Huge Ajax's Arc

Chapter 495 of 619

Grayson's voice came through the caller ring at dawn. Ajax stood on the island wall and listened. "Black Oak holds," Grayson said. "But the wall needs six more men. I can't drill and guard the gate both." Ajax lowered the ring. The island was manned by hired swords. Black Oak was thirty strong but stretched thin. He needed fresh fighters trained at home, and he needed his sworn brothers back under one roof. He decided to send Marco and JD to find the men. Between the two brothers, no liar would slip past. He called them to the hall. Marco came first, gold chain at his open collar, gold bracelet on his wrist. He read men's thoughts and caught every lie. JD followed, tall and blonde, a matching bracelet on his own arm. They had worked together since boys and made no move apart. "Grayson's short six swords at Black Oak," Ajax said. "Sail south. Find clean men. Vet them before they board." "How many should we look at?" JD asked. "As many as it takes to find six good ones," Ajax said. "Better to turn away twenty than take one rotten man." Marco nodded. "I'll listen. JD watches the face." He glanced at his brother. "He's slower than me. He'll say so himself." "I am," JD said flatly. "I get there." Chalam looked up from the hearth where he sat with his staff across his knees. His blue robe hung open. "JD's gift is thin still," he said. "I strengthened Marco's reach once. I can do the same for the brother." He set his staff aside and drew a pressed disc of chalk from his satchel. "Sit," he told JD. "Close your eyes. Push your listening outward, past the walls. I'll hold the thread steady." JD sat on the bench. Chalam pressed the chalk to the back of his neck and spoke low words. JD's jaw tightened. His hands gripped his knees. "There's a man on the dock," JD said. "He's counting coin in his head. And two by the grain store, arguing." His eyes opened. "I heard them. Clear." "You reached the dock," Marco said. "That took me a week." Dry warmth crossed his face, then passed. "Good." Chalam wiped the chalk clean. "It will hold now. He can screen a whole harbor tavern without me." Ajax gripped JD's shoulder. "Then you're both ready. Sail at the tide. Bring six clean swords to Black Oak, no more, no less." Marcus took them south on the next run. Four days later JD's voice came through the ring. "Six men," he said. "All clean. Marco and I checked each one twice. Grayson's swearing them tonight." Ajax stood on the wall and let out a breath. Black Oak would have its full thirty. But Marco, JD, and Chalam now stood eight days north with him, and the brotherhood was still scattered across the sea.