Read Online 1 State of Grace by John Phythyon - Free Book Online Page B

asked. “I’d hate for you to lose more money, and the situation appears quite impossible.”
    The affability had gone from Wolf’s manner. Now that he was sure he’d won, he stared cruelly into Silverleaf’s eyes. Silverleaf glared at him. He knew he’d been sharked.
    “Yes, Mr. Dasher,” Silverleaf said through gritted teeth. “I concede the match.”
    There was a thunderous cheer from the crowd. The unthinkable had been done. The undefeatable Sagaius Silverleaf had lost. Wolf caught sight of Simone smiling and clapping politely.
    Wolf stood and offered his hand to Silverleaf. The elf grimaced at the thought, but he shook Wolf’s hand as he stood. The grip was too firm. He meant to cause Wolf pain. Wolf only smiled at him.
    “Goodbye, Mr. Dasher,” he growled. “Simone!”
    She jumped when he called her name but quickly moved to his side. Silverleaf turned to go. Wolf kept his eyes locked on Simone.
    “Well, let’s say, au revoir ,” he said. “I’m sure we’ll meet again.”
    Simone favored him with a sexy smile. Silverleaf didn’t notice. He swept from the room, practically dragging her behind him.
    Everyone crowded around Wolf and offered their congratulations. Several said they’d never seen anything like what he’d done. Many claimed Silverleaf had finally gotten his comeuppance and said all manner of bad things about him. It took several minutes to disengage from his new admirers. As he did so, a familiar voice greeted him.
    “That was incredible, Laddie!” the shabby noble exclaimed, clapping Wolf on the back. “Did you see the look on his face when he realized you’d taken his dragon? I’ll savor that for a month.”
    “Well, here’s something else you can savor,” Wolf said. He pulled a thousand gold from his winnings and handed it to his new friend.
    “Why would you do that, Laddie?” the old man whispered.
    “Because you had faith in me from the beginning,” Wolf said. “You were willing to stake me.” Wolf lowered his voice. “When you obviously couldn’t afford it.” He spoke at normal volume again. “That kind of loyalty deserves reward.”
    Tears lit the old man’s eyes. He straightened up in his shabby robes and adopted a very serious expression.
    “For the rest of my life and with all my honor, I am yours,” he said. “If you ever need anything, you need only call Baronet Miles Winston Heverley. I will give you all I can.”
    “Thank you, my lord,” Wolf said. “I don’t know when the occasion would ever arise, but if it should I will call on you.”
    Heverley snapped a crisp salute. Wolf returned it. Then the baronet turned and walked away, looking prouder and taller than he had perhaps in years.
    Wolf turned back to the table and tipped William a hundred gold. The croupier nodded his thanks, then set about collecting the thirty thousand gold the house credited Wolf.
    Isabelle stood next to Wolf with her arms behind her back, her chest thrust out and twisting herself back and forth ever so slightly. The look on her face said, “Are you ready to go now?”
    “That was a very nice thing you did for Baronet Heverley,” she said.
    “It was nothing,” Wolf replied.
    “No, it was very definitely something,” she said. “He’s been coming here for months in the same clothes. No one will talk to him. He was a hero in the war, but now his money’s run out, the Queen took his land, and he’s a nobody. You made him important again. That was very sweet.”
    “I’m glad I could help,” Wolf said after a pause. They stared at one another for a moment. She pushed her shoulders back a little farther.
    “Is there anything else I can get for you?” she said, a wicked gleam in her eye. “Anything at all?”
    Wolf was tempted. The girl had been throwing herself at him all night, and she was very attractive. But he wasn’t sure he wanted to bed a woman quite so brazen. There was no challenge to it, and Wolf definitely liked the chase. Besides, he needed to report