They Were Born Upon Ashes Read Online Free Page B

smiled and put the bundle of wood down onto the forest floor.
    “What’s your name?” asked Nick.
    “Penelope,” she said.
    “Penelope. What a pretty name. How old might you be, Penelope?”
    “I’m six.”
    “You are a brave girl coming out here,” said Nick. “Take my hand and let’s go back to camp. We can warm up by the fire.”
    Penelope nodded and took Nick’s hand. The two walked through the forest avoiding sharp rocks and prickly bushes. The forest got darker by the minute. Almost all of the small threads of light that passed through the thick canopy were gone. Penelope held onto Nick tighter as darkness crept up on them.
    Nick made it back to camp successfully. As soon as Penelope and Nick walked back into camp he heard a scream from a woman by the nearby fire pits followed by her yelling, “Penelope! Oh my gosh, Penelope!”
    She ran over and hugged the young girl.
    “Where did you go?” she asked. “I was worried sick.”
    “I followed him, Mommy. I’m going to be the best hunter in all the lands just like Daddy.”
    “Thank you for keeping her safe,” she said as she looked at Nick.
    “You’re welcome. Quite the stealthy one here. I had no idea I was being followed until I turned around.”
    “I take my eyes off of her for one second,” she said. “Thank you again.”
    “You’re welcome,” said Nick. He smiled and turned back to walk back into the forest. Just as he was about to take a step in he heard his name being yelled behind him.
    It was Jeffrey. All of the king’s men and the Terrax brothers were surrounding a fire pit at the front of the masses of people. Jeffrey waved Nick over. Nick took a deep breath and made his way over to greet the king’s council.
    “We’ve discussed the proposition of whether or not to let you become a supreme Reza,” said Jeffrey. “It was a split vote but we have made our decision. We just have one question for you.”
    “Yes, what is it?”
    “Do you swear to the laws of the crown?”
    “Yes, I do.”
    “If you break any laws while you are with us you will be held to the highest penalty,” said Jeffrey.
    “Yes, okay, I agree.”
    “The king’s council grants you the right to become a supreme Reza, Nick,” said Jeffrey. “Do not make us regret this decision.”
    “I will not make you all regret this decision,” said Nick with a smile. “However, if you remember, I had my conditions as well with the king. Will those still be agreed upon even though he has passed? At the end of the day I will be risking my life. I only wish for those two things in return.”
    “Yes, Nick, we will be fulfilling your requests,” said Jeffrey. “Not because you are risking your life to do this, but because we like you well enough.”
    “Thank you. Will I be doing this tonight then?”
    “Yes, with my supervision and instruction we will do it tonight, Nick,” said Andrew. “Let’s get some food in your stomach, and then we will proceed from there.”
    There was a huge sigh of relief followed by a chill up Nick’s spine. He understood that there was no easy way to trust a man who was sentenced to serve in the arena. He knew in his heart that he had every intention to serve Hentrio. It was something that he felt he was destined to do. When he was younger he thought he was destined to become a Refect and protect the realm. Now the waves of life have set him on a new course.
    Nick sat down for a moment and looked at the fire before him and took the time to think about life. He felt the warmth of the fire, then closed his eyes. He pictured Penny Goldstem and all of her beauty. He could picture her wide and beautiful smile and remembered her loving personality that spread across all aspects of life. He missed her dearly.
    He knew that his childhood best friend Thomas was doing well as a Refect in Vincot, although at the same time he worried about the threat the six posed to the Refect. He wondered if Thomas was stationed in Genold City if he would have