Magic girls of multivers.., p.16
Magic Girls of Multiverse Inn 7, page 16
“What do you mean?” Astrea frowned.
“Well, I’ll tell ya,” Billy said slowly. “Us men in the posse got ourselves ready for a long ride and a brutal fight. We set off at dawn and rode north all day. Nobody knew much about where the bandits were, but they always seemed to approach from the north and disappear back that way, so it seemed like a good place to start. There were ten of us altogether. One of the finest groups of men I ever met. Each was brave, strong, and knew how to use his gun.”
Billy paused for a second as if he was lost in the memories of his dead friends.
“Anyway,” he continued and shook his head. “At dusk, we made camp in what we thought was a good spot. The Lawbringer had ridden on ahead of the party and found it, and he said he’d scouted the area, too, and that there was no danger. We got down from our horses and tethered them to the nearby trees, then we started to set up the tents and build fires for supper. And that’s when it happened.”
“When what happened?” Sigrid whispered.
“The bandits came,” Billy said in a throaty voice. “They just appeared out of some trees nearby and started shootin’. It was an ambush, clear and simple. We didn’t stand a chance.”
“But I thought you said the Lawbringer had checked the area,” Farrah said.
Billy raised a skeptical eyebrow. “He claimed he did. Even when I questioned him about it later, he said he’d checked the trees and there was no one there. Problem is, if he’d checked thoroughly, he would’ve spotted ‘em. That patch of trees is small, so there’s no way he could’ve missed ‘em if he went looking.”
Billy sighed and ran a hand over his head.
“Now, as I see it, there’s a few different options for what happened,” he continued. “One, the bandits materialized from thin air, so the Lawbringer wouldn’t have been able to spot them. Two, he saw ‘em, but he somehow mistook them and their horses for tree trunks, so he didn’t give ‘em a second thought. Three, he knew they were there all along, and he knowingly led us into a trap.”
Billy’s tone had become laced with cold fury, and his eyes were steely.
“Now,” he said. “If we discount one and two as being physically impossible, then that leaves us with three. If ya ask me, he knew exactly what he was doing, and he deliberately made us camp in that spot so the entire posse could be murdered in cold blood.”
“Shit,” I breathed.
“If that’s true, it’s a completely heartless thing to do,” Izzie muttered.
“Ain’t it just?” Billy murmured. “But I’m not sure that bastard even has a heart…”
“How did you get away?” Farrah asked.
“The bandits chose a moment when we were off our guard and most vulnerable,” Billy explained softly. “Most of the guys were away from their horses, so the bandits could easily ride ‘em down. We fought back as much as we could, but they shot half our group before we even knew what was happening. My horse had started limping ever so slightly toward the end of the day, so I hadn’t tethered her like the others, and I was investigating the problem when the bandits burst out of the trees.”
I discreetly glanced at Prinna to see if Billy was telling the truth so far. My white blonde witch caught my eye and nodded immediately.
Well, that was positive at least. I liked Billy’s gruff humor and his straight-talking. I would’ve been disappointed to find out he was lying to us.
“I was one of the lucky ones,” the two-fingered man continued. “I jumped on my horse immediately, limp or no limp, and that gave me an advantage over the poor bastards who’d been setting up the tents and gathering firewood. I managed to wound a couple of bandits, and I think I killed another, but there were too many of them. I was under fire from all sides, and it didn’t take long before every single one of my companions lay dead.”
Billy heaved a heavy sigh, then he raised his right hand and waggled his thumb and two remaining fingers at us.
“That’s how this happened,” he said, and then he gestured to his scarred face. “And this. I’m told I wasn’t a bad-looking man before, but a couple of bullets and a slash from a knife had a negative effect on my appearance. Well, at least Marissa still loves me, and the children won’t even remember me before the scars.”
“It makes you look distinguished and brave.” Izzie smiled.
Billy laughed but said nothing.
“You fought back as much as you could,” I said.
