Read Online The Demon's Blade by Steven Drake - Free Book Online Page A

unnoticed by the many eyes that must have been searching for him. He had never once used the power of the Demon Sword, and indeed he rarely even touched it, instead keeping it sheathed and strapped to his back, even when he slept. He made a modest living from working as a guide, courier, spy, and occasional thief. Not a particularly grand set of occupations, but they fit well with his only major concern, drawing as little attention to himself as possible. He took special care to never use his magic where it could be seen by others, as mages were uncommon in these lands and a mage of even intermediate skill would be noticed. He seldom used anything beyond simple spells, and he rarely engaged in combat, preferring to rely on stealth and superior wit. He was no longer so strong or fit or sharp as he had been when he had been served the Demon King, but he was still a shade. His instincts, his training, and his magical skills remained.
    Darien turned away from the window as his food arrived. He thanked the wench and discreetly handed her a piece of silver.
    "Any work for me here in Kantu?" he whispered.
    "Nothing much for your sort," she replied in an equally hushed whisper. "Just this… there's this half-elf boy staying here talks too much. I heard him talking to a couple of shady blokes about the Duke's castle. Up to somethin’ if you ask me, maybe gonna steal somethin’, maybe already has, but he carries somethin’ with him, pretty trinket. Tries to hide it, he does, but he's no good at it. Made of gold whatever it is. Easy a mark as ever there was, that boy."
    The shade did not reply, but nodded in thanks to the portly wench, then turned his attention to the food in front of him. The bread was warm and fresh enough. The soup was thin, but well-seasoned. He had not enjoyed such a good meal in many days . Darien had learned to enjoy these simple comforts, as they were the only ones he had. The warm, good food took his mind away from the doom that surrounded him, so he took his time, enjoying his meal . When the soup was gone and the bread nearly so, he heard a rustling outside and glanced out the window in time to see a cloaked figure scurrying down the now dark alley. The storm had rolled in and was pouring sheets of rain down onto the town. Who might be foolish enough to be out in such weather, Darien wondered.
    Curiosity was soon satisfied, however, as the fellow stumbled into the inn mere moments later, and fell forwards with a crash on the wooden floor. The cloaked figure was clearly a young man, with long blonde hair and bright blue-green eyes. Beyond this, there was little Darien could discern, for the youth was fairly well covered in mud. Darien stared half in curiosity and half in amusement as the young man tried to rid himself of the slippery mud, less than successfully, and finally struggled to his feet. The now red faced lad then walked across the room and into the hallway, toward the guest rooms. Chuckles could be heard throughout the room, as no doubt this lad was the silliest sight seen in the place for a long time. Some of the patrons, who must have been containing themselves out of politeness, burst into outright laughter, as the pitiful figure disappeared down the dark hallway.
    Darien sat quietly at his table, as he pondered whether to rent a room, or to make his way back to his secret hiding place. He had plenty of coin, but hated to spend money on something that felt somewhat frivolous. Nevertheless, the storm continued to rage outside and he was more than a little curious about the strange young man. As he continued to mull over the matter, two burly men entered the tavern. They had hairy arms and thick dark beards, wore no armor or uniform, only plain clothes, but each wore a silver ring with a purple gem, marking them unmistakably as the Duke's men. Whoever they were, the Duke must not have wanted them to be seen in full armor.
    One of them strode confidently to the middle of the room and raised a hand