother.” Imbecile bowed in respect to Theo, turned and left them.
    “I shall go with him, Theo. He needs someone to pick him up when he stumbles. And I shall make sure that Savagio’s meal is prepared with worthiness,” a smiling Onion told Theo.
    “Throw together our nutritious mushrooms in hot cream with our special blackened herbs. That will surely make him more than drowsy tonight,” Meek suggested to Onion.
    Theo smiled to himself, knowing that Onion was careful to frame his words well, not really wanting him to know that the real reason behind his words was to help the unsteady Imbecile. After Onion left them, Theo turned to Meek and told him, “Those were well-spoken words to our warrior, Meek. You made him feel that he might not be capable of handling the given situation.”
    Meek snickered while feeling exultant that Theo had complimented his spoken words. Most Monks in the castle wanted to be noticed and complimented by Theo. They felt it was a special honor to be complimented by their leader. All wanted to be favored in some way, no matter how little.
    Octagon, who had remained quiet, stepped forward. “Savagio is not to be mocked in any way. He is smarter than my Brothers believe him to be.”
    “He most certainly thinks like a warrior. They are only wise in battle – and that is all,” Theo remarked to all.
    “Do not underestimate Savagio,” Octagon boldly told him.
    Theo raised his eyebrows at Octagon. “It is I who have nothing to fear, Brother.”
    Octagon looked darkly at Theo. Ebrix thought it not wise for Octagon to challenge Theo with words and cut in. “I shall take some of our Brothers and prepare our army’s bath for tonight.”
    Still