Chapter 365 A Deb (1/2)

With the large group's sluggish pace, Arran soon began to feel as if the journey to the ht from the mines to the city, it had taken less than a week to arrive But now, traveling with a priest, acolytes, soldiers, servants, and supply carts, their travel was slow enough that teeks passed before they even approached the h the slow pace caused Arran some frustration, he didn't particularly mind the journey

The landscape they crossed was nothing if not beautiful, with the road leading thereen fields, speckled with farms that reminded Arran of his childhood

And while he had no intention of courting Muna, he could not deny that he enjoyed the attention she gave him Even if that only added to the hostile looks he received from the other Darians

Still, he was relieved when he finally saw the mines appear in the distance

It was no secret that the Wolfsblood Coer in the Desolation, and if they were to survive, they would need every bit of preparation they could get And the sooner they could get started on that, the better

Their welcome came sooner than expected Near the mines lay a sroup had barely entered it when a voice called out, ”They're back! The captain has returned!”

Arran recognized the man who had yelled as a member of the Wolfsblood Coer confined to thecauessed that Rannoc's troops had treated them well

Others took up the call al an uproar within the small town More of the Wolfsblood Co into the streets froe crowd had formed around the captain, Arran, and Sassun

The hardened iddy with excitement as they saw their captain had returned, and a dozen different questions sounded from a dozen different mouths, all at once

Kaleesh received the attention with a broad grin, clearly just as happy to see his troops again as they were to see him

But then, a loud voice sounded ”Captain! You're back!”

Arran didn't even need to look to know the voice belonged to Gar But while Gar's appearance did not surprise him, he raised an eyebrohen he saw the e and burly as the giant commander, he was bald and clad in an untidy set of Darian arrin on his face If Arran didn't know any better, he could have thought the -lost brother

Yet Arran Sensed ier at his side, which could only ht

”Captain!” Gar repeated as he approached, his expression joyful ”Good to see you've made it back alive!”

Kaleesh nodded, aotten yourself killed” He glanced at the Knight ”And who ht said ”Lord Rannoc put ave her a small bow ”Muna”

”Rahm,” she replied with a nod She looked around at theorder?”

Rahured they could do with sos kept theust ”Glad that bastard is dead”

”Captain,” Gar interjected, a look of excite on his face ”Rahm has a present for you One I think you'll like”

”A present?” Kaleesh shot hiave a firet to the carin

Muna cast a curious look at Rah the others I think the town has seen enough exciteain soroup as they headed toward thecamp

As they covered the final few miles, Gar explained what had happened in their absence, which turned out to be very little The Wolfsblood Co after Rannoc's ar ca for an attack from Kadun's army, but it was an attack that never materialized Word of the Lord's demise had spread before his troops could reach the mines, and with their ruler dead, the army had soon dispersed

Which had left Gar and Rahm with little to do but drink — a task which they'd both addressed with great enthusias staunch allies in their quest to drain the nearby town of its wine reserves

Naturally, Gar asked the captain about the events in the city, too, and he listened with astonishate

”You killed an entire army?” he asked Arran, his eyes ith astonishment ”By yourself?”

”Not an entire army,” Arran replied truthfully — the captain had embellished the story more than a bit ”And most of theave hi,” he said, his expression ponderous