Free The Gems of Raga-Tor (Elemental Legends Book 1) by CA Morgan Page B

way, it even helped to save and further your reputation. Which, as you well know, was becoming suspect.”
    “How so?”
    “Well, the next morning Kaitay came into your room and saw you there as…as Erisa. How’s that for your female name?”
    “Don’t get used to it.”
    Raga grinned. “And what a flurry of jealous gossip flew about that inn for half a day. Even your friend, Raj, stuck his head in to see what all the fuss was about. He knows a good thing when he sees it,” Raga explained, with a wink.
    “My point exactly. Anything could have happened with all those people poking about.”
    “Do you think after putting up with you long enough to convince you to come with me, I was going to let something happen to you. By the time they returned, I had put a little illusion spell around you so they thought you were gone,” Raga said.
    “That’s it?”
    “That’s it.”
    “Fine. I'll accept what you say. But don’t ever do anything like that again, unless you tell me first and even then, I’d sooner tell you to go to hell,” Eris said as he brought the small blade close to his neck.
    “ What are you doing?” Perplexed, Raga watched Eris drop his head back.
    “Shaving.”
    “Are you crazy? You’re riding a horse. You’re going to slice your neck wide open. How am I going to get my gems back if you slip and kill yourself?” Raga suddenly felt an irresistible urge to scratch the beard covering his throat. “Why can’t you wait till later when maybe you’ll have water and soap? That blade isn’t even close to a decent razor.”
    Smoothly, Eris made the last pass up the side of his neck. With three quick flicks of his wrist he removed the stubble from under his chin. He turned to Raga with the particularly disarming smile that was unique to him and said, “Calm down, sorcerer. I’ve been doing this for a long time. A soldier doesn’t always have the time, or the luxury, of soap and water to get the job done.”
    He started on one cheek.
    “Neither does a scoundrel on the run,” Raga quipped. Nervously, his eyes followed each quick stroke. “What if your horse trips? If you don’t want a beard, though I can’t see why not, then how about a little spell to—”
    “No! I do just fine on my own,” Eris interrupted, touching up a spot or two he missed. “Look at my face. Do you see any scars?”
    “No, but—”
    “Of course not. I never slip. And if the horse stumbles…”
    Eris let the explanation hang. He spread out his empty palms. The tiny blade had disappeared back into the saddle.
    Raga frowned. “That still doesn’t mean it can’t happen."
    “Then worry about it when it happens.” Eris squeezed his mount’s sides. The horse sprang forward eager to run. “Come on, Raga,” he shouted over his shoulder. “Give that nag of yours some oats and let’s be off this rock before the wind blows again.”
    “Willful child,” Raga grumped. He adjusted himself again in the saddle, and then spurred his mount to catch up with the vibrant green and black of Eris and horse as they raced as swift as the wind across the plateau’s gray rock.
     

Chapter 3
The Sultan’s Eris
    Ulna Karahm, the lush garden city and capital of Reshan, lay as a gleaming pearl shining white against the warm, golden sand of a desert beach. Tall palms rose as green minarets from the tropical gardens enclosed within thick, city walls.
    From their vantage point high on a sand dune, Eris and Raga looked over the walls into the unusually well-organized city. Seven natural springs supplied the inhabitants with the water to sustain life in this arid region of blowing, shifting sand. Growing around six of the springs were magnificent gardens full of fruit trees, exotic flowers, and broad-leafed plants that gave shade to the weary, as they came to fetch the clear, cool water.
    The seventh spring was not visible and Eris knew with certainty that he would see it once he was inside the expansive palace, which was built in the