Free Chronicles of Gilderam: Book One: Sunset by Kevin Kelleher Page A

enter a five-story machinery shop. They had to wait for a deluge of customers to exit before they could get near the doors, and when they finally did, a clerk appeared with a “Closed” sign and hung it up.
    “Sorry, Lords – My Lady,” he said, seeing Shazahd. She opened her mouth to say something, but stopped when he added, “We’re not open today.”
    “Not open?!” Galif exclaimed.
    “Today’s not a holy day,” said Pawl. “Why would you be closed?”
    “Holy day?” the clerk said. “Today’s the exact opposite. Boss told us to close, so now we’re closed. Sorry, My Lords. Lady.” Before they could protest any further, the clerk slammed the doors in their faces.
    “Of all the rudeness…” said Pawl, flummoxed.
    “I don’t think we’re going to find much help here,” Owein said. “Councilor Thalius’ death means that the Empress is free to declare war on Divar, and the Church is about to excommunicate the country.”
    “ Bacar …” Fulo swore.
    “Everyone’s gathering at some cathedral to witness the announcement,” Owein said. “We should probably head back to the ship. Things could turn ugly.”
    “Not yet,” said Shazahd. “There’s one more place we can try. This way.”
    They turned around, but a small group of young men was blocking their path in the street.
    “ Threithum corumuligo! ” one of them yelled, raising a fist in the appropriate salutation.
    “Pardon us,” said Shazahd, and tried to move around them. But the one who spoke stepped in her way.
    “Did you hear me?” he asked brazenly. “I said threithum corumuligo . Don’t you know the response?”
    Shazahd shot him a fiery look.
    “Every follower of the Book of Teric knows what to say…. You’re not a roccrash , are you?” He leaned sideways to get a better look at her ears.
    Owein stepped in front of her and said, “ Thos shenwemu . Now get out of our way.”
    “Easy, my brother, easy!” the young man said, laughing jovially. “I meant no offense. This is a trying time for our nation.” He patted Owein on the shoulder. “I had to know if you were a believer or not.”
    “Touch me again with that hand,” said Owein calmly, “and I’ll take it from you.”
    The boy tried not to recoil too obviously. His entourage stood a little straighter. Cavada noticed their hands were on the hilts of their swords.
    “Now get out of our way,” Owein ordered.
    The young man looked Owein up and down. Then he forced a meager laugh.
    “You know that damnable Empress is about to draw a line in the sand,” he said. “When it happens, she’ll split the Empire in two.” He took a step nearer Owein. “They’ll be those loyal to Her Majesty… and those loyal to the Church. You’ll want to be on the right side – the holy side – when it happens. Won’t you, friend?”
    “I’m not on anyone’s side. Friend .”
    “You’d turn your back on your gods? The Empress is about to sentence this entire nation to perish in the fires of Underearth! Are you going to stand by and let that happen?”
    “You better run along, kid.”
    Gor’m and Fulo took up position beside Owein. Cavada, caught up in the moment, was the last to realize what was going on, and hopped to Gor’m’s side. The young man hesitated before them, with an unsettling gleam of maniacal thrill behind his eyes. His posse was tense yet still, like a bunch of coiled springs.
    Then, to everyone’s surprise, the young man laughed out loud.
    “Very well!” he said. “You’re a good Follower of the Book, I can tell. May the gods favor you.” He started to lead his group away, but turned back abruptly. “Just one bit of advice,” he said. “You might want to keep your pointy-eared friend out of sight. Her kind is going to get a lot less popular around here.” And they left, though not without a few lingering stares. Fulo wiggled his thumb at them, an extremely offensive gesture between swordsmen.
    “Forget it,” said Shazahd. “Let’s get