Owin #26 — Who Is Denton

“Denton is a priest of Oron. He sold his services to the Duke when your father and I worked for the Duke.”

Gwen wrinkled her brow. “Aren’t the priests of Oron a bit odd? They don’t have any temples anywhere. They just travel.”

Owin nodded his head. “They are more independent that most. I suspect they do have a High Priest and some take order from him…or her,” he added. “But really, they are more a bunch of individual collectives.  And they don’t always get along. Denton told me once he fought with another group of Oron followers that disagreed with his sect.”

He got up and crossed over to the hay pile where Gwen had sat and dropped down beside her. “Denton told the Duke he supported his cause and the Duke was happy to add another priest to his numbers. The priests of Ja’ren and Cantol did not want to get involved with any single Duke, so they tried hard to stay out of the conflicts.  Though they didn’t always stay out of it.”  Owin looked at a scar on his hand.  “Fighting a priest is difficult.  Especially if you don’t have one of your own.”  Shaking his head, he looked at Gwen.  “You tend to throw a lot of men at that kind of problem just to wear them down.  But if you commit to doing that, you have to hope you still have enough people left after you’ve thrown so many away to take whatever it was you wanted.”

“Did you and father deal with priests?”

Owin nodded his head. “Poison is the best way to weaken them. But you have to get close to do that.” He looked away, not wanting to remember everything he had done.

“Anyway, Denton was actually working against the Duke. A spy inside the ranks. Neither Gavin nor I worked with him often, only a couple of times really. But that man is good at what he does. He can read your mind if he can get a hand on you. I’ve seen him knock over a line of soldiers with a wave of the hand and a single word. We don’t want him as an enemy.”

“What did the Duke do when he found out Denton was working against him?”

“He sent eight men to their deaths trying to assassinate him. Fortunately, Gavin and I were never called to do that. Then Gavin died and the Duke decided I wasn’t worth anything by myself, so I got turned loose.”

Gwen sighed. “So, we’re going to do what he wants then; stop this assassin.”

“There’s no we. I’ll have to do this on my own.”

Gwen leaned forward. “And I’m supposed to wander around playing at being a boy? I’ve got nowhere to go. I’d guess someone would find out I’m a girl within a day or two.”

Owin did not want to agree with her. He wanted to tell her she would be safer staying behind. However, he could not leave her alone when she had powerful enemies looking for her. “You’ll have to do what I say, when I say it. And you’ll have to stay away from the assassin. How would I explain your death to your mother?”

Gwen put her hand on his arm. “I will do what you ask. But, I know I can help. Teach me how to survive. I don’t want to be afraid of people anymore.”

“Gwen, even I’m still afraid of many people. But I know what you are asking.”

Continue to next episode.