Huge Ajax's Arc

Chapter 88 of 619

They rode north through the afternoon and camped at the edge of a wheat field gone to weed. The next name on Ajax's list sat in a low stone farmhouse a mile past the field. Renn had given up the location under Marco's pressure days back. Ajax wanted to know what waited inside before he moved. At dusk he called Marco forward. Marco swung down and left his horse with Tucker. He walked to Ajax with his shirt open at the collar, gold chain flat against his chest, gold bracelet catching the last light. "How close do you need to be?" Ajax said. "Closer than this." They went on foot through the weeds. Chalam followed at ten paces with his new staff. Grayson kept watch at the tree line. Ajax stopped when the roof came into view over the rise. Smoke rose from the chimney. One horse stood tied at the post. "Here," Marco said. He knelt in the dirt and closed his eyes. Ajax crouched beside him and waited. Marco's breathing slowed. A full minute passed. Then another. "Four men," Marco said. His voice was flat. "One in the loft. Two at the table. One in the back room with a woman." "The woman on the list?" "She's on the list. She's scared. She's been fed the same story all week. That someone is coming for her." "They know we're coming?" "They know someone is coming. Not tonight. They think tomorrow." Ajax watched his face. Marco did not open his eyes. "The one in the loft has a bow across his knees," Marco said. "The two at the table are drinking. One of them wears a collar." Ajax's jaw set. "Only one?" "Only one." "What's he thinking?" Marco was quiet. His hand went to the dirt and pressed flat. "He's thinking about a name," Marco said. "He's holding it in his head like a bell. Waiting for it to ring." "The Keeper." "He's waiting for the Keeper to speak through him." Ajax felt the new ring warm against his finger. The green stone held. The Keeper could not see him. But a collared man in that house could still call out the moment he glimpsed Ajax's shape in the door. "Can you hold him?" Ajax said. "Like you held the two in the cart?" Marco opened his eyes. "One is easier than two. I can hold him while you cross the field. I can hold him while you cut his throat. After that he won't call anyone." Ajax nodded once. He put a hand on Marco's shoulder and lifted him up. They went back through the weeds to the others. Ajax pulled the map from his coat and spread it on his saddle. "Four inside," he said. "One collar. Marco takes the collar. Grayson and I take the table. Chalam holds the door. We move at moonrise."