The Gift of Intelligence

"One wrong move, and you'll do more than see. Giddyap." The team lurched forward.

Jess suspected nothing would happen to him for a while. At least not until he spoke to Huskus. In silence, he brooded as he rode along. As hard as he pondered, Jess finally reconciled himself to the reality that he could do nothing. A half an hour passed before they arrived at any kind of building.

It was long and low, its outer walls solid, no windows or doors. Two Gillyas stood at one end of the building guarding an entrance.

"Welcome to your lodgings. Get out of the wagon."

When he did not move quickly enough, two of the soldiers shoved him. He fell out of the wagon and hit the ground with a thud.

"You fools. You're not supposed to hurt him." The one who spoke seemed to be the commander. He pulled two swords out of his scabbards. Silently and deadly, he drove the swords into the chests of the men who shoved Jess. They grunted and disappeared in a puff of dust. The commander calmly picked up his swords while two of the other soldiers lifted Jess to his feet.

"Dragon teeth. You ought to see what it does to flesh, boy." He slid the swords into their scabbards. "Take him in. Lock him up. You men will guard him until I return with word from Huskus."

He climbed up into the seat of the wagon next to the driver. "Let's go, and hurry." As they rolled away, the remaining guards encircled Jess and led him to the door. The doorman laughed as he unlocked the building. "Welcome to the kennel," he said.