Excerpt from FATE OF FIRE:
No
sun wakes Corban this morning. He shivers to stay off the bitter
chill. Dark clouds spread themselves across the sky. It will be a
wet, cold day. Not the best day to arrange traveling supplies for
seven people, but then again, the rain may persuade the town's less
savory characters to seek shelter inside by the fire.
Corban
almost wishes that for himself. As he sits up and examines the
campsite, he finds all of his companions have deserted the cold, open
outdoors, save one. The overly cloaked man that Ralis had named
Charland fiddles with something on the other side of the dead fire.
“Good
morning,” Corban speaks to the cloaked man. He nods in greeting and
keeps tinkering with his project. “Where is everyone?”
“In
the town. I stayed to watch over you,” the strangely accented voice
replies.
Corban
feels a chill, and not just from the damp. Ralis trusted his life to
this rogue... But, still, he has woken up sound, without a knife slit
across his neck.
“Why
didn’t they wake me for my watch?”
“They
said that you needed your rest,” Charland answers.
Given
no indication from the sky, Corban tests his muscles. By their
stiffness he can tell he has overslept, but for how long he's not
sure. The wind picks up, ushering in dark gray clouds. Corban sighs,
adorning his own cloak.
As
he lifts his pack to his shoulder, Corban senses a change in its
weight. Something has been lifted from its contents. Trained for such
minute observations, being a useful skill as a thief, Corban has
gauged what is missing by the time the strap rests on his shoulder.
About a third of his coin, hidden in a pocket deep inside, apparently
wasn't hidden well enough. He's not surprised some of his silver is
missing, he slept in the presence of thieves after all. He is
surprised one of them lifted it under Ralis' nose. Unless...
Corban
turns to his companion. Charland collects his things, not a glimpse
revealed of his features beneath the heavy hood. Even his hands are
gloved. What is he hiding?
Caution
urges Corban to withdraw, but he stays his feet. Ralis must have a
reason to trust him. Before he can decide how to confront this
stranger, a torrent of rain and wind is unleashed from above. Corban
hides his pack beneath his cloak, a better place for it when entering
Dernsith anyway.
“Ralis
and Ditone said they would buy your supplies.” Charland startles
Corban, coming up beside him without even a slosh on the wet ground.
Corban
releases his tension with a deep breath. “With my coin.” It is
more of a statement than a question. Charland nods with a short
movement, showing a flash of yellow beneath his cloak.
“I
would recommend a visit to the weapon's shop. Something more
substantial than a knife may do you better with what you plan on
doing.”
Pondering
this companion of Ralis, Corban starts towards the city. Charland
walks beside him, but Corban hasn't yet decided if he should be
comforted by his presence.
FATE OF FIRE is book two of The Flight Moon Series, by D. M. Raver
New epic fantasy novels in 2016
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