Free Blackstone (Book 2) by Honor Raconteur Page B

it.
Putting the glass down, he took the decanter from Wolf before filling up his
glass in return. There seemed to be some sort of significance to the gesture,
but Wolf filed it under ‘making friends’ and just let it ride without asking.
No doubt Markl would figure it all out, and would explain it to him later.
    From the other side of the room, a door opened, and men and
women came in carrying platters of steaming food. Wolf made way as best he
could, giving them room to set the platters on the table. It seemed not to be
just one main dish, but several smaller ones, all of them arranged in a way so
that both sides of the table could share. Or so he gathered, watching how
people were picking up spoons and eating out of every dish within reach.
    He ended up sharing food with Hyun Woo, which didn’t bother
him.
    “Wolfinsky-gui, if it is not bold to ask, may I have the
story to your iron arm?” Hyun Woo gave it a look of open admiration. “It seems
it would be formidable in battle.”
    Wolf gave him a grin. Now this was a man after his own
heart. “So, you want my story? I will be glad to tell it.”
    Hyun Woo leaned forward and filled up his glass again, a
gesture that Wolf immediately reciprocated. “Please do. The night is long,
there is good food to enjoy, and I wish to hear a good tale.”
    Yes, Wolf had a feeling he’d like it here just fine.
     
     

 

The field that Wolf was directed to that morning sat in a
little valley in between mountain curves. It was perfectly flat, the grass cut
low, and there were areas off to both sides with benches and awnings for shade.
Obviously, this was a well-established training field. There were already
several dozen men gathered, most of them either sitting on the benches or under
the awnings. Hyun Woo was with them, but he was facing the road, anticipating
their arrival. When he saw them, Hyun Woo clapped his hands loudly, calling
their attention to him.
    “You have come early. That is good. These are all of the
enforcers of your guild?”
    “Except Fei,” Wolf responded. Turning, he gestured to Tran
and said, “This is Tran Amar.”
    Tran bowed to Hyun Woo as Fei had taught him to do the night
before, but didn’t say anything. Hyun Woo bowed back in response, eyes weighing
and evaluating the dark giant.
    “And this is Rune Maley,” Wolf nodded to his other side.
    “Maley?” Hyun Woo asked, startled. His surprise was obvious
as he looked at Rune. “Are you related to Siobhan-jia?”
    Rune had grown accustomed to this response—after all, he and
Siobhan didn’t look a thing alike, so no one assumed to them to be kin—and had
learned how to handle it smoothly. “She’s my adopted sister.”
    “Is that so.” Hyun Woo filed that fact away, but did not say
anything more than that, just exchanged bows of greeting. “It is my pleasure to
teach you. Today, I wish to start by evaluating your individual skills.
Wolfinsky-gui mentioned to me that you all fight very differently from each
other.”
    Tran tapped his heart twice in nonverbal affirmation. “I’m a
dual-wielder with short swords. Wolf fights with broadsword and shield. Rune is
a hand-to-hand combatant.”
    Hyun Woo probably guessed half of this just by the way they
were armed, but his eyebrows still rose a notch. “Yes, remarkably different in
skills. Teaching you how to move as a unit will be somewhat challenging. Regardless,
let us start with a simple demonstration of how you fight. It will help me.”
    That sounded reasonable, and none of them objected.
    Hyun Woo turned his head and called to a man standing
nearby. “Gil Hyun Lee! Come and be a sparring partner.”
    A man that looked remarkably like Hyun Woo, only younger and
leaner, stepped away from the other men that had been watching on the
sidelines. He gave a short bow, more like a nod, toward Hyun Woo.
    “Hmm, I think we shall start with the youngest.” Hyun Woo gestured
toward a spot in the field away from everyone. “Rune Maley-gui, if