Read Dustland Requiem (A Bard's Folktale) Page 35


  Chapter 29. Confederates

  “Succeed at any cost—victors can rewrite their history.”

  – Annals of the Romero Family

  Arturo sat uncomfortably in the inn’s chair, Kody and Alma on both sides glaring at him in a less-than-friendly manner. Only Lorena seemed to offer any hint of kindness.

  “When’s Adelais gonna get back?” Alma asked.

  “Shouldn’t be too long,” Lorena replied.

  “We don’t need Adelais to get started. I’m here because we both have problems that need to be solved.”

  Arturo blew his dark, mangy locks out of his face, straightening his back and sitting up as best he could in the small chair.

  “Not taking help from a bandito. Walk away,” Kody commanded.

  “Your friend killed my brother. I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t need to be. Like you said, I’m a bandito, so we can do this the pleasant way, or you can march pigheadedly toward your deaths as you please.” Arturo looked over Alma as he spoke.

  “Wait, Adelais did what?” Lorena asked Arturo as the room door slammed against the wall.

  Adelais stormed in, already knowing who was in the chair. Arturo’s body lifted from the chair, creating a degree of turbulence as Adelais rushed him against a closet. Throwing a long knee into Adelais’s gut, Arturo freed himself, looking up at the man-sized behemoth.

  “You’re Adelais,” Arturo said.

  “An’ yer the bastard’s brother.”

  Adelais swung on Arturo, the latter narrowly dodging a powerful left hook to the temple. Arturo posted Adelais back, creating a gap between them. Before Adelais had an opportunity to renew his assault, Lorena stood between them.

  “Back off, Ade. You an’ I need ta’ have a talk—now.”

  Adelais pushed through Lorena, who threw a swift knee into Adelais’s groin, bringing him down hard. With Adelais reeling on the floor, Arturo took a moment to recompose himself. He took a step forward and offered a hand to Adelais. The hulking vagabond reluctantly accepted Arturo’s hand, pulling himself up. Once on his feet, Adelais began his attack anew. Again, Lorena reached out to stop Adelais, but this time was tossed back by his massive hand.

  “Adelais!” she cried out.

  Kody caught Lorena as Alma lunged toward him, but the barrel of Arturo’s .44 caliber Colt Walker resting firmly against his nose finally stopped Adelais. The giant of a man slowly stood down and stepped back. He finally stopped, meeting the gaze of each person in the room. He and Arturo locked eyes, the latter waving his gun toward the door. Adelais moved at once, disappearing beyond the doorframe. Arturo glared at the bystanders gathering outside and put his gun away, calmly closing the door.

  “Lorena, there’s no way—” Alma started.

  “That’s enough. Arturo, the plan.” Lorena spoke quietly, but firm.

  Arturo took a breath, shifting around to stretch and relax his sore muscles. He loosened himself up, alleviating the aches caused by Adelais’s outbursts.

  “Banditos tried to kill you by burning down your town. I propose we kill them back.”

  “What? ‘Kill them back?’ That’s your genius move?” Alma questioned him.

  “No offense, man, but how is that even possible? There’s hundreds of them—they’re everywhere. Like ants,” Kody added.

  “As I told Lorena before, I’m one of the kin leaders. In one fashion or another, we all follow Estaban: some because we believe in him, some because we must. If he were to fall, if they lost the source of their strength, there’d be no one left to hold a grudge against you.”

  “And the banditos he leads?” Lorena asked.

  “They’d war among themselves. Kin leaders would fight for control, but few of them can effectively lead a syndicate like ours, if any of them even managed to succeed Estaban. There’d be chaos, perhaps, but they’d be weakened. At the least, they’d be less of a threat than they are now.”

  They all stood for a moment, mulling over the options. Alma took a seat on Lorena’s bed, staring out the window. After a moment, she turned back to Arturo.

  “I only have one pony in this race: do you want Jake?”

  “Estaban is the priority.”

  Alma shrugged and canted her head. “Hey, do whatever you need to, then. I’m out as soon as my brother shows up, so as long you and yours don’t mess with us, float your boat. Lorena, you’re welcome to come with, by the way.”

  Lorena shook her head.

  “This is my home, and they took my family. I wanna see ‘em burn.”

  Alma nodded and turned to Kody.

  “Kody?”

  “I dunno.” he sighed. “I mean, I respected Siggy, but he’s gone. I don’t see how me dying helps anything in the long run.”

  Arturo chuckled to himself, picking up the chair Adelais had tossed over earlier. He straightened out the remaining mess and started making his way toward the door.

  “You’re leavin’?” Lorena asked.

  “It’s clear I’m on my own. There’s a lot to be done, and time’s already too far behind.”

  Arturo left the room and headed out into the lobby. He apologized to the innkeeper for the trouble caused, and provided generous compensation for the damages. He made his way outside, to the back of the inn where his horse remained tied to a firm post. He undid the lead rope, petting the horse gently.

  “Good girl, Viaje. Time to go.”

  As he prepared to mount the steed, Lorena came around from the far side of the building. He waited as she hobbled up to him.

  “Lemme help.”

  “This is dangerous. If we fail, Estaban will kill us both, slowly, and everyone we’ve ever known. Even if we succeed, there’s still a good chance we’ll die.”

  “Death awaits us all—it’s his job. But I don’t hold it against him.”

  Arturo nodded and helped Lorena onto the horse. He climbed on himself, and pulled Lorena’s arms around him tightly.

  “Shelter those, Lord, who bear me company, from the evils of fire and all calamity,” Arturo muttered as Viaje carried the two beyond the limits of the town to begin what he proposed to be their end.