Read Online Rise of the Serpent (Serpent's War Book 2) by Jason Halstead - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Jason Halstead
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“Finest clothing to be found in all of Easthall. Treated with fish oil to block the water!”
The rogue turned knight glanced over his shoulder and asked, “Anything catch your eye?”
“What?”
“A hat. I think I’d like a hat,” he said.
“A hat?” Amra repeated. “Okay…”
Namitus turned the horse while she looked over what the merchant had on his racks. She giggled and pointed. “That one.”
The merchant grabbed the hat before Namitus could see what she was pointing at. He gave it a quick brush to remove any dirt or water. He offered it to Namitus with a grin. “Excellent choice, ma’am.”
“Knightly,” Amra agreed with a grin.
Namitus groaned and took the hat. The cavalier style hat had a wide brim that was flat on the left and curled up on the right. A large white feather plume was sewn into the curled-up brim and stuck out the back. He raised an eyebrow and then slipped it over his wet hair.
Amra leaned back and failed to stifle a giggle.
“You look like a peacock,” Gor called out.
“I’ll take it,” Namitus said. He reached for his pouch and asked, “How much?”
“A fine hat for a fine gentlemen,” the merchant said. “And with the day so poor, I’d be happy to outfit your friends as well.”
Namitus turned and received glares and a shake of Allisandra’s head. He drew out five golden coins and handed them to the man. “Only this.”
The merchant’s eyes widened. He started to put them in his pouch and stopped to look at them more closely. “What’s this then? A sword and axe crossed over a sun?”
“The crest of the Kingdom of Altonia, far to the north,” Namitus said. “Originally it was the crest of the Blades of Leander, a small mercenary outfit responsible for defeating the dragon Sarya and freeing the north from Rosalyn, the Dragon Queen.”
The merchant tilted his head and then raised a coin to bite on it. He pulled it out of his lips and stared at it, nodding. “Real gold,” he said. “Weight’s right. I don’t care where it comes from.”
Namitus shook his head and chuckled. “Good tidings, friend. Enjoy the rest of this fine day.”
The merchant chuckled. “The same to you, kind sir.”
Namitus turned the horse away and nodded to the others. Water poured off the brim of his hat onto his horse, earning a disturbed whinny. The others snickered at him.
“Let’s get this fine hat out of the rain,” Namitus said. “The clouds are hiding the sun and I’ve no idea what time it is, but I’d like to dry off and eat something. If we’re lucky, we’ll take long enough we can spend the night indoors.”
“I’ll eat slow,” Amra offered.
Amid the chuckles, Corian led them to a tavern with a small stable set up beside it. He dismounted first and staggered a few steps through the mud until he regained control of his legs. He limped back to his borrowed horse and stood steady with his hand on the pommel of the saddle. “I’ll see the horses are stabled,” he offered.
Namitus hid his grin and nodded. Amra slid off and landed in a puddle, causing her to yelp. Namitus steadied his horse and dropped down beside her. He handed Corian the reins to his horse and nodded before turning and heading into the tavern.
They found a table near the center of the room and began ordering their drinks. Corian walked in, dripping and muddy, and made his way to the table. He scowled as he sat down and ordered a spiced wine.
His sister turned to him. “You’re drinking that?”
Corian ran his fingers through his hair, ringing out water, and said, “I’m hoping the spices are strong enough to kill the poor grapes.”
“The grapes might be good,” Allisandra said.
Corian raised a doubting eyebrow.
“Well, I mean, I don’t know anything about wine, but even where I’m from a few people had vineyards,” she added.
“The climate’s good for grapes,” Namitus added.
Gor surprised them by adding in his gruff voice, “Wet enough to be juicy and
The rogue turned knight glanced over his shoulder and asked, “Anything catch your eye?”
“What?”
“A hat. I think I’d like a hat,” he said.
“A hat?” Amra repeated. “Okay…”
Namitus turned the horse while she looked over what the merchant had on his racks. She giggled and pointed. “That one.”
The merchant grabbed the hat before Namitus could see what she was pointing at. He gave it a quick brush to remove any dirt or water. He offered it to Namitus with a grin. “Excellent choice, ma’am.”
“Knightly,” Amra agreed with a grin.
Namitus groaned and took the hat. The cavalier style hat had a wide brim that was flat on the left and curled up on the right. A large white feather plume was sewn into the curled-up brim and stuck out the back. He raised an eyebrow and then slipped it over his wet hair.
Amra leaned back and failed to stifle a giggle.
“You look like a peacock,” Gor called out.
“I’ll take it,” Namitus said. He reached for his pouch and asked, “How much?”
“A fine hat for a fine gentlemen,” the merchant said. “And with the day so poor, I’d be happy to outfit your friends as well.”
Namitus turned and received glares and a shake of Allisandra’s head. He drew out five golden coins and handed them to the man. “Only this.”
The merchant’s eyes widened. He started to put them in his pouch and stopped to look at them more closely. “What’s this then? A sword and axe crossed over a sun?”
“The crest of the Kingdom of Altonia, far to the north,” Namitus said. “Originally it was the crest of the Blades of Leander, a small mercenary outfit responsible for defeating the dragon Sarya and freeing the north from Rosalyn, the Dragon Queen.”
The merchant tilted his head and then raised a coin to bite on it. He pulled it out of his lips and stared at it, nodding. “Real gold,” he said. “Weight’s right. I don’t care where it comes from.”
Namitus shook his head and chuckled. “Good tidings, friend. Enjoy the rest of this fine day.”
The merchant chuckled. “The same to you, kind sir.”
Namitus turned the horse away and nodded to the others. Water poured off the brim of his hat onto his horse, earning a disturbed whinny. The others snickered at him.
“Let’s get this fine hat out of the rain,” Namitus said. “The clouds are hiding the sun and I’ve no idea what time it is, but I’d like to dry off and eat something. If we’re lucky, we’ll take long enough we can spend the night indoors.”
“I’ll eat slow,” Amra offered.
Amid the chuckles, Corian led them to a tavern with a small stable set up beside it. He dismounted first and staggered a few steps through the mud until he regained control of his legs. He limped back to his borrowed horse and stood steady with his hand on the pommel of the saddle. “I’ll see the horses are stabled,” he offered.
Namitus hid his grin and nodded. Amra slid off and landed in a puddle, causing her to yelp. Namitus steadied his horse and dropped down beside her. He handed Corian the reins to his horse and nodded before turning and heading into the tavern.
They found a table near the center of the room and began ordering their drinks. Corian walked in, dripping and muddy, and made his way to the table. He scowled as he sat down and ordered a spiced wine.
His sister turned to him. “You’re drinking that?”
Corian ran his fingers through his hair, ringing out water, and said, “I’m hoping the spices are strong enough to kill the poor grapes.”
“The grapes might be good,” Allisandra said.
Corian raised a doubting eyebrow.
“Well, I mean, I don’t know anything about wine, but even where I’m from a few people had vineyards,” she added.
“The climate’s good for grapes,” Namitus added.
Gor surprised them by adding in his gruff voice, “Wet enough to be juicy and
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