Read Online Trail of the Gods: The Morcyth Saga Book Four by Brian S. Pratt - Free Book Online Page A

curse on him.”
    “A curse?” asks Illan, amused.
    “Yes, a curse,” replies Jorry. “He claims
that his continued losing at cards is due to a curse. I told him
it’s probably just that he’s no good. He didn’t like that and told
me so in not very friendly words.”
    “I’m sorry you guys have to put up with
that,” he says. “Maybe when the word spreads that I don’t see
anyone, then they’ll go away.”
    “I hope so,” Jorry sighs. “If not, I’d like
a shack or something out there we can relax in. Now’s not too bad,
but in the winter, it could get bad out there.”
    They eat in silence for a while, each
digesting what’s been said. Suddenly from outside, they hear the
sound of wagons rolling toward the house. Uther gets up and goes
out to the front room and shortly his voice can be heard as he
says, “Delia’s back.”
    Jiron gets up and hurries out, Tersa right
behind.
    James finishes another bite and then says to
Ezra as he indicates his plate, “I’m not finished yet.” Then he
gets up and goes out to meet them as well. He finds Delia and Tersa
giving each other a hug in welcome. Shorty is getting down from
where he’d been driving the wagon and Scar, Potbelly and Stig are
dismounting from their horses.
    “I told you we’d make it here by dark!” he
can hear Potbelly say to Scar.
    “Alright, here,” Scar says as he hands over
several coins.
    “How’s the trading business?” James asks
Delia when he approaches.
    “Not as good as I’d hoped,” she tells him.
“But I’m just starting out and have no contacts. Few will trust me
with their loads, but give me time and I’ll win them over.”
    “I’m sure you will,” he says. “We’ve just
sat down to dinner. You’re welcome to share with us.”
    “That’s okay,” she says. “I doubt if Ezra
had planned on so many, we’ll just eat our own food tonight. Though
tomorrow morning we’ll take advantage of her cooking before we set
out.”
    “Leaving so soon?” he asks.
    “Afraid so,” she tells him. “The merchant we
dropped the shipment off to in Wurt has commissioned another one to
Bearn. And of course it needs to be there yesterday so we haven’t
any time to dally.”
    “I understand,” he says sympathetically.
“The customer comes first.”
    “At least now that I’m trying to make a name
for myself,” she says.
    “Thanks for sending Shorty with the letter
and the crystals,” he says.
    “You’re welcome,” she replies. “I knew you
were looking for them and there was no need for you to wait because
of some impatient merchant.”
    “I appreciate that,” he says. “I know you’ve
got things to do, so come on in once everything gets settled.”
    “I will,” she tells him.
    He hears Jiron and Tersa catching up on
things with Stig and the others as he walks back to the house. When
he enters the kitchen, Ezra looks to him with a slightly strained
expression. “Don’t worry,” he says, “they’re not coming to
dinner.”
    “We might have enough,” she says as the
tension begins to leave her.
    Shaking his head, he tells her, “Delia knows
you haven’t planned for them and doesn’t want to drop in at the
last minute with so many mouths. She said they’ll fix their own but
will be looking forward to some of your cooking before they pull
out in the morning.”
    Relief now evident on her face, she nods and
says, “They’ll not be disappointed.”
    Next to her, Roland pats her on the hand and
says, “I’m sure they won’t be.”
    James sits back down and finishes his meal.
Jiron and Tersa never make it back in by the time he’s done and
Ezra is ready to clear the table. He tells her to go ahead, that
they’ll not likely be back to finish.
    He goes out to the front room and sits in
his favorite chair by the window as he watches them finish getting
the horses and wagons set for the night. Roland comes in and builds
a fire in the fireplace in anticipation of the cool of evening.
Even though it gets