Read Online Flight of the Dragon (The Chronicles of Dragon, Series 2, Book 5 of 10) (Tail of the Dragon) by Craig Halloran - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Craig Halloran
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looking up a little in his eyes and stepped back on the porch, meeting him at eye level again.
“Good evening, travelers.” Broad faced and fish eyed, he broke out in a sweat. “Pardon my directness, but what do you seek?”
“I apologize for the late intrusion, but we only seek to purchase some food and maybe a horse, and we’ll be on our way.” Nath smiled. “It certainly wasn’t our intention to cause a stir, and we hope we don’t.”
The rocking chair groaned as the other man on the porch shrank back in his seat. His fingers fidgeted with the chair’s arms, and he kept looking up at his friend and Nath’s sword.
The man with the pipe then said, “We don’t have much means these days.” He let out a stream of smoke and sucked on the end of his pipe. “It’s hard enough to feed ourselves. The crops aren’t what they used to be.” Sweat dripped down the side of the man’s cheek. “And truly, as much as we’d like to help out, we have a standard here where we take care of our own.”
Brenwar shifted on his feet. His mouth opened and shut twice before he finally spoke. “You’re telling me you can’t use any coin? Coin can buy you more food. Our offer will be generous.”
Looking down at Brenwar, the man said, “We can’t spare it.”
Brenwar stiffened. His fists balled up.
Nath wedged himself between the dwarf and the man with a polite nod. “We’ll be moving on then.”
With an air about him, the man said, “I think that’s for the better. As you say, you don’t want to create a stir. And folks are pretty jumpy around here.” He let out another stream of smoke. “We bid you safe travels.” He pointed at a pair of buildings, the rising moon visible between the two and added, “That avenue makes for the most discreet exit.”
Nath nodded, and with Brenwar at his side, headed down the alley.
“People aren’t very friendly these days,” Brenwar said under his breath.
“Or honest either,” Nath replied. “They do have food to spare, and I’ve never seen small places like this turn away anyone in need. Something’s going on.”
“We, I might be hungry enough to eat a four-tusked boar, but I’ll live.”
“Me too.” Nath took a look over his shoulder. The men from the porch had gathered around another figure who was little different than the rest of them—aside from a broadsword hung from his hip. He assumed it was the magistrate they’d sent for. All of their eyes followed him and Brenwar as the men argued in hushed voices. “It seems we caused a stir after all, didn’t we.”
“Aye.”
He and Brenwar passed between the buildings into where the open fields awaited. Nath pulled Brenwar aside, and the pair of them paused with their backs to one of the buildings. Under his breath, Nath said, “Let’s give it a moment and see what happens.”
Brenwar nodded.
Nath had a couple of concerns. As harmless as the simpler people of the country could often be, it didn’t always take much for them to get riled up and do something stupid. Second, given the nature of Nath’s enemies, there was no telling whether or not his enemies were among them. It wouldn’t surprise him a bit of a giant, a nuurg, or a flock of wurmers exploded out of one of the storehouses at any moment. It wouldn’t be the first time.
A drizzling rain began, dulling the sounds around them. Head tilted, Nath tried to make out what the men were saying. It wasn’t easy, given the vast distance between them and their use of lowered voices, but he could tell they were still arguing. It must have gone on for at least ten minutes before it came to a stop. There were some murmurings and the scrape of boots on the wooden porch and the faint creaking sound of a door opening and closing.
Nath peeked around the corner. The men on the porch were gone.
“Seems they’ve had enough excitement for one night,” Nath said under his breath. He eased away from the wall. “No eggs and biscuits tonight. I guess
“Good evening, travelers.” Broad faced and fish eyed, he broke out in a sweat. “Pardon my directness, but what do you seek?”
“I apologize for the late intrusion, but we only seek to purchase some food and maybe a horse, and we’ll be on our way.” Nath smiled. “It certainly wasn’t our intention to cause a stir, and we hope we don’t.”
The rocking chair groaned as the other man on the porch shrank back in his seat. His fingers fidgeted with the chair’s arms, and he kept looking up at his friend and Nath’s sword.
The man with the pipe then said, “We don’t have much means these days.” He let out a stream of smoke and sucked on the end of his pipe. “It’s hard enough to feed ourselves. The crops aren’t what they used to be.” Sweat dripped down the side of the man’s cheek. “And truly, as much as we’d like to help out, we have a standard here where we take care of our own.”
Brenwar shifted on his feet. His mouth opened and shut twice before he finally spoke. “You’re telling me you can’t use any coin? Coin can buy you more food. Our offer will be generous.”
Looking down at Brenwar, the man said, “We can’t spare it.”
Brenwar stiffened. His fists balled up.
Nath wedged himself between the dwarf and the man with a polite nod. “We’ll be moving on then.”
With an air about him, the man said, “I think that’s for the better. As you say, you don’t want to create a stir. And folks are pretty jumpy around here.” He let out another stream of smoke. “We bid you safe travels.” He pointed at a pair of buildings, the rising moon visible between the two and added, “That avenue makes for the most discreet exit.”
Nath nodded, and with Brenwar at his side, headed down the alley.
“People aren’t very friendly these days,” Brenwar said under his breath.
“Or honest either,” Nath replied. “They do have food to spare, and I’ve never seen small places like this turn away anyone in need. Something’s going on.”
“We, I might be hungry enough to eat a four-tusked boar, but I’ll live.”
“Me too.” Nath took a look over his shoulder. The men from the porch had gathered around another figure who was little different than the rest of them—aside from a broadsword hung from his hip. He assumed it was the magistrate they’d sent for. All of their eyes followed him and Brenwar as the men argued in hushed voices. “It seems we caused a stir after all, didn’t we.”
“Aye.”
He and Brenwar passed between the buildings into where the open fields awaited. Nath pulled Brenwar aside, and the pair of them paused with their backs to one of the buildings. Under his breath, Nath said, “Let’s give it a moment and see what happens.”
Brenwar nodded.
Nath had a couple of concerns. As harmless as the simpler people of the country could often be, it didn’t always take much for them to get riled up and do something stupid. Second, given the nature of Nath’s enemies, there was no telling whether or not his enemies were among them. It wouldn’t surprise him a bit of a giant, a nuurg, or a flock of wurmers exploded out of one of the storehouses at any moment. It wouldn’t be the first time.
A drizzling rain began, dulling the sounds around them. Head tilted, Nath tried to make out what the men were saying. It wasn’t easy, given the vast distance between them and their use of lowered voices, but he could tell they were still arguing. It must have gone on for at least ten minutes before it came to a stop. There were some murmurings and the scrape of boots on the wooden porch and the faint creaking sound of a door opening and closing.
Nath peeked around the corner. The men on the porch were gone.
“Seems they’ve had enough excitement for one night,” Nath said under his breath. He eased away from the wall. “No eggs and biscuits tonight. I guess
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