Free Roads of the Righteous and the Rotten (Order of Fire Book 1) by Kameron A. Williams Page A

continue to serve her, the small favor of returning Yuna to the city and rotating another spy into the castle would surely be granted.

7
     
     
     
     
     
     
    Zar squi nted at the morning sun , smiling ponderously at the familiar sights. It had been some time since he’d been so far east. He had thoroughly explored Cyana, spent some time in Lolia, and now that he was back in the mainreach he aimed to line his purse with gold—and he could think of no better place to do it than Lindoth. There was no other place in the mainreach that was more corrupt, more prone to violence and plagued by thieves than there. The vileness of the place almost matched that of the cities of the far east—like in Xahka, one of the dark places of the world, where even the sun seemed to shine less brightly.
    Even with the temple standing just outside the city, the monks offered the people little guardianship. Even the bravest monks with their iron hands of Vyere knew it was all too easy to wind up dead for a few gold pieces in Lindoth . Only when Zar came about would this cycle be interrupted, and doing so usually earned him a lovely portion of gold.
    “I must say you look quite beautiful this morning,” said Zar, glancing down on Asha’s golden-brown fur as he rode. “The way the light’s hitting your coat … it’s rather radiant, really,” Zar praised.
    Asha turned her head back toward Zar and gave a slight groan.
    “You owe me no thanks,” Zar replied. “Truly your coat is dazzling in this light. More dazzling than a thousand gold pieces, I daresay.”
    Asha kept forward without uttering a sound.
    Zar laughed. “No need to be modest, now, it’s true.
    Have I not complimented your beauty before? Surely I have. Asha, let me tell you, I’ve traveled to the far corners of the land and I’ve seen many beautiful girls and you are still one of the most beautiful—if only we could work on your manners a bit.”
    Zar leaned forward, peering at Asha as if expecting an answer.
    “You know what I mean,” he said. “Spitting isn’t exactly ladylike. And furthermore, it puts us in danger when you behave like that—not to mention it’s quite rude. I cannot count the days it’s been since I was that rude. Can you, Asha? Good thing I’m different now.”
    His golden mount grunted and lowered her head as she continued across the plain.
    “What? You don’t think so?” said Zar, sounding genuinely astounded. A prickle of discontent stung his face before he raised his voice at his friend.
    “I may be a vile man, but I’ve come a long way. You know I have!”
    Zar folded his arms tightly across his chest, and Asha, after traveling a few more paces, let out a series of low pitched groans as if she were mumbling.
    “What’s that?” Zar asked, still sounding annoyed. “I didn’t hear what you said, but if you’ve nothing good to say, by all means hold your tongue.”
    Zar grabbed the water-skin that hung from Asha’s front saddle pommel and took a drink. “I’ve changed much,” he said, “I think—no, I’m certain.”
    Asha fell quiet and Zar returned the water to its place and folded his arms across his chest.
    “It leaves you in an odd position having tasted of evil; pure things lose their ardor for you’ve seen the darker side of them, and that thrill of wickedness is too close, too familiar. It’s probably the reason I can’t live a good, quiet life on a farm somewhere. That simply wouldn’t do, would it, Asha?”
    It was midday when Zar led Asha to graze on a thick patch of shrubs growing outside of a dell, dismounted and grabbed some food from the saddlebag. He was nibbling dried venison when a murmur snuck from the dell and fluttered past his ear. Zar listened. Something was happening.
    Creeping closer to the woods he could hear it better—the voices of several men—but he couldn’t see anything. The young trees were dreadfully dense and garnished with a violent thicket of saplings tangled with vines and ferns,