Read Online Revenge Of The Elf (Book 1) by Lucas Thorn - Free Book Online
Authors: Lucas Thorn
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take it easy from here in?”
The elf shrugged, slumping down on a log which had been dragged into position beside the fire. Rubbed her hands together and held them out, feeling the warmth breathe through her fingers.
Chukshene crouched beside her, still hugging his book like a child's toy.
The first man to emerge had a long hawkish nose and piercing blue eyes. His ragged rust-coloured hair was wild and a little too long. He had a short hatchet slung awkwardly at his hip. “Name's Carter,” he said. “Carter Holl. This is my driver, Oliver Kween. Call him Ollie if you like. I do. Coming up from Firelash. We're traders, Ollie and I. Part of a merchant group. Got left behind when we busted a wheel. Soon have it fixed, though.”
“Don't have to tell them our life story,” Ollie grunted, leaping down behind the shorter man. His face was sharper. Eyes a little too narrow. Fnordic like his companion, his wide cropped beard wiped drily over his chin and cheeks. Heavier in build, he may have been good looking, she thought. If it weren't for the veiled look of disgust he directed at her. A look she'd seen a few times before in men who figured they had reason to hate elfs. His gaze flashed with malice before sliding sourly away. “You said you had silver.”
“Never mind him,” Carter sighed. “he's just pissed we're falling behind the others. And this is the Deadlands. So, he's seeing draugs in every shadow.”
“It's kept us alive so far!”
“Certainly keeps my bladder full,” countered the smaller man. Let an apologetic smile twitch across his face. “You're both welcome to spend the night. Share the fire. Pay what you think is fair. At this stage, it's a bonus, I reckon.”
“Carte-”
“Enough, Ollie! I've decided.”
Oliver looked ready to argue. He held the other man's eyes for a moment before letting his breath whoosh out of his lungs. “Fuck, Carter,” he growled. “We're never gonna make up for lost days if you keep giving shit away.”
“I prefer to do business my way, Ollie. You know that.”
The elf kept her gaze on the fire, apparently disinterested. After glancing at her, Chukshene chewed his bottom lip thoughtfully before speaking. “Hey,” he called amiably to the wagoner. “Don't suppose you have any food you can spare, do you? Doesn't have to be cooked. I'd eat it still kicking if I had to.”
“It'll cost you,” Oliver snapped. “I'll bend the rules, Carter, on the fire. Maybe on letting them sleep close to the wagon. But not on the food. Anything happens out here and we get stranded longer than we think, there's fuck all to eat but dirt and old bones out here. You know that.”
Carter nodded reluctantly. “We can spare a little,” he told the mage. “But Ollie's right. We've wasted a day trying to fix the wheel. The silver will ease his mind, I think.”
“Sure,” Chukshene grinned as Oliver shouldered his bow. Rubbing his hands together happily, he cast a hopeful glance at the elf. “We'll pay. Well. Nysta will. Lend me a few coins, Long-ear? I'm fucking starved.”
Ignoring the mage, the elf leaned toward the wagoner. “You've seen the fellers I was asking about?”
The two Fnords looked at each other and something passed unspoken between them before Carter nodded. The elf felt a grin tug at the corner of her mouth as she guessed their decision right enough.
Oliver threw up his hands in resignation. “Yeah, just give everything away for free. Let's become monks while we're fucking at it. And why bother trading in Lostlight? Let's just give it all away to beggars along the way. Ah, fuck this. I'll see to the horses. Do what you like.”
Grumbling darkly to himself, Oliver stomped off behind the wagon and could be heard muttering to the horses as he led them further from the camp. Carter spread his hands apologetically and sat on the second log to the elf's right.
She thought he looked birdlike in the flickering light as he lifted a small pack from where it had
The elf shrugged, slumping down on a log which had been dragged into position beside the fire. Rubbed her hands together and held them out, feeling the warmth breathe through her fingers.
Chukshene crouched beside her, still hugging his book like a child's toy.
The first man to emerge had a long hawkish nose and piercing blue eyes. His ragged rust-coloured hair was wild and a little too long. He had a short hatchet slung awkwardly at his hip. “Name's Carter,” he said. “Carter Holl. This is my driver, Oliver Kween. Call him Ollie if you like. I do. Coming up from Firelash. We're traders, Ollie and I. Part of a merchant group. Got left behind when we busted a wheel. Soon have it fixed, though.”
“Don't have to tell them our life story,” Ollie grunted, leaping down behind the shorter man. His face was sharper. Eyes a little too narrow. Fnordic like his companion, his wide cropped beard wiped drily over his chin and cheeks. Heavier in build, he may have been good looking, she thought. If it weren't for the veiled look of disgust he directed at her. A look she'd seen a few times before in men who figured they had reason to hate elfs. His gaze flashed with malice before sliding sourly away. “You said you had silver.”
“Never mind him,” Carter sighed. “he's just pissed we're falling behind the others. And this is the Deadlands. So, he's seeing draugs in every shadow.”
“It's kept us alive so far!”
“Certainly keeps my bladder full,” countered the smaller man. Let an apologetic smile twitch across his face. “You're both welcome to spend the night. Share the fire. Pay what you think is fair. At this stage, it's a bonus, I reckon.”
“Carte-”
“Enough, Ollie! I've decided.”
Oliver looked ready to argue. He held the other man's eyes for a moment before letting his breath whoosh out of his lungs. “Fuck, Carter,” he growled. “We're never gonna make up for lost days if you keep giving shit away.”
“I prefer to do business my way, Ollie. You know that.”
The elf kept her gaze on the fire, apparently disinterested. After glancing at her, Chukshene chewed his bottom lip thoughtfully before speaking. “Hey,” he called amiably to the wagoner. “Don't suppose you have any food you can spare, do you? Doesn't have to be cooked. I'd eat it still kicking if I had to.”
“It'll cost you,” Oliver snapped. “I'll bend the rules, Carter, on the fire. Maybe on letting them sleep close to the wagon. But not on the food. Anything happens out here and we get stranded longer than we think, there's fuck all to eat but dirt and old bones out here. You know that.”
Carter nodded reluctantly. “We can spare a little,” he told the mage. “But Ollie's right. We've wasted a day trying to fix the wheel. The silver will ease his mind, I think.”
“Sure,” Chukshene grinned as Oliver shouldered his bow. Rubbing his hands together happily, he cast a hopeful glance at the elf. “We'll pay. Well. Nysta will. Lend me a few coins, Long-ear? I'm fucking starved.”
Ignoring the mage, the elf leaned toward the wagoner. “You've seen the fellers I was asking about?”
The two Fnords looked at each other and something passed unspoken between them before Carter nodded. The elf felt a grin tug at the corner of her mouth as she guessed their decision right enough.
Oliver threw up his hands in resignation. “Yeah, just give everything away for free. Let's become monks while we're fucking at it. And why bother trading in Lostlight? Let's just give it all away to beggars along the way. Ah, fuck this. I'll see to the horses. Do what you like.”
Grumbling darkly to himself, Oliver stomped off behind the wagon and could be heard muttering to the horses as he led them further from the camp. Carter spread his hands apologetically and sat on the second log to the elf's right.
She thought he looked birdlike in the flickering light as he lifted a small pack from where it had
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