“That’s pretty much the size of it,” Billy replied. “One thing I’d noticed during the fighting, though, was that every bullet somehow missed the Lawbringer. Ain’t that strange? He ‘fought’ back, but none of his bullets seemed to be hitting the bandits, neither, though I could’ve sworn one or two clipped men in the posse.”
I almost spat out my tea. “You think he actually tried to kill his own men?”
Billy shrugged. “I don’t know. It looked that way, but everything was so chaotic, I couldn’t be entirely sure. I’ve lain awake enough nights and tried to remember, but time does funny things to memory… What I do know is that I saw him taken prisoner by the bandits. I knew I wouldn’t be able to free him myself, especially not when my face was all cut up and my hand was bleeding so much. I was a wreck.”
“So, that’s when you escaped?” Prinna asked.
“Indeed it is, miss,” Billy answered. “I made that horse run as fast as she could, despite her limp. And I have to say, I think her speed might well have saved my life. The bandits followed me for as long as they could, but I breed good horses, and I feed ‘em well. They’re the fastest you’ll get in these parts, and the best trained. There was no way they could catch us.”
A smile ghosted across his face at the mention of his horses, and I remembered Cody’s words about how much Billy loved his animals.
“What’s her name?” I asked. “The horse who saved you.”
“Her name’s Dancer,” Billy murmured. “And it suited her well that day. She danced around the bullets and managed to get us out of danger, even though I later found out she had a stone embedded in her hoof, so she must’ve been in pain. But we didn’t stop until we were all the way back to town and could raise the alarm.”
“And what happened then?” Kaz asked.
“I told the people everything I knew,” Billy replied. “We stayed up all night waiting to see if the bandits would attack, or if the Lawbringer would return. Eventually, he came back the next evening and said he’d managed to escape. I hear he’s been giving out the same story every time he’s the only one to come back.”
I looked at Prinna to see if Billy was still being honest. Her hazel eyes met mine, and she nodded again.
So, if he was telling the truth, that meant the Lawbringer had lied about Billy being a coward and running away at the first bit of trouble.
“So, you think the Lawbringer planned it all?” I mused. “And that he’s working with the bandits?”
“I’m almost certain of it,” Billy sighed. “It’s too convenient that he escapes every time when everyone else is killed. I know he’s a great shot, but still…”
“But what’s his motive?” Farrah asked. “Why would he be betraying the town like that?”
“Them bandits are getting rich,” Billy said in a disgusted voice. “Cattle, valuables, gold, food, they’ve got everything they need. If the Lawbringer gets a cut, it’s a nice little deal for him. He gets the adoration of the town, and at the same time, he’s receiving payments from the bandits. Plus, every dead posse weakens the town further. Maybe his ultimate plan is for the bandits to take it over, once there’s no one left to defend it.”
“It’s an interesting theory,” I said. “Do you want to know what he told us about you?”
Billy’s eyes narrowed, and he nodded. “Go on.”
“The Lawbringer told us you were a coward,” I said. “He told us you ran the moment the first shot was fired, and that you left them all to their fate.”
A guttural growl escaped Billy’s throat, and his eyes flashed with fire.
“I don’t believe him,” I said quickly. “We know you’re telling us the truth. But I thought you should know what he’s saying.”
“Bastard,” Billy spat. “If he thinks I’m going to let him get away with that…”
He trailed off, and then he huffed wearily and shook his head.
“Ah, what the hell,” he sighed. “If that’s what he wants to say, let him say it. I’m through with him. I have been for a long time.”
“Well, everyone else in the town respects you,” Kaz said softly. “And he lowered his voice to make sure they couldn’t hear when he told us those lies.”
“Yeah, that sounds about right,” Billy muttered. “He’s a sly one, that Lawbringer. Always has been. We never really saw eye to eye, but after I escaped from the bandits, things got even worse. I confronted him about it once, but he denied it, of course. I just wish the inhabitants of Silver Ridge weren’t suffering so much because of him.”
