Huge Ajax's Arc

Chapter 79 of 619

They rode north until the light thinned and the land opened into low grass. Ajax called the halt near a stand of alders by a creek. The cart with the two collared sleepers rolled to a stop. Chalam climbed down with a fresh vial in his hand and set it on a flat stone. "I need the river town before we ride it," Ajax said. "The woman. Where she sits." Chalam nodded. He cut Ajax's thumb with a small blade and let three drops fall into the vial. He spoke the woman's name low. The water inside went pale, then cleared. "A wooden house on the river's east bank," Chalam said. "Two stories. She sits by a window on the upper floor. Four men in the yard. One at the door. The seat is under the floor of a shed behind the house." "Guards on the shed?" "Two. She feeds it herself at dawn." Ajax pressed his thumb against his palm. "Two days if we push. One if we ride through the night." "Push," Chalam said. "But eat first. And sleep an hour." Ajax turned to give the order and found Tucker already pulling his vest off by the creek. His two gold chains swung against his chest. He tossed the vest on a rock. "Marco," Tucker called. "Field's flat. Grass is soft. Come settle it." Marco was at the cart, checking the ropes on the sleepers. He looked up. "Settle what." "Who's stronger." Tucker cracked his neck. "You said you were, back on the ride. I let it stand. I don't want it standing anymore." Marco huffed once through his nose. He walked over, unbuttoning his shirt as he came. He folded it and laid it on Tucker's vest. His gold chain caught the last of the sun. "First to pin," Marco said. "No hitting." "No hitting," Tucker agreed. Grayson leaned on his saddle to watch. Asher grinned and sat down in the grass. Elara crossed her arms. Chalam kept working with his vial but glanced up. They circled once, hands out. Tucker went in low and got an arm around Marco's waist. Marco hooked his leg and they went down together in the grass. They rolled. Tucker got on top. Marco bridged and threw him. Tucker landed on his back with a grunt and laughed. They went again. This time Marco caught Tucker's wrist, twisted under his arm, and drove him flat. He put a knee on Tucker's chest and pinned the wrist to the dirt. "Yield," Tucker said, still laughing. "Grandmother's blood, huh." "Something like that." Marco stood and pulled Tucker up by the hand. They clapped each other's shoulders, breathing hard, grass in their hair. Ajax watched them dust off and reach for their shirts. Two men who could kill each other, laughing in the grass. It was the kind of thing a brotherhood was built from. "Eat," Ajax said. "One hour. Then we ride."