Adventurers Wanted, Book 4: Sands of Nezza Read Online Free

they be bandits, preparing to attack a lone traveler in these wild lands? Alex stood up and leaned on his staff. He gazed into the darkness. There was no sound for a long time, and then a voice called out, “Hello the camp. Are you friend or foe to Lord Bray?”
    “I am neither,” Alex called back. “I do not know Lord Bray, but I have no quarrel with him.”
    There was silence again, and then the voice called out, “Stand still and do not run. If you try to flee, we will regard you as an enemy.”
    Alex waited. Slowly, three horses approached, shadowy figures appearing at the edge of the firelight. They looked like the soldiers he had seen along the main road earlier that day. If their master, Lord Bray, was the one trying to block the road, they might be able to tell him all kinds of interesting things.
    “Warm yourselves,” said Alex in a kindly tone as the riders approached and stopped their horses. “You look as if you’ve ridden far.”
    “Far enough,” said a grim-faced man who was obviously in charge. “But we’ll not share your fire—not until we know where things stand.”
    “As you wish,” said Alex, taking his seat. He laid his staff across his knees and watched the three men.
    “You say you do not know Lord Bray, yet you travel his lands,” the grim-faced man said.
    “I travel many lands,” said Alex offhandedly. “I did not know that these wild lands had a master.”
    “Lord Bray rules the lands from the Silver River to the magic arch,” the man declared.
    “I’ve never seen a magic arch so well protected,” said Alex.
    “We guard our lands and keep the evils from other lands from entering ours,” said the man.
    “I did not know the land needed protection,” said Alex.
    “Then you know little of this land,” the man answered, looking surprised. “Much evil has already come into our lands from the outside—or at least that’s what we are told.”
    “Come, sit down and let us speak of this,” said Alex, waving his hand.
    All three men climbed off their horses and moved forward to sit by the small fire. They looked tired, as if they were about to fall asleep.
    Alex mumbled a few words, casting a spell to relax the men in front of him. The magic would not force the men to tell the truth, but it would make them comfortable enough that they would speak freely.
    “Tell me what evils you fear,” said Alex. “Tell me why so many men have been sent to watch the magic arch.”
    “Lord Bray has commanded us to watch the arch and stop any travelers who enter our land,” the man replied in a monotone voice, completely under Alex’s spell. “He tells us that there are dangers beyond the arch and that we must prevent those dangers from entering our lands. He says that all the wars of Nezza have been fought because of evil from beyond the arch.”
    “But you do not believe what he says?” Alex prompted.
    “There is enough evil in Nezza. We need not look outside this land to find what troubles us,” the man answered. “Bray is weak and only repeats what Lord Lazar of Karmus tells him.”
    “Tell me about Lazar of Karmus.”
    The man’s expression changed to one of contempt. “Lazar claims to be king of Nezza, but his claim is false, and the people know it. He is an evil man who only wants power and riches for himself. He has killed many people to gain his power, and some say he has even killed members of his own family to keep the power he has. With his nephew Prince Rallian missing, perhaps those stories are true.”
    “Bray does as Lazar commands?” Alex questioned.
    “Bray fears Lazar and does all that Lazar commands him to do. It is said that Lazar knows dark magic and has used it to control Bray and others. There are many stories told of Lazar and what he can do, though I have never seen him do more than bully those who serve him.”
    “Tell me about Prince Rallian,” said Alex.
    “He is, or was, a good man,” the soldier answered. Sadness replaced the contempt on his