Wolfsbane Winter Read Online Free

have mucked about telling us stories first.”
    “We can’t risk it.” Dace was now standing toe-to-toe with Faren.
    “The risk is in doing what he said. If the wand was as powerful as he’s trying to make out, he wouldn’t need us to lay down our weapons. The only reason he told us to do it is because we outnumber his band and he wants us defenseless so he can slit our throats.”
    “You don’t know that.”
    “I’d say it was a sure bet. Either way, I’m not gonna put myself at the mercy of renegade scum like him.”
    “You can’t—”
    This time, Brise interrupted. “Faren’s right. The Iron Wolves don’t like renegades. Martez won’t let us take our story back to Oakan. He’d be a marked man.”
    Dace still looked ready to argue. Faren ignored him. “Brise, you were telling us what you’d seen. What else?”
    “The gang stopped the other side of that ridge, just below the skyline.” Brise pointed. “The woman who was here with Martez headed off on her own. She has to be their scout. I thought about taking her out, but reckoned we needed information more, so I let her go and stayed watching the others. After a half hour she was back. I couldn’t hear what she said, but they weren’t happy.”
    “She saw we were putting up defenses, so she knew we’d spotted them.”
    Brise nodded. “That’s my guess too. They moved their camp down to the small lake in the valley, out on one of the islands in the marsh.”
    “Easily defended?”
    “Afraid so.”
    “No. It’s a good sign. It means they’re worried about us attacking them, which proves their magic wand doesn’t make them invincible.” Faren added the last point with a sideways glance at Dace.
    “I guess that’s the positive way of looking at it.” Brise gave a rueful smile. “Once they were all sorted on the island, Martez and the scout set out again. He was clearly the gang leader, so this time I followed. He spent a few minutes studying the camp from up on the hillside, before making the big show with his white flag, coming in to parley.”
    “You agree it was all bullshit about not killing us if we let him take the gold?”
    “Oh yes. He wouldn’t have admitted being a renegade if he’d any intention of us living long enough to tell the rest of the Wolves.” Brise frowned. “A bit stupid on his part, because it lets us know for sure that he’s bluffing.”
    “He couldn’t keep it a secret.” The speaker was Shea. “I recognized him. He was in Oakan at the same time as me, hanging out in the Wolves’ Den. He claimed he was looking for work too. I guess he was just looking for tips on where to find miners he could rob.”
    Faren rubbed his chin thoughtfully. “I wonder if that explains how he knew where we are. Any idea who he talked to?”
    There was no need for Shea to answer. One miner’s face held an expression of unease bordering on nausea, far too blatant for anyone to miss.
    “You spoke to him?” Faren challenged.
    The miner licked his lips. “Yeah. A bit. Like Shea said, he was in Oakan, making out like he was an Iron Wolf looking for work. We just chatted.” He glared around defensively. “I was supposed to be hiring more guards. How could I do that without talking to them?”
    “What did you tell him?”
    “I don’t remember it all. We just chatted one evening in the tavern. Talking about all sorts. He seemed friendly. Bought me a drink.”
    “Only the one?”
    “Well…” The miner swallowed and stared at the ground.
    Faren gave a sigh of exasperation. “Fucking fantastic. So Martez knows how many Wolves are here, how our supplies stand, and probably what your granny’s name is too.”
    “If it’s so obvious he’s going to kill us, why did he waste his breath talking?” Dace still wanted to argue.
    Brise shrugged. “An excuse to study our defenses close up, I’d guess. Maybe buying himself time as well. He’s hoping we’ll wait to see what happens at noon tomorrow before we make our own