Read Online Full-Blood Half-Breed by Cleve Lamison - Free Book Online

about Mamá? She will—”
    “Say nothing to your mother,” Rebelde said sharply. “I will give her the news gently.”
    Rebelde wrapped his massive arms around Paladin, squeezing him in a suffocating bear hug. “Go on back to the fiesta and let me think on this. All will be well. Well enough, anyway.”
    Paladin allowed himself to hope it might be so, but he had not yet given Rebelde the worst news. He doubted his papá would be as understanding of his enrollment in Torneo. He also doubted Rebelde would ever be in as forgiving a mood as he was now, and felt compelled to tell everything. “There is more, Papá. I signed up—”
    Rebelde waved him off and sat on the bed, rubbing his temples. “Go on now. I need to think.”
    “But—”
    “Please, boy.” He sounded tired. “You have left your guests waiting most of the night. Go on back to the fiesta now.”
    “Sí, Papá.” He left Rebelde sitting alone on the bed, but did not immediately return to the fiesta. He took a moment in the hall outside his room to breathe a sigh of relief. Though he still bore some guilt over signing up for Torneo, he had confessed about temple, and his papá’s reaction had been much better than he could have anticipated. Rebelde and Walküre had shared in his ambitions of knighthood. They too had longed to serve the Majestic Order of the Blazing Blade. Walküre, however, was of no House, and to serve as a Blade, one had to be of noble birth. Rebelde, once a Knight of the Lightning Lance in Kavunchi, was of noble birth, but was a devout Muumban. He loved all the gods, but Muumba was first in his heart. Until recently, only Creadorians could serve as Knights of the Blade. By the time that restriction had been lifted, Rebelde was too old to join.
    Paladin had often felt his mamá and papá wanted him to become a knight even more than he wanted it for himself, that they might share in his honors if only vicariously. It struck him odd that Rebelde should overcome his disappointment so quickly. Odder still were the breathy noises coming from his room. It sounded like Rebelde was laughing so hard he couldn’t catch his breath.
    Paladin crept quietly back to the door and peeked in. Rebelde sat on his bed holding his face in his hands, his large frame quaking from emotion that was not laughter. Rebelde wascrying, sobbing as if the world had come to its end.

    He had hardly been missed at the fiesta. The grown folk stood to one side of the room while the younglings kept to themselves, eating treats and talking about what was truly important: Torneo. After a while, Rebelde returned. He had put away his sorrow, or at least made a good show of doing so. He laughed at Alwin von Wildboar’s bawdy jests and told a few of his own. But Paladin saw through the cheeriness. Rebelde’s heart was broken.
    Paladin resolved to enjoy the fiesta. Isooba and Esmeralda had joined the revels, but only so Isooba could boast of his martial skill and predict high honors for himself in the youngling trials. Esmeralda hung on his every word.
    Paladin joined the young people lining up to watch Drud attack the piñata. Drud grinned and smacked his palm with the piñata stick while Lalo blindfolded him.
    “Buena suerte, vato,”
Paladin said, clapping Drud on the shoulder. Tau and Lalo grabbed Drud by the shoulders and spun him around until he was staggeringly dizzy. Paladin laughed with everyone else, but he couldn’t put Rebelde’s misery out of his thoughts. His worries hovered on the periphery of his mind, nagging him like a shrewish old fishwife. If that were not enough to ruin his humor, there was Isooba’s yammering.
    “Have you heard, Paladin?” Isooba said. “I will be competing in the youngling trials again this year.”
    Of course Paladin had heard. Everyone had heard. Since Isooba had pried himself away from Esmeralda, it was all he talked about. He strutted around the fiesta crowing about his valor like he was king cock of the walk. “I doubt