Free Stealing Sorcery by Andrew Rowe Page A

Restricted
    Languages: Veltrhyn
    Weapon Proficiencies: All conventional weapons
    Sorcerous Proficiencies: Details Restricted
    Expected Performance Rating: 100
    Description: Bound servant of House Crimson. File restricted on the authority of Arbiter Stone. Observe with extreme caution.
     
    Velas raised an eyebrow at the page. Expected performance of 100? All right, that one is far more interesting than I gave him credit for. “Classified Male?” Does that imply he’s not Rethri? If so, what is he? I finally find something amusing and all the details are locked away. Figures. Going to need to see if I can get some better data on him later.
    She frowned, passing that dossier over to Taelien, and began searching through the pile for the one she was most interested in.
     
    Jonathan Sterling
    Human Male Age 25; Hair: Blonde, Eyes: Blue
    Height 185 cm, Weight: 74 kg
    Experience: Soldier 4 yrs., Bodyguard, 2 yrs., Haven Knights 5 yrs.
    Languages: Veltrhyn, Teris, Old Valerian
    Weapon Proficiencies: Sword (Sae’lien), Spear (Sae’lien), Dagger, Lance, Bow (Isendri)
    Sorcerous Proficiencies: None Declared
    Expected Performance Rating: 71
    Description: Born in Valeria, Jonathan Sterling served in the local military for the standard four yrs. After this, he spent two yrs. as a professional bodyguard to the Stalwart family. After saving the life of the family heir, he was offered a position in the Haven Knights, a prominent local knightly order. Several years later, he chose to apply to the Paladins of Tae’os following the departure of his grandfather, a former paladin.
    After passing his basic qualifications, Jonathan indicated that he preferred to take the expedited examinations rather than serve as a squire due to his age and prior experience. His application was approved by Paladin Lieutenant Shaw on 4 th Era’dae 3208 VC...
    She skimmed the rest – she had already read the most important details. A Haven Knight, eh? I didn’t realize the Havens were sending their enforcers this far south. It’ll be interesting to try to figure out why he’s really here.
     
    “Woah, look at this one,” Landen said, passing Velas another sheet. She only had to glance at the second line to see what he was talking about.
    “A Delaren? That’s gotta be a joke.” She parsed through the rest of the page rapidly, shaking her head in disbelief.
    The Delaren were a species of humanoids that were supposedly created in the earliest days of the world, much like the Esharen. After a war between their two races brought the Delaren to the brink of extinction, the Delaren went into hiding.
    “I didn’t even realize there were still any alive,” Taelien said. “But the description is interesting. Apparently she brought two human ‘attendants’ with her, and they’re all applying to join the Paladins of Tae’os together.”
    “So, it’s a political thing?” Velas asked. “I can’t imagine the Delaren have the same religions we do.”
    Taelien shrugged. “No idea. If she’s here as some sort of political move, it’s a strange way to do it. Wouldn’t it make more sense to marry her off to a prince or something?”
    “Most women don’t like being ‘married off’ like they’re objects, Sal.”
    He frowned. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to imply that. I just thought that, you know, traditionally—”
    “Yeah, I get what you meant. Anyway, from the description, it sounds like she came here of her own accord. And if she has human guards with her, they already have some integration with human culture.”
    “Why come here now, though?” Landen asked. “And taking the trials to join the Paladins of Tae’os – I mean, that implies she must have at least known when they were happening and how they work.”
    “Well, why don’t we just ask her when we see her?” Velas set the paper aside. “Shouldn’t be easy to miss the girl with purple crystals for hair.”
    “The paper said she doesn’t have any transformations yet, so she must