Ascent of the Unwanted (The Chronicle of Unfortunate Heroes Book 1) by Nathan T. Boyce Read Free Book Online Page B

around him strong and tight.
    “I tried to warn her,” Malgar said in a choking voice. “I told her any man who would pay that much for a woman was looking for trouble. They figure anybody who might care would look the other way.” Malgar paused trying to compose himself. “She reassured me, and told me this may be the last time she would have to do this, and everything would be all right. I shouldn’t have listened but the money got to me, too.”
    For the first time in Erik’s life he sensed pain in Malgar’s voice. Always a rock in the direst of times, the man looked beaten. Erik realized how much his mother had meant to him, not as a serving maid, but also as a friend. He and Malgar stood there holding each other for a long time crying into each other’s shoulders.
    “I have something for you, boy.” Malgar let go of the embrace looking around as if to say ‘This hug never happened.’ He led Erik into town and into the tavern now filled with many horrible memories. Malgar walked into the back to his personal room and came back with two pouches, one in either hand. He gave the larger pouch to Erik first. “This is your money now, Erik. There are eight gold, sixteen silver pieces, and a smattering of copper. The gold came from your mother’s last night of work. There were ten pieces but I had to use two to get the funeral I thought she deserved.”
    Erik opened the pouch and stared inside. More money sparkled at him in one bag than Erik had seen in his entire life. He tied the pouch closed and moved it to the side of the table to see the other pouch Malgar still held.
    “Your mother received this as payment the first night she…well, you know. She wanted to save it for your wedding day. You could sell it and maybe get out of this hell hole with your beautiful new bride.” He handed Erik the smaller pouch.
    Erik worked the small tie strings loose and shook the contents into his hand. A small cloth-wrapped bundle fell into his open palm. He laid the tiny package on the table and began to open it gingerly. In the middle of a fold in the cloth lay a cut, marble-sized ruby. Erik could not believe it. He gently removed the stone from the cloth and peered at it. It would have been priceless except for the one flaw. Starting at the top center of the gem and running down one side a black scraggly line marred the beauty of the stone. The imperfection prevented the light from refracting through, drawing further attention to the corundum’s deformity.
    “I tried to tell her it wasn’t worth much. She insisted on keeping it anyway. I only had to wonder why for a few weeks until her tummy started show your impending arrival.” Malgar said looking off into the distance.
    Erik stared amazed at his sudden wealth. It had come at too high a cost and the look of it all sickened him.
    “I know what you are thinking but this is good money. That is enough to start a life worth living, if used wisely. Your mother would have wanted it this way. It is what her whole life was about. Use it.”
    Erik thought about it. He had always imagined a simple life for himself. A place where he could build a future and get his mother away from the life she had. Now he could only think of one thing he wanted and this money would go a long way to achieve his goals. Malgar and his mother had yearned for a quiet life for Erik, away from this miserable place.
    Erik, however, wanted revenge.
     

Chapter 4
The Man and the Dog He Rode in on
     
    “It’s just like I told the guy. You want me to show you how to put a smile on a woman’s face, just need to listen to me.”
    The whore just wouldn’t shut up. Uriss already got what he wanted from her, but still she screeched out worthless spill like a cat in heat. The creep on the horse paid him too much for him to put up with this. Who would have thought traveling through a small town like Olumar would drop a deal like this? What was it the guy said? Head up the road, and make a right at the fork.