Free Death Mages Ascent: Revised Edition (Death Mage Series Book 1) by Jon Bender

sank back into her chair near the window. With Graydon’s help, she might just be able to make it through this. With a little luck her father and Corin would not discover her deception until  it was all over.
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     

Chapter 8
     
                  Jaxom and his small group had been on the road for five days. They rode during the day and sat around a common room hearth or campfire on nights when no inn could be found. He had learned a considerable amount about all of the men except Cribble, who remained quiet, speaking only when asked a direct question or to make a surly remark. Jaxom had tried to alleviate the tension between the Captain and himself, but the man simply refused to meet him halfway. The others had been more forthcoming. Jerup had a wife and two children, a nine-year-old boy and a twelve-year-old girl. He was also very fond of singing but was incapable of carrying a tune. Brenin had joined the Guard at eighteen, his ability with a bow earning him the spot at a young age. He was a cooper’s son and had decided early on that he would not spend his days making and repairing barrels. Da’san had joined the priesthood at sixteen and had begun to spread the word of the Goddess a year later. He had made pilgrimages to temples in many kingdoms. Because of this, his knowledge of the world beyond Ale’adaria was substantial, especially considering his youth. In spite of his devout temperament as a devoted servant of Sarinsha, Jaxom often caught him laughing at Brenin’s crude jokes.
    Dark clouds had been moving in throughout the day, and it was not difficult to tell that a heavy storm was developing. Jaxom informed his companions that they would shelter at the next inn. Empty grasslands gave way to plowed fields, then scattered houses. Cribble informed them that the town was called Toppers Pond. He had visited years before, and the inn where they could stay brewed an especially fine ale. One of the few things Jaxom had managed to learn about Cribble was that he loved ale. As they rode into town, the wind picked up, blowing sheets of rain. The dirt road turned to mud, sucking at the hooves of their mounts. The inn was a two-story stone building with a tile roof and a stable to the side. A couple of wagons in the open area showed that a few traders had also sought shelter there. A man in work clothes emerged from the stable to take their horses. He hesitated a moment when collecting Jaxom’s but said nothing.
    The common room was neat and clean with only a dozen customers scattered at the tables and the bar, some speaking quietly while others played at dice or cards. A fire in the hearth warmed the room. They took a table near the rear of the establishment, and a young woman in a simple skirt approached them holding a tray laden with mugs.
    “What will it be?” she asked, smiling warmly. Jaxom thought her eyes lingered longer on Brenin.
    “Three ales, wine, and water,” Jaxom said. The three Guardsmen would want ale while Da’san did not drink alcohol.  “What do you have for the evening meal?”
    “Roasted pork with boiled potatoes.”
    “Five plates of that. Do you have any rooms available for the night?” Jaxom asked.
    She paused a moment to think before nodding her head briskly, sending curly brown locks over her shoulder. “We have two left. Each only has two beds, so one of you will have to sleep on the floor.”
    Jaxom pulled three silvers from his pouch and slid them across the table to the woman. She picked them up and peered so closely at them he thought she might bite down on one. Satisfied, she tucked them into her skirt.
    “Upstairs, the last two doors on the right.” She pointed. “I’ll have your drinks out in a bit,” she said cheerily, winking at Brenin before she moved off to the next table. 
    “Why do you have to make eyes at every girl we meet?” Da’san asked Brenin.
    “I didn’t do anything,” Brenin