“We’re hoping to change that,” I said. “And that information has been really helpful, thank you. It makes us even more certain that we have to be very careful around him.”
Billy nodded grimly. “You’re taking your life in your hands by going out there with him. Are you sure you want to do that? I mean, you’re a venturer, you can cross the Boundless and go anywhere. Why stay here and take on such a dangerous job?”
I furrowed my eyebrows. “We can’t just leave a situation like this and feel good about it. We’ve helped a lot of realms in the past, and I think we can help Silver Ridge, too. Plus, we love a good adventure. And, obviously, the bounty money is another incentive.”
“Well, they’re all good reasons,” Billy said. “And I think your hearts are in the right place… So, I’ll do everything I can to help you. If you can stop the bandits, it would give a much-needed boost to the town. And if you discover the Lawbringer’s in on it, too, then I’d appreciate it if you came back and told me. Together, we might be able to get the townsfolk to believe us.”
“We will,” I promised.
“I’d offer to come with you,” Billy said in a wistful voice. “But I’m too injured, really. I can defend my home and care for my cattle, but I think my fightin’ days are coming to an end. Besides, the Lawbringer suspects me of suspecting him, so it just wouldn’t work. Plus, I’ve got Marissa and the girls to look out for. Even with the dogs to defend ‘em, I don’t want to leave ‘em unprotected for days at a time. Not with the current situation.”
“That’s understandable,” I said. “We really appreciate your help. Thank you.”
“Do you have any idea where the bandit hideout is?” Izzie asked.
Billy shook his head. “No, we never got close to it. That’s the problem, ain’t it? Only the Lawbringer has an idea of where it might be, but he could very well be working with ‘em anyway. You’ll have to keep your wits about you, that’s for sure.”
“Yeah,” I murmured and looked at my ladies. “I think we can do it, but I won’t force any of you to come with me. What do you want to do?”
“I’m right behind you,” Izzie said immediately.
“So am I,” Sigrid added.
“Absolutely.” Prinna smiled.
“Silly question,” Kaz laughed.
Astrea nodded. “I’ll come, too.”
Farrah cocked her head to one side and chewed her lower lip thoughtfully.
“Weeeell,” she said. “I don’t know. I mean, it involves camping, and guns, and danger, and mud… And horses.”
Her words were hesitant, but there was a mischievous twinkle in her eye, and a moment later she burst out giggling.
“Of course I’m coming, too!” she said. “But I almost got you there, didn’t I?”
“You did,” I chuckled. “Okay, then. Looks like we’re going.”
Billy eyed us with a smile. “You’ve got a fine group of ladies, Sam. You look after them out there, you hear? It’s dangerous territory. The women of Silver Ridge wouldn’t even think about going after the bandits.”
“Ah, but we’re not the women of Silver Ridge,” Izzie said with a playful grin.
“Nope,” Kaz said proudly. “We’re the women of the Multiverse Inn.”
Love bloomed in my chest at her words, and I wanted to kiss every single one of the beautiful ladies who shared my inn with me.
“The women of where?” Billy asked with a confused look.
“Nothing,” I chortled. “Just a place in our home realm. So, what’s the next step? Are you still willing to loan us some horses?”
“I think that can be arranged.” Billy smiled. “Just so long as you promise to look after ‘em, too.”
“We promise,” I said, and my ladies nodded in agreement.
Billy beckoned us to follow him, then he limped over to the back door.
“I haven’t let them out into the paddock yet,” he explained as he hobbled down the steps onto the grass. “It was on my list of things to do, but then some persistent whippersnappers spoiled my morning plans and wouldn’t leave me alone, so I got distracted.”
“Sorry,” I chuckled. “Must’ve been extremely annoying.”
“You should shoot them next time,” Izzie teased.
Billy gave a deep belly laugh and turned to my pirate lover with twinkling eyes.
“Ah, I suppose they’re not so bad,” he said.
