Huge Ajax's Arc

Chapter 190 of 619

They rode out at first light. Ajax led with Grayson at his shoulder. Chalam, Marco, Elara, and Asher followed. The split pine stood where the gnome had said. Ajax turned his horse into the creek bed and the others followed. The creek ran shallow over flat stones. Pine gave way to older wood. Moss thickened on the trunks. By midday the light dropped even though the sun was high. Ajax slowed his horse. The air smelled wrong here, sweet under the pine, like fruit gone soft. "Half mile," Chalam said. "The ward is close. I can feel where it was cut." They came around a bend and the house sat in a clearing. Two stories, dark timber, shutters closed. A low stone wall ran around it. The gate hung open. No smoke. No sound. Ajax reined up at the treeline. "We wait for the gnome. Dismount. Water the horses." Marco stayed in the saddle. His head turned slow toward the oaks on the north side of the clearing. He held up one hand. "Man in the tree," Marco said. "Third branch. Watching us since we came around the bend." Ajax did not look up. He set his hand on his father's blade. "Armed?" "Bow across his knees. Arrow not nocked." Marco tilted his head. "He's not thinking of killing us. He's counting us. Wondering which one is in charge." "Read him." Marco was quiet a moment. "Grove smell. He knows the ward. He came here looking for the same thing we did." Ajax stepped clear of his horse and turned toward the oak. He kept his hand off the blade. "Come down. We see you." A branch moved. A man dropped the last span to the ground and landed light. Average height. Muscled but not thick. Dark blonde hair to his shoulders, mustache, hair on his chin. Green sleeveless shirt open across a hairy chest. Brown leather pants. A yew bow in his left hand, unstrung across his palm. He walked out of the shade like he had been part of it. "Rowan Fisk," he said. "Raised in the grove two ridges over." Chalam lowered his staff. "The grove sent you." "No." Rowan looked at Ajax. "The groves are going quiet. Rot smell where there shouldn't be any. I tracked it here. The old woman who cut this ward killed something in my wood before she died. I want to know what was in this house that was worth it." Grayson's hand stayed near his hilt. Ajax watched Rowan's eyes. Clear. Steady. "Gnome meets us at dusk," Ajax said. "You wait with us. You go in behind me. You touch nothing until Chalam reads the room." Rowan nodded once. He crossed to the creek and knelt to drink like the offer was already settled. Tucker was not here to vet him. Marco was. Ajax caught his eye. Marco gave one short nod. Ajax had come for a house. He had a seventh man at his creek instead.