Victim of Fate Read Online Free Page B

myself but for once we'll trust Kar."
    "For once?" Kar growled. He sat up and puffed
out his chest. "I'll have you know that I've studied abroad and the
dwarven underground citadels are some of the most amazing things
not created by the saints."
    "He's right," Namitus said. His assertion
halted the conversation and drew everyone's eyes to him. "In the
south, I spent some time in the dwarven city of Deep Glimmer."
    "Deep Glimmer?" Alto echoed. "What kind of
name is that?"
    "It's a translation," Kar said. He spoke in a
different language, the phonetics of it crashing against Alto's
ears like steel against rocks. "That's how you say it in
dwarvish."
    Alto blinked and shook his head, confused by
the dwarven language. "Deep Glimmer it is," he managed after a
moment to the laughter of the others. "So we're off to find a
buried dwarven city then? Who's put out a contract for this?"
    "No contract," Tristam muttered. "The only
jobs here pay squat and offer pointless tasks. We might as well be
farmers."
    "Hey!"
    Tristam winked at the former farm boy. "If we
can't find something worth our time in your lady's home city of
Holgasford, then we'll set north for this. Not what I prefer, but
our wits and our swords grow dull with nothing better to do than
setting fire to buildings."
    "We didn't set fire to the house!" Alto
protested.
    Tristam waved him off. "Ready yourselves,
lads. When Karthor arrives, we'll set out. Kar, where is that boy
of yours?"
    "Probably servicing one of the priests," Kar
muttered.
    "I'm sure he'll be along soon," Tristam said
with a chuckle. "He's come far for a young man in the service of
Leander."
    "So you're saying he'll be able to tend to
the needs of his superiors that much quicker?" Kar glowered at the
man.
    Tristam laughed again. "While we wait, let's
gather our gear for the road. Winter's all but upon us; be ready
for some cold days and colder nights where we're going."
    "Aye, the one thing I hated about Holgasford
was the winters," Namitus said.
    "It's no farther north than my father's land.
Why's it so cold?" Alto asked.
    Kar took a drink from the cup of water in
front of Alto before saying, "You had hills and trees to stop the
wind. It's open land near the seas, and then there's the seas
themselves. Current runs from the northern waters along the Kelgryn
coast; it brings cold water and air with it."
    The door opened to admit Karthor. He shut it
behind him and looked up to see everyone staring at him. "Uh, did I
interrupt something?"
    "Talking about the fine weather ahead of us
in Kelgryn lands," Tristam said.
    Kar caught his son's eye and reached up to
scratch away an imaginary stain on his lip. Karthor frowned and
reached up, searching for a similar stain. He brought his fingers
away and looked at them, and then looked at the grinning wizard. He
scowled.
    "I don't get it?" Alto asked, looking back
and forth between the two men.
    "An inappropriate joke at the expense of my
church," Karthor said.
    Namitus and Tristam snorted. Alto laughed to
fit in but found himself more confused than ever. "Are we ready to
go?" he asked to change the topic.
    "Yes, let's be off. We've been too long with
nothing but straw dummies to beat on," Tristam said as he rose up
from his seat.
    "About that," the priest interrupted, "I've a
favor to ask."
    "A favor?" Tristam frowned.
    "To the southeast there's a village, it's not
on our way but they've run into problems and the troubles to the
north has the army too busy to help. They've sought help from
Leander."
    "What sort of problems?" Kar asked.
    "Can they pay?" Tristam followed.
    Karthor's brow furrowed at the warrior's
question. He turned to his father and said, "There's a grove nearby
they claim is filled with fey spirits. People have been lost in it
and been missing for days before coming out with no memories. Now
something is terrorizing them. They've found signs of battle and
even blood, but no bodies. The villagers think whatever's in the
grove is taking them."
    "And the