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

full intensity.
     
    “I believe you,” Nicolas said with a single nod of his head. “In the interest of helping you, I’ll let you two stay here indefinitely… free of charge.”
     
    Katie’s head snapped towards his old friend at that. She could not believe what she had just heard him say. It was not something that she would have ever expected of him.
     
    “Why would you do this for us?” Caleb asked, sincerely curious.
     
    “You, Caleb of Kirakath, are going to make something of yourself. Of that, I am sure,” Nicolas said as he leaned against the bar with his arms crossed. “I don’t often see a man with such passion and determination. I figure you’d make a better ally than a foe, so it should be no surprise what kind of relationship I’d prefer.”
     
    Nodding slowly, Caleb took in the information carefully. “Very well then,” he said after a few moments. “I believe Katie said that we should get horses to ride to Caldreth on. Do you have any that we can buy?”
     
    “Katie already spoke to me about that,” Nicolas said with a smile.
     
    “We’re not going to get horses just yet,” Katie said suddenly. “I wasn’t thinking clearly when I made that decision. I had planned on paying for a room here, so riding a horse to Caldreth paying for the horses to be kept in the stables would be too impractical.”
     
    “If I didn’t know any better, I’d think you two had done all of the planning already,” Caleb remarked.
     
    “We have,” Nicolas said dryly. “Thanks for asserting your opinion though.”
     
    The younger man blinked in surprise. “Then why were you two waiting on me?”
     
    “It’s impolite to eat dinner without calling all the guests to eat,” Nicolas answered.
     
    “You… called me for dinner?” Caleb asked in confusion.
     
    “Aren’t you hungry?” Nicolas asked.
     
    Instead of answering verbally, Caleb gave the raven haired young man a look that appeared to question his sanity.
     
     
     

Chapter 9
    Caleb took a deep breath as he looked at his sword. It was lying on the bed of his temporary residence, sharply contrasting with the dark blanket that covered the bed. It continued to amaze him how the sword continued to look polished, and the edge of the blade was still in perfect condition.
     
    A knock at the door broke his focus on the sword, his eyes immediately going to the source of the noise.
     
    “Come in,” he said as he turned to face the door.
     
    “Caleb, are you ready to go?” Katie asked as she entered the room. Unlike the night before, she had taken to wearing a dagger at her right hip. It seemed that she had left her six knives in her room though. Apparently, she noticed that he was eyeing her belt. “The city guard will recognize me. I’d prefer that they don’t think I’m trying to cause some trouble.”
     
    “You must be pretty infamous,” he remarked as he lifted his sword from its place on the bed. As he attached it to his belt so that it would hang at his left hip, he said, “I’m still curious as to what you meant yesterday. You and your friend spoke of you being sent away from Caldreth by his uncle.”
     
    “I’d prefer that we not speak of it,” Katie said with a sigh as she looked away from him. “I don’t want to lie to you, so I’m going to speak plainly. My past is not your concern. I’m just paying the debt that I owe you.”
     
    “I know,” Caleb said as he looked at the girl that he had only known for a couple of days. “I can’t expect you to tell me much, and I never asked you about your past. All I said was that I’m curious.”
     
    “You were prodding me to see how I’d react,” Katie noted as she made eye contact with the young met that stood before her. “You play a dangerous game. What would you do if I had decided to let you do this on your own?”
     
    “Nicolas would help me in that case,” he answered with a shrug. “He’s made it clear that he wants to help