Free Rise of the Champion (The Sword of Kirakath Omnibus #1) by Ryne Billings Page A

his female companion.
     
    “I’m surprised,” he said, his voice low. “I thought you two would discuss everything without me. I’m not exactly in the know when it comes to the things that you two specialize in.”
     
    “We can’t fault you for not knowing the game, Caleb,” Nicolas said as he hopped off of the bar. “You’ve clearly been living in a small village your entire life. You’ve been to a few other small villages, by my reckoning. Katie remarked that you were caught off guard when you entered my inn. I’m going to assume that you’ve ever been to a place that was large enough to have an inn, so how can I fault you for not knowing the game?”
     
    Caleb’s voice grew dry. He could not deny the man’s words. In fact, his next words only served to confirm them. “What game do you speak of?”
     
    Nicolas’s lips pressed together at that, laughter barely suppressed under the surface. “You prove my point so well.”
     
    “The game is our lives,” Katie said simply. Indifference could be seen in her eyes. “We- Nicolas and I- are loosely associated with the Thieves’ Guild of Caldreth. Thus, we play the game. And before you ask, the game has no name. It is simply the game.”
     
    “The game is how we interact with other criminals and the various men of importance,” Nicolas chimed in, his silky smooth voice sending a chill down Caleb’s spine. “As Katie so aptly says, the game is our lives. We were never taught it, but we know it better than we know ourselves. This ties in with your desire to find the men that serve under the banner of two crows pinned together by a black feathered arrow. Relax. Katie told me about the patch that you carry with you.”
     
    Caleb’s eyes narrowed, but he could not feel upset with the redhead at that moment. He still did not feel well about snapping on her earlier. He also had to take into consideration the fact that he had not told her to keep anything between them.
     
    “What do you know about the emblem?” Caleb asked after he took a deep breath. “Do you recognize it?” He removed the patch from its place between his belt and his tunic at that moment and held it up.
     
    “I’ve never seen it before in my life,” Nicolas said plainly. “I reckon that I can find out who it belongs to, or find someone that knows, within a week though. If I don’t know about them by now, then they are staying under the radar.”
     
    “I need to know who they are and where I can find those murderous bastards,” Caleb said, anger swelling. The anger was not directed at anyone present, which seemed to allow them to remain somewhat calm.
     
    “If I were to whisper their name in the marketplace of Caldreth, then they would know they I was searching for them within one week. By the time I managed to get you their location, they would be halfway to the Isle of Akabar. Even with an army behind you, you would have trouble getting to them then. Thus, I ask you to be patient. Finish your business in Caldreth. Once you are ready to go after them, then you can return here. At that time, I’ll be more than happy to find out where they are when you are ready to ride into the sun after them.”
     
    Caleb seemed to deflate as he leaned against the door. “I don’t have much of a choice, now do I?”
     
    “No, you do not,” Nicolas replied with a grim smile. “You should look at the bright side in the meantime. The longer they go without you going after them, the longer they think that they are safe. You will have your chance to seek this revenge that you so clearly desire.”
     
    Unnoticed by Caleb, Katie’s lips pressed into a tight line as if she wanted to say something but could not bring herself to do so.
     
    “There is no doubt in my mind that I will kill them,” Caleb said softly. “It’s my only purpose left now. Even if it kills me, I will succeed.”
     
    It was at that moment that Nicolas and Katie first saw the fire in Caleb’s eyes burn at its