Chilled exorcist.

Chapter 23: "There were more of them anyway"

We entered the city. The townspeople fled in horror. Carriages stopped on the road to let us pass. The horses neighed in displeasure and fear as we followed the streets to the estate of one of the representative citizens.

There was a clang of steel. The guards at the gate parted to let us through.

"We were warned of your arrival, carrion killer," the fighter boomed in a pleasant timbre from under the visor of his helmet. The fame of the hunter who tamed the warg has spread far. That's why one of the local nobles invited us to serve him.

I examined the fighters in front of the gate; somehow there were surprisingly few of them, only two, and this despite the fact that the post in front of the gate provided even a small structure for guards. It was empty now. The small garden in front of the manor is also overgrown from neglect. It seemed that almost all the servants had simply run away. It is likely that the business of the nobleman who invited us is not going well.

Following a small path overgrown with moss, we entered the main building of the estate, as the doors were open, and saw our employer. He was glad to see us too.

"Why did you bring Varg here?" he shouted, jumping with his feet on the sofa on which he had just been sitting. The assumed complacency fell off his face, like a leaky alchemist's mask, as soon as the nobleman saw Zu, who entered after us. He was trembling, and the wine from the glass splashed around. "It's a dangerous predator!"

Zu aggravated the situation and decided to add fuel to the fire by growling at an inadequate person. I covered her eyes with my palm. Or rather, the eye, because the puppy has already become really big. And the almost adult varg sat down complacently, shaking his big ears. The dwarf was studying with him. From the very beginning of his training, he rehearsed several tricks to subdue, if necessary, an adult predator.

"You called, dear Retreyon Yodmunheim, and here we are," I said cautiously. After my words, a distant descendant of the famous pirate captain Dawn pointed at Zu. I shook my head, and then, pulling himself together, the nobleman calmed down a little.

"Does he bite?" the nobleman asked with a grimace of horror and interest. An amazing man, his voice has already returned to normal.

"She is. Her name is Zu, and she won't do anything without a command."

"And cheese," I mentally added to myself.

"However, outsiders have nothing to know about our secrets," I thought, and secretly shoved the secret treat under Varg's nose.

"So it's a girl?" Will there be puppies?" the nobleman asked and drank from a glass of wine that had not been released from his hands. He was still trembling slightly. I sighed. "He's scared, shaking like a leaf, but he's asking about puppies. That's why he needs it? He will not keep the varga in the pasture, but a ban in the kennel, embittering the freedom-loving animal with such content."

I shook my head.

"It's still early! She's just a puppy!" the dwarf exclaimed.

"The puppy!" the nobleman exclaimed and looked at the ceiling, as if it was an amazing joke and he had a guess-the answer to it. This finally brought the descendant of Yodmunheim's distant ancestor to his senses, and he stopped trembling. Thawing out, Retreyon got down to business.

"I need your help," he turned to us, "my people are being attacked and killed by my enemies. I've done too much to annoy the diverse public of this city by being a judge. Now, here, I need to go to my old friend. And my informants and trusted people all say the same thing as one. That's why I'm sure there will be an ambush along the way."

This time the Dwarf was ahead of me and turned to the noble citizen first.

"Gold, at least two hundred!" the dwarf shouted before I could say anything.

"I agree!" the nobleman agreed without bargaining. It was painful to look at the dwarf. I shook my head and asked, "What is the composition chosen for the crew? Who will accompany you?"

"I'll take three of my guards, and there will be a driver. I wanted to take them all, but I don't have many people left... some of them will have to be left to guard the house and the old butler. He's the only magician left," the nobleman shook his head and lowered it, then after a couple of moments he caught himself and added, "as well as you."

I nodded in confirmation.

So we volunteered to accompany the judge's stagecoach. The dwarf climbed up to the top of the cart to take the shooter's place next to the driver, so the guards and I followed her on foot. When the driver confidently pulled on the reins and the carriage began to move, I sent the young predator to hunt in the forest. Therefore, when the bandits blocked our way, she was not there.

It happened in a small undergrowth at a bend. Here, at the exit of a small village, the crew slowed down, trying not to fly into a ditch when our path was blocked.

Three confident fighters took to the road. Skinny, Big and Savage. Skinny was holding a crossbow. The bully shifted from one foot to the other in the center with a huge two-handed sword and in the gorgeous armor of a knight with an open visor. It was obvious that the armor was a little out of size and pressed on his nose. To the right of the Big Man with two axes and a naked torso, a Savage was breathing heavily.

When we stopped, the Big Guy, apparently the leader, spoke up, "And who is it we have here? Drive the loot and the mongrel of this... What's his name? Reire, ugh, Rhea is shorter," the bandit pointed with a metal glove.