Marissa and their daughters had clearly finished feeding the goats, and Clementine was playing with a collection of wooden toys on the grass not far away. Her mother sat on a nearby rock and bounced Bonnie on her lap, and the green-eyed woman raised a hand in greeting to us.
We waved back and followed Billy toward a long, low structure about fifty yards away from the house. Attached to it was a large, empty paddock, and soft whinnies and the tramp of hooves emanated from inside.
“Have you bred horses ever since you had the ranch?” Astrea asked with interest.
“I have,” Billy explained. “My father used to breed ‘em back when I was a boy. They’re wonderful animals, and I always knew that if I ever got my own ranch, I’d make sure to breed horses, too. These ones are highly prized in Silver Ridge. Most folk can’t afford my prices, but when I sell a horse, we have enough to live on for more than a year, and that’s without the other income from the cattle and such.”
“That’s impressive,” I said. “You must be worried the bandits will try and steal them if they’re that valuable.”
“That’s why I keep them in here at night,” Billy said as he unlocked the sturdy barn door. “The dogs would wake me up if someone were creepin’ about, and these locks would give me time to get down here with my gun and see them off.”
He paused after unlocking the door, and he turned to my ladies and me.
“Are you ready to meet them?” he asked with twinkling eyes.
“Sure are.” I grinned.
Billy pulled open the door, then we stepped inside the dimly-lit barn. It smelled of hay and leather, and the air was thick and warm.
And there, right in front of us, were the horses.
Chapter 10
There were ten stalls in total, with five on either side of a central walkway through the stables.
“Are all of these full?” I asked.
“They are,” Billy replied proudly. “Might have to build another barn at this rate.”
The moment they saw Billy, the horses whinnied and stamped their hooves with excitement.
“They’re happy,” Kaz giggled.
“They know it’s time to be let out,” Billy chuckled. “Come on, we’ll get ‘em into the paddock, and you can see ‘em run. Can one of you open that door at the far end?”
Prinna immediately walked over and pushed open the large double doors on the other side of the barn, and sunlight flooded into the dark building.
Izzie and Farrah kept close to me as Billy started unbolting the stall doors, but there was a curious light dancing in my lovers’ eyes, and I hoped it wouldn’t take long before they felt more comfortable around the four-legged beasts.
The first horse Billy let out neighed joyously, then it trotted down the walkway and out into the paddock.
Astrea leaned over one of the stalls and started stroking a gray horse.
“Do you need any help getting them out?” she asked Billy over her shoulder.
“That would be appreciated, miss,” he replied as he opened another stall.
My beautiful inventor and Billy quickly made their way down the line of stalls, and one by one, the horses trotted out into the sunlight with a series of happy whinnies and snorts.
“They’re big,” Farrah whispered. “I’m not sure how I feel about riding one.”
“You’ll be okay,” I said in a reassuring voice.
Billy paused before the last stall, and he shot us a proud smile.
“You know that mare I was telling you about, Dancer?” he asked. “The one who saved my life out there? Well, she’s recently foaled, every bit as perfect as she is. Take a look.”
He slid the bolt across and pulled open the stall door. He murmured a few soft words, and a dappled gray horse slowly walked out. Following the horse was a leggy foal with exactly the same markings, and it had huge, dark eyes that observed everything with a kind of innocent wonder. It kept close by its mother at all times, and the pair ambled down the walkway and out through the doors.
“Oh, how cute!” Prinna said as they passed.
“Gorgeous, aren’t they?” Billy grinned. “I’ve named the filly Prancer.”
“Dancer and Prancer,” Prinna laughed. “I love that.”
Once they’d gone outside, Billy grabbed some bridles and ropes, then he beckoned for us to follow him.
“I’m guessing y’all haven’t ridden before?” he asked.
“I have,” Astrea replied. “I’ve been around horses most of my life.”
“Excellent,” the eight-fingered man replied. “That explains why you’re so comfortable around them. What about the rest of yous?”
“I rode a few times when I was younger,” I said. “But I’m not exactly an expert, so some instruction would be handy.”
