Assassin of Curses: (The Coren Hart Chronicles Book 3) by Jessie Eaker (best novels in english TXT) 📕

It was likely to complain about what happened to his son. He led me over to an empty table. I took one chair, and he took the other across from me.

He gave me a mug of ale, which he said was on him, and introduced himself as Eviek. He was a friendly enough individual, a little on the gruff side, and spoke slightly broken Ellish. However, I couldn’t help but be a little suspicious at his friendly banter. He was not acting like a father upset over his son. There had to be something else.

He put both of his hands flat on the table and leaned closer. He spoke softly. “Your girl. She gave Ellish language to my youngest, Troy. What girl did...” He looked down. “...is great gift. Knowing it will be a big help to him. And me too. We get many travelers from lands near you.”

I leaned forward. “Is Troy all right? It didn’t affect him, did it?”

Eviek shook his head emphatically. “No, he fine. He talking my ear off now.” But I sensed that was not all.

I nodded. “That’s good. What Cabrina did can create problems. I’m glad he didn’t have any.” I was assuming that what Cabrina did carried some of the same side-effects and risks as what Fumiko and I were doing.

Eviek considered me for a moment. “Can she make him read and write Ellish too? Or maybe do numbers? He a smart boy. Can even do some myst things. But out here, there is no one to teach him. His mamma showed him a few things before she died, but I don’t know enough to teach him more. Mamma always wanted him to go to university in Khartiva, maybe work the King’s books and numbers. Even tax collectors make good coin.”

I drew back in surprise. This was not how I thought the conversation would go. “What Cabrina did could have hurt him badly, and your son is fortunate it didn’t. We’ve had to punish her for it.” I didn’t want to tell him that his son had been briefly possessed by one of humanity’s mortal enemies. That might get us kicked out of the inn, or worse, killed.

Eviek sighed. “So you won’t allow it?”

I shook my head. “Allowing isn’t the question. Your son could end up injured.”

He clasped his hands and placed them on the table. He looked at me earnestly. “I need to find something good for Troy. My eldest will be taking the inn when I die. Plus, traffic along this route is slowing. Trade not like it used to be. That means Troy has to find something else.” He looked away. “Mamma asked me to send him to university, on her deathbed no less.”

Just then, Troy came in carrying a heavy load of firewood. Cabrina practically leaped up to help him with the door. They chatted as he stacked the wood by the hearth.

Eviek gave me a pleading look. “What if I offer gold? How much would it take?”

I understood the problem. Not everyone managed to learn to read and write. If trade really was dying along this route, then it could mean the difference between a good life and a life working as someone’s indentured servant.

But while I sympathized, he had no idea how risky it was. What if the next time there were some of the side-effects Fumiko had mentioned. Or even worse, what if Cabrina decided not to move back to her body. Then there really would be a big mess.

“I’m sorry, but we dare not try it. The risk is just too high. It could ruin him.”

Eviek looked down, disappointed. “If you change mind, I will pay. I’ll give you three gold coins.”

I was not familiar with the coin of this land, but gold was gold. It seemed a substantial offering. I slid my chair back. “I’m sorry. I can’t.”

He slapped the table’s top, his face turning red with anger. Everyone looked over at us. “Is it because we’re filthy heathens to you! Is that why my coin isn’t good enough!”

Troy looked up at his father’s outburst and came running over. He spoke to him in their language. The big man turned away, and grabbing his coat, left the room.

Troy turned to me. “I’m sorry. Father gets a little excited at times. I told him to accept what you had given us as a gift and not press for more. But he wouldn’t listen.” He shook his head. “I better go after him.” He then went out the door.

Spraggel wandered over. He patted me on the shoulder. “Coren, you certainly have a way with people.”

I sighed. “What was I supposed to do?”

Spraggel shook his head. “Not piss him off.” He looked toward the door. “I’ve got a feeling this isn’t over yet.”

I had expected Eviek to ask me about it again, but he said nothing more. He only regarded me with a deadly silence whenever I was near. I tried to stay out of his way.

Oddfrid had been notably absent most of the day. We had started to become a little concerned, but when we knocked on his door, he had simply yelled from inside that he was resting. We didn’t see him until mid-afternoon when he emerged still looking exhausted. He was also uncharacteristically subdued as he explained he needed another day to recuperate. Our journey’s next leg was the longest, and he needed to be well-rested before trying it. However, he thought he would be ready by morning.

For me, I took Zofie to the barn, sat her on a stool, and under Cabrina’s watchful eye, talked with her as I practiced. I really missed her—the way she would smile, the twinkle in her eye, the sound of her voice. All of it. Not only was she my beloved, she was also my closest friend. I