Embrace the Fire Read Online Free Page B

stomach growled again, and his hunger edged out the constant awareness of the pain in his hands.
    He wondered if the barmaid would know anything about the Elder and Chief he'd read about, Leighton. If so, perhaps she could give him more information about where the Chief's property had existed before his death.
    The soldiers leaned against the bar, their loud flirtation disrupting the relative quiet. The barmaid ignored the comments, pouring drinks for each of them. She wiped the bar and picked up a jug of mead, exiting the bar and approaching Ayden.
    One of the men caught her as she passed, laughing when she splashed mead across the floor. “Give us a kiss, lass,” he said, belching as he pulled her closer.
    “Let me go.” Her voice was hard, but the man's fingers were white around her arm. The girl's breath hitched as the man's other arm slid around her back and pulled her against him.
    “Let me go!” she shouted, struggling in earnest, but the men only laughed.
    Ayden glanced around. No one moved to help, though every other occupant of the room watched behind averted faces and raised mantles.
    Ayden cursed and stood. “Leave the maid alone.”
    They quieted, while the one who had hold of the maid leered over his shoulder at Ayden. “Who're you?” The man's tongue was thick. “And why should I?”
    “Because she obviously doesn't care for contact with swine.”
    The man blinked, two slow blinks, as Ayden's insult eked through his stumbling thought processes. With a growl, he shoved the girl aside and rushed headlong at Ayden.
    Ayden stepped aside, and the man, top-heavy, crashed into the table. Snorting like a mad bull, he lumbered, his hands fisted in front of him. He swung and missed as Ayden easily dodged the blow.
    “Come on, coward,” the man yelled. “Fight!”
    “You're the coward,” Ayden ground out as he backed away. “Only a coward tries to importune an unwilling woman.”
    “You puny little—you called me a coward!” This fact seemed unforgivable to the man.
    “Indeed,” Ayden dodged two more swings. The man's friends at the bar were cheering on their fellow soldier now. Ayden raised his voice. “You're also rude, fleshy, offensive, unkempt, smelly, a possible rapist—”
    The man leaped at Ayden, but Ayden hit the floor and rolled as the man slammed into another table, cracking it clear across the center.
    Ayden stood. “If you have to fight, let's take it outside.” He glanced at the barmaid, who had taken shelter behind the bar, looking terrified.
    The man had recovered from his fall. The drunken leer had disappeared, and his movements were steadier. Ayden tensed as the man hurled himself forward. Ayden took a glancing hit on the ribs. Quicker than the man expected, Ayden plowed a thundering right jab into the man's stomach. As he bent double, Ayden shoved him toward the door. “Outside, I said.”
    As soon as he reached the door, he shoved the man into the muddy street. The man stumbled, but then pushed to his feet.
    He swung around, snarling with rage. Behind Ayden, awed onlookers streamed out the door to watch the action. Ayden circled into the street, not wanting to get caught by the man's friends.
    “You better watch yourself, lad.” The man's rusty voice shivered with anger. “You surprised me in there, but I'm ready now.”
    Ayden didn't answer. He stood, silent and tense, as the man approached. He kept his weight on the balls of his feet, and his heated fingers twitched as they waited on the edge of action. A dagger hilt peeped from the man's boot.
    The man came in low and fast, his fists flying. At the last second, Ayden sprang lightly to the side and let the man plow through.
    He turned, cursing. “Who was it you were calling a coward, boy? A brave man doesn't dodge a blow.” He barreled forward again.
    This time, Ayden threw three lightning-fast punches, catching the man in the abdomen, the jaw, and the rib cage before he moved aside again. The man hunched over,