Read Online A Sea of Shields (Book #10 in the Sorcerer's Ring) by Morgan Rice - Free Book Online Page B

win battle is to steal men’s weapons, to steal men’s courage. A thief is quick and bold, willing to go where others will not, cunning, fearless. A thief takes what others want. He does not ask permission. And he does not hesitate. Aren’t these the traits of victory?”
    Thor examined him carefully, thinking it over.
    “You have a way with words,” Thor said. “I will give you that. And you have thought this through. But you are missing something. The most important thing, in fact, that a thief lacks. Honor. At the heart and soul of a warrior is honor. And it is honor that a thief lacks.”
    Thor sighed.
    “You might be the best warrior here,” Thor said. “But I cannot allow a stain upon our honor.”
    Thor turned away, but Merek placed a hand on his shoulder.
    “Please,” Merek said. “Give me one chance. I realize my ways have been dishonorable. Yet times were desperate for my family, and I had no choice if I was to support them. Surely I cannot be blamed for that. It is easy to speak of honor when one has the luxury of sitting in a tower and looking down on others who have nothing. No one handed me anything in life. I had to take what was mine.”
    Thor grimaced.
    “No one handed me anything in life, either,” he countered. “Yet I never stole from anyone.”
    Merek swallowed, desperate.
    “Which is why I’m asking for forgiveness,” Merek said. “And vowing to change my ways.”
    Thor looked at him.
    “That’s right,” Merek said. “I vow to never steal from anyone again if you accept me into your Legion. I’ve come here not to steal. I’ve come here because I want a better life. I want to leave my old life behind. I want to become a better person.”
    Thor looked him over, debating. He remembered when he himself pleaded for a spot, for just one chance, whether he deserved it or not.
    “You are very determined,” Thor said. “And you seem sincere. And I suppose you are correct in that everyone makes mistakes, and everyone deserves a second chance.” Thor nodded. “I will give you that chance. You may try out. Abuse it, and I assure you I will kick you out of our arena.”
    Merek smiled wide and clasped Thor on the shoulder.
    “Thank you!” he said. “Thank you, thank you!”
    Thor smiled back.
    “Now go and grab a spear with the others, and let’s see what you can do.”
    Merek, jubilant, ran off into the group of boys and grabbed a spear.
    Merek was the last one to throw, and Thor watched with interest as Merek’s spear sailed through the air and hit the target perfectly.
    A bull’s-eye.
    All the other boys looked to him in shock, and Thor stared back at him in wonder. He was shocked, too. And impressed.
    “Again!” Thor called out, wanting to see if it was a fluke, and if the other boys could get closer.
    The boys ran off to retrieve their spears again, and as they did, Thor turned as a lone boy walked through the Legion training ground gates, and right up to him. Thor recognized this boy, too, standing there with his face and clothes covered in dirt, but from where, he could not remember.
    The boy stared back.
    “I’ve come to try out for your Legion, as you invited me.”
    Thor studied the boy, younger and smaller than the others, and tried to place him.
    “I invited you?” Thor asked.
    “You told me I could try out. Don’t you remember? In the Empire. In my father’s cottage. I saved your group from the monsters of the jungle. I’ve crossed the ocean to find you. I know I’m young. And small. But let me try, with the others.”
    Thor stared back, dumbfounded, it all coming back to him.
    “Ario?” Thor asked.
    Ario nodded.
    Thor was in shock; he could hardly believe this boy had crossed the world to come here. That said more to Thor than just about anything. He remembered the boy in the Empire as being agile, fearless, attuned to every noise in the jungle. And he recalled him saving them from that Gathorbeast. If it weren’t for him, they’d all be dead.
    Yet, at