Victim of Fate Read Online Free

had
nothing to do with the fire. "She kept me company, that's all."
    Karthor chuckled. "I believe you. You're
daft, but I believe you."
    "Why?"
    "Because you've the morals of a priest of
Millesius, the patron saint of marriage! The girl's crazy about
you," Karthor said. "She's feigned interest in Namitus and me both,
sure, but that was just to make you jealous. She gave up on us when
it didn't work, but you probably didn't notice."
    "She's just a friend," Alto said.
    "You're one of a kind, Alto. One of a kind,"
Karthor said while shaking his head. "Now lay back and relax while
I see what you've done to yourself."
    "Where's Namitus? Is he all right?"
    "Some minor burns and short of breath from
the smoke, but he's fine. He wasn't fool enough to run back into
the house."
    "The lady of the house collapsed!" Alto
protested.
    "And so did you a few minutes later. I hear
she's recovering and will be fine after some rest, by the way."
    "Good," Alto said. He lay back on the bed.
"Did Namitus tell you what happened?"
    "That you two saw a merchant slip and drop
his lantern outside his house?"
    Alto stared at him for a long moment. "Um,
yeah, that started the fire."
    "And then you two ran in to save his family
and sent him to bring help."
    "That's all he told you?"
    "Is there more?" Karthor held his holy symbol
in his hand, paused, as he held it over Alto's chest.
    There was more, but now that Alto thought
about it, he was confused. Why had the girl's brother known Namitus
had been there when her father hadn't? The young man looked older
than Alto by a year or two. "No, that's all of it," Alto said. He
had questions for his roguish friend. Speaking before he had
answers was bound to cause problems.
    "Then lay back and close your eyes; this may
take some time."
     
    * * * *
     
    "Her father didn't know?" Alto challenged
Namitus the next day when he joined him at a table and broke apart
a loaf of bread.
    Namitus shrugged. He chewed a bite of his own
meal and swallowed before answering, "She's old enough."
    "Not unless he says she is," Alto pointed
out. "This isn't the southern realms or even a Kelgryn city."
    "The southern kingdoms are far worse, trust
me," Namitus chuckled.
    "What then, an elven city?"
    Namitus shrugged. "Never been to one and the
elves I've met don't speak much of where they come from. Just
because my grandmother is an elf doesn't mean I'm privy to their
customs."
    Alto sighed and chewed on his simple
breakfast. "Was she worth the risk?"
    Namitus chuckled. "You're still dancing
around the lass from the bar? When are you going to bed her and get
it done with?"
    Alto frowned. "I'm not. I mean, I
don't...What about you? Falling out of a window?"
    Namitus laughed at him and took a drink from
his cup. "The kiss of a young lady is a distracting thing."
    Alto thought back to Aleena’s kiss while he
lay recovering in bed the night before. "Aye, that's true
enough."
    His friend chuckled at the young warrior's
distant expression. "So, why cut my night short? Are we to spend
another fortnight keeping traders company on the roads?"
    "You haven't spoken to Tristam yet?"
    "Haven't even seen him yet," Namitus
admitted. The sound of a boots on wood drew their eyes up to the
stairs that led to the private rooms.
    "Seems you two had a rousing night," the
leader of the Blades of Leander said as he entered the room.
"Sounds like there's more to it than what I heard last night,
too."
    Alto and Namitus glanced at each other. They
both turned back to Tristam, mouths opened to explain but he waved
them off. "First off, there's two types of men in the world. Those
who run out of a burning building and those who run in. I'm of a
mind that I want those who run in on my side, but that don't mean
you're not fools for doing it."
    The two young men shared another glance.
"Alto tells me we've another job?" Namitus asked.
    Tristam smirked. "The crown's being tight
with work these days. You'd think after all the lives we spared
last spring they'd be a bit