Read Online The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss - Free Book Online Page B

up. “You’ve heard the stories and
now you want the truth of things.”
    Radiating relief, Chronicler set his satchel down
on one of the tables, surprised at the slight tremor in his hands. “We got wind
of you a while back. Just a whisper of a rumor. I didn’t really expect…”
Chronicler paused, suddenly awkward. “I thought you would be older.”
    “I am,” Kote said. Chronicler looked puzzled, but
before he could say anything the innkeeper continued. “What brings you into
this worthless little corner of the world?”
    “An appointment with the Earl of Baedn-Bryt,”
Chronicler said, puffing himself up slightly. “Three days from now, in Treya.”
    The innkeeper paused mid-polish. “You expect to
make it to the earl’s manor in four days?” he asked quietly.
    “I am behind schedule,” Chronicler admitted. “My
horse was stolen near Abbott’s Ford.” He glanced out the window at the
darkening sky. “But I’m willing to lose some sleep. I’ll be off in the morning
and out of your hair.”
    “Well I wouldn’t want to cost you any sleep,” Kote
said sarcastically, his eyes gone hard again. “I can tell the whole thing in
one breath.” He cleared his throat. “‘I trouped, traveled, loved, lost, trusted
and was betrayed.’ Write that down and burn it for all the good it will do
you.”
    “You needn’t take it that way,” Chronicler said
quickly. “We can take the whole night if you like. And a few hours in the
morning as well.”
    “How gracious,” Kote snapped. “You’ll have me tell
my story in an evening? With no time to collect
myself? No time to prepare?” His mouth made a thin line. “No. Go dally with
your earl. I’ll have none of it.”
    Chronicler spoke quickly, “If you’re certain you’ll
need—”
    “Yes.” Kote set a bottle down hard on the bar,
hard. “It’s safe to say I’ll need more time than that. And you’ll get none of
it tonight. A real story takes time to prepare.”
    Chronicler frowned nervously and ran his hands
through his hair. “I could spend tomorrow collecting your story….” He trailed
off at the sight of Kote shaking his head. After a pause he started again,
almost talking to himself. “If I pick up a horse in Baedn, I can give you all
day tomorrow, most of the night, and a piece of the following day.” He rubbed
his forehead. “I hate riding at night, but—”
    “I’ll need three days,” Kote said. “I’m quite sure
of it.”
    Chronicler blanched. “But…the earl.”
    Kote waved a hand dismissively.
    “No one needs three days,” Chronicler said firmly.
“I interviewed Oren Velciter. Oren Velciter, mind
you. He’s eighty years old, and done two hundred years worth of living. Five
hundred, if you count the lies. He sought me out,”
Chronicler said with particular emphasis. “He only took two days.”
    “That is my offer,” the innkeeper said simply.
“I’ll do this properly or not at all.”
    “Wait!” Chronicler brightened suddenly. “I’ve been
thinking about this all backward,” he said, shaking his head at his own
foolishness. “I’ll just visit the earl, then come back. You can have all the
time you like then. I could even bring Skarpi back with me.”
    Kote gave Chronicler a look of profound disdain.
“What gives you the slightest impression that I would be here when you came
back?” he asked incredulously. “For that matter, what makes you think you’re
free to simply walk out of here, knowing what you know?”
    Chronicler went very still. “Are—” He swallowed and
started again. “Are you saying that—”
    “The story will take three days,” Kote interrupted.
“Starting tomorrow. That is what I am saying.”
    Chronicler closed his eyes and ran his hand over
his face. The earl would be furious, of course. No telling what it might take
to get back in his good graces. Still…“If that’s the only way that I can get
it, I accept.”
    “I’m glad to hear it.” The innkeeper relaxed into a
half