Read Online Steel and Sorrow by Joshua P. Simon - Free Book Online

noise, stopping a few feet from him. He felt dozens of curious eyes find them.
    “You think you’re something don’t you?” said the center man. Green as seawater, Kroke saw the doubt hidden behind the man’s eyes. The sailor’s forehead gleamed with sweat that ran down into his ratty beard. The man spat when he spoke, the spray catching Kroke in the face. “I asked you a question.”
    A hundred responses ran through Kroke’s mind, none was how to nonviolently answer the sailor. Most of his thoughts lingered on what knife to use.
    “Kroke, wait!” Drake shouted out.
    Kroke never looked away, but the green-eyed sailor did. “Shut your mouth, kid,” said the sailor. “I’ve heard all these crazy stories about the Hell Patrol since I was a boy and then all these new ones floating around since you came to Cadonia, crazier than even the ones my pa told me. Then when I finally see you up close, I see a smooth chested boy, an old man, and this piece of trash,” he said, turning back to Kroke. He leaned in. “I hear you’re supposed to be some kind of killer.” He laughed. “Them little knives you keep playing with don’t scare me none.” He lifted the one in his hand. “This here is a man’s weapon. You’re probably too little to even use one of these, huh?”
    A small burst of laughter came from those watching.
    The man continued. “You know, I’ve wanted to test you for awhile, but we were at sea and captain’s rules are never to kill a passenger at sea. Bad luck and all.” He stomped his foot on the dock. “Well, we ain’t at sea no more, are we?” He gestured with his head to Kroke’s bag. “And you’re no longer a passenger.”
    Drake called out once again. “Don’t do it, Kroke. They’re who we’re supposed to be fighting with, not against.”
    “That ain’t true,” said the sailor. “I was born and raised in Tomalt’s territory. I just sail with whoever pays best. I could give a lick who wins this war.” He stared at Kroke. “So what do you say, little man? Are you gonna prove to me all those fairy tales about your outfit are true? Or are you going to let that little kid up there talk you out of it. Maybe I should’ve picked a fight with him. He seems to be the one with fire in his belly.”
    Kroke clenched his jaw. I promised Krytien I wouldn’t do anything. So naturally, they test me.
    He longed for the touch of steel in his hands, but he wasn’t one to break a promise. The rest of the dockworkers started to egg Kroke on and as they did, the three sailors grew brasher.
    “Kroke!” called out a different voice. Kroke finally turned. Krytien leaned over the railing next to Drake.
    “I kept my word,” said Kroke. “I ain’t killed anyone.”
    The mage smiled. “I know. But I never said you had to take this garbage.” He paused. “Just make sure nothing’s permanent. I don’t want the captain to be shorthanded. It isn’t his fault his men don’t have any brains,” said Krytien.
    “I can do that,” Kroke smiled.
    Krytien looked to the three sailors. “You might want to ready yourselves.” He called over to two others nearby who had come up and joined in the heckling. “And you two may want to give them a hand.”
    The laughing started up again until Krytien pulled out an apple from his sleeve and nonchalantly took a bite. The mood turned grim and Kroke looked back to the five men before him. The sailor who started it all met Kroke’s eyes. The remains of his smile faded as the blades dropped into Kroke’s hands.
    * * *
    Despite being part of the Hell Patrol for well over a year, Drake hadn’t spent much time with Kroke. Their areas of expertise lay in two very different areas. During the campaign season, Drake spent his time designing, building, or manning various forms of machinery.
    On the other hand, Kroke had been busy doing whatever it was Kroke did. Drake hadn’t ever been sure what that all entailed, though he heard plenty of stories. After witnessing