Read Online Dragon Sacrifice (The First Realm Book 3) by Klay Testamark - Free Book Online
Authors: Klay Testamark
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fatherland?”
“Parts of it. But overall, I like where I am. The Alfr is arrogant but peace-loving. The Dvergar is a stout drinking companion, as you see.”
I laughed. “They work as hard as they play. I am fond of them.”
“Your girlfriend is a dvergar,” she said. “Can I trust you, given who your friends are?”
“I merely wished to ask if Greg knew his father. It is well known that alfr reward women who give them heirs, and that the children lack for nothing. The boy and his mother may not need to work so hard.”
Sandahl frowned. Thunder rolled in from the distance. The rain fell in torrents.
“First, she is not certain who the father is,” Sandahl said. “If she contacted one of her ex-lovers, there is a chance the others would find out. She wants no blood on her hands.”
“Oof,” I said. Heirs were serious business. Elves would fight to the death over the custody of a baby.
Sandahl went on. “Second, she does not want her son taken from her. In these situations, how often will a halfling mother raise her own child?”
If the elf was married he’d raise the baby as his wife’s. If he wasn’t, he still wasn’t likely to keep the mother around. That would advertise the kid’s half-elf status.
“Then can I trust you?” she asked.
I nodded. “But call on me if the boy needs something.”
“Agreed,” she said. “Also, there is a third reason. She did not want Greg to grow up into an arsehole.”
I laughed. “They are not all like that!”
“What’s this I hear? Is it the snarling of wild dogs?”
Four elves had stepped up to the door. They looked like university students.
The elf-woman spoke again. “I am mistaken: These are not dogs. Dogs would know to come out of the rain.”
“Now, listen here—” Sandahl started. I put a hand on her arm to stop her.
“Let’s just go inside,” I said.
They followed us in, though. I could smell the alcohol on their breath. They were very drunk. I pulled Sandahl to our table and sat down to watch.
“Barkeep!” The elf-woman waved a banknote. “A bottle of your finest!”
“You look like you’ve had a few already,” Elrond said.
“It’s my birthday. My fiftieth birthday. And I want a fucking drink!”
“That’s enough, young lady. You may sit, but the only drink you’ll get is coffee.”
She stamped her foot. “So our money’s not good enough, but theirs is?” She pointed at us.
I realized that our table was the most diverse, with three dwarves and two humans. Everyone else in the pub was either an elf or a half-elf. They all kept their heads low.
“It’s not fair.” The elf-woman said. She wore her hair long, but the front half of her scalp was shaved, giving her an extremely high forehead. On it was tattooed a snake, or a thunderbolt.
“This is an elven city! This is an elven pub! Why can’t I get a drink when these foreigners can?”
“Vergaran,” Jodo whispered. “Probably an air mage.”
“I say, what is that you’re saying?” she said. “Talking behind my back? Behind my back?! ”
“We meant no insult.” I put up my hands, but she was already red in the face.
“That is it!” She stamped her foot. “Outside! I challenge you to a duel!”
“All of us?” Lodo asked.
“What kind of duel?” Kodo asked. “Wait, don’t we get to choose the weapons?”
“This isn’t necessary,” I said. “We haven’t done anything wrong. Nobody’s done anything to warrant a duel.”
“It’s not like they killed your family,” Cruix said.
“That hurt my feelings,” I told him.
The elf-woman laughed. “And here I thought all Northlanders were brave. Is that why you left? Couldn’t hack it in your native land? Are you a chicken, then? Do you have an arse full of feathers?”
“Maybe that’s why he’s got chicken legs,” said one of the other
“Parts of it. But overall, I like where I am. The Alfr is arrogant but peace-loving. The Dvergar is a stout drinking companion, as you see.”
I laughed. “They work as hard as they play. I am fond of them.”
“Your girlfriend is a dvergar,” she said. “Can I trust you, given who your friends are?”
“I merely wished to ask if Greg knew his father. It is well known that alfr reward women who give them heirs, and that the children lack for nothing. The boy and his mother may not need to work so hard.”
Sandahl frowned. Thunder rolled in from the distance. The rain fell in torrents.
“First, she is not certain who the father is,” Sandahl said. “If she contacted one of her ex-lovers, there is a chance the others would find out. She wants no blood on her hands.”
“Oof,” I said. Heirs were serious business. Elves would fight to the death over the custody of a baby.
Sandahl went on. “Second, she does not want her son taken from her. In these situations, how often will a halfling mother raise her own child?”
If the elf was married he’d raise the baby as his wife’s. If he wasn’t, he still wasn’t likely to keep the mother around. That would advertise the kid’s half-elf status.
“Then can I trust you?” she asked.
I nodded. “But call on me if the boy needs something.”
“Agreed,” she said. “Also, there is a third reason. She did not want Greg to grow up into an arsehole.”
I laughed. “They are not all like that!”
“What’s this I hear? Is it the snarling of wild dogs?”
Four elves had stepped up to the door. They looked like university students.
The elf-woman spoke again. “I am mistaken: These are not dogs. Dogs would know to come out of the rain.”
“Now, listen here—” Sandahl started. I put a hand on her arm to stop her.
“Let’s just go inside,” I said.
They followed us in, though. I could smell the alcohol on their breath. They were very drunk. I pulled Sandahl to our table and sat down to watch.
“Barkeep!” The elf-woman waved a banknote. “A bottle of your finest!”
“You look like you’ve had a few already,” Elrond said.
“It’s my birthday. My fiftieth birthday. And I want a fucking drink!”
“That’s enough, young lady. You may sit, but the only drink you’ll get is coffee.”
She stamped her foot. “So our money’s not good enough, but theirs is?” She pointed at us.
I realized that our table was the most diverse, with three dwarves and two humans. Everyone else in the pub was either an elf or a half-elf. They all kept their heads low.
“It’s not fair.” The elf-woman said. She wore her hair long, but the front half of her scalp was shaved, giving her an extremely high forehead. On it was tattooed a snake, or a thunderbolt.
“This is an elven city! This is an elven pub! Why can’t I get a drink when these foreigners can?”
“Vergaran,” Jodo whispered. “Probably an air mage.”
“I say, what is that you’re saying?” she said. “Talking behind my back? Behind my back?! ”
“We meant no insult.” I put up my hands, but she was already red in the face.
“That is it!” She stamped her foot. “Outside! I challenge you to a duel!”
“All of us?” Lodo asked.
“What kind of duel?” Kodo asked. “Wait, don’t we get to choose the weapons?”
“This isn’t necessary,” I said. “We haven’t done anything wrong. Nobody’s done anything to warrant a duel.”
“It’s not like they killed your family,” Cruix said.
“That hurt my feelings,” I told him.
The elf-woman laughed. “And here I thought all Northlanders were brave. Is that why you left? Couldn’t hack it in your native land? Are you a chicken, then? Do you have an arse full of feathers?”
“Maybe that’s why he’s got chicken legs,” said one of the other
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