Of Blood And Fire by Ryan Cahill (best classic books of all time .txt) 📕

put your own families in the same danger. The empire will surely remain in and around the villages for some time. You must use your heads. I’m not saying that you join our cause, but for now, at least come with us. Let us take you safely to somewhere else. We have friends in Belduar who can help you.”

“I… I don’t know,” Rist said.

Aeson did not move from where he stood, his eyes fixed on the young men from The Glade. The fire crackled in the night as a wordless silence filled the air.

“I’m going with them.” Calen no longer gazed absently into the fire. He turned towards Aeson, a fixed look on his face. “I’m going with them,” he repeated, “on one condition.”

“Which is?” Aeson raised his eyebrow.

Therin’s interest was also piqued as he sat up to listen.

“I want you to train me in the sword. I never want to be as helpless as I was…” His trembling hands twisted into fists. “I’m going to make them pay for what they did. I want you to promise me I will get my chance at revenge.”

A smile flitted across Aeson’s face. He extended his arm to Calen, grasped his forearm, and pulled him to his feet. “That, my boy, I can promise you.”

“Me too,” Dann said. “I’m coming too.”

“And you too.” Aeson nodded. “And you, young Master Rist?”

Rist twisted his face left to right as he mulled things over. He gently patted the dust from his trousers and stood up. “I guess I’m coming too. These two won’t last two days without me.” He shot Calen and Dann a weak smile.

“It is decided, then. We leave at first light. It’s four days’ hard ride to Camylin, so get your rest.”

Rhett let his shoulders drop. He slouched back into the soft-packed leather couch, sighing heavily. The Riverside Inn was reasonably small as inns went, about half the size of The Gilded Dragon. Circular tables dotted the airy lounge atop thick wooden floorboards. Most of the tables were empty; the merchants and traders having continued on their way at the break of dawn.

The innkeeper was a stout man, with a bald head and a soft welcoming face. He smiled at Rhett as he cleaned out a tankard with a large cloth. Rhett smiled back at him, giving a slight nod, as you do to somebody you don’t know particularly well, but still want to appear friendly towards. He fidgeted absently with the cold handle of his tankard of mead.

Ella had gone up to their room to change and would probably be an hour at the least. She took a while getting herself ready, but it was always worth the wait. She was almost as beautiful on the outside as she was on the inside. He allowed himself a deep smile at the thought of her.

It had been two days and nights since they left The Glade. They had slept under the stars those nights. They dared not stop in the village of Ölm. Their families were too well known there. They were not so well known in Pirn. Still, he was nervous. He was nervous about leaving his home and his family. He was nervous about what a new life in Berona might bring. The journey would be long. With the Darkwood and the Burnt Lands bisecting the continent, boat was the only real way to travel from the South to the North. There were only two main ports that docked ships large enough to make that journey from Illyanara: Gisa and Falstide.

Only the wealthy travelled from Gisa – merchants and traders, lords and ladies travelling to the island city of Antiquar or the capital, Al’Nasla. In all his life, Rhett had not seen enough coin to afford a single ticket from that city. He most likely never would.

Everybody else journeyed from the port of Falstide. It was a longer journey, more dangerous, but it was all they could afford. It would be two months by horseback, at least, to reach Falstide. It would be tough, a lot of rough nights, with cutthroats and purse-snatchers. Then they would either have to face the Burnt Lands or find a captain stupid enough to sail along the Lightning Coast. He knew he did not need to worry about Ella. She was a lady, all right, but her strength of will outstripped his own on many occasions.

“Hello there, stranger.”

She was a vision in a floral cream dress, her hair flowing down over her shoulders in a waterfall of gold. Her ocean-blue eyes looked down over him, searching. There was nothing he wouldn’t do for her. They would make it to Berona.

“Well, aren’t you a sight for sore and tired eyes?” He gazed up at her, a warm smile on his face. “Come on, take a seat. Have a drink with me. We have the place to ourselves.”

Ella laughed and sat down next to him, then shoved his shoulder playfully. “Oh, shut up, you.”

They gestured to the innkeeper for two more meads. They sat there, talking about the next few days, steering conversation away from their long journey across the plains of Illyanara.

Ella took a timid drink of her mead, then bounced in her seat and turned towards Rhett, her eyes full of excitement. “I’m excited to see Camylin. I’ve never been. Calen went with Dad when he was younger, but I didn’t get to go. I hear the markets are amazing.”

Rhett heard the jubilance in her voice. She was incredibly cute when she got excited. He reached into his travel bag beside him and pulled out a small purse. It made a clinking sound when he dropped it on the table. “Well, I’ve set aside a little bit of coin. We can’t pass through Camylin and not shop in the markets.”

Ella’s eyes lit up. “Really? Are you sure we can afford that?”

“Of course,” Rhett replied. “I made sure to set it aside.”

Ella placed a small kiss on his cheek.

I’ll just