The Forgotten King (Korin's Journal) by Brian Beam Read Free Book Online Page A

problem.”
    “That’d be even worse,” Til’ muttered, wrapping his arms around his body as if chilled.
    “True,” I agreed.  “We have more pressing matters, though.  Max, Sal’, and Xalis are our only concerns for now.  We’re not leaving them to the whims of the Wizard Academy.  Gualain’s going to have to wait, no matter what’s going on out there.  Besides, it’s going take a lot more than the two us to stop the war.”
    “Yeah, we’ve got to save them first,” Til approved. 
    I stretched my arms, yawning.  I’d only drank half of my ale, but it was stout enough that I was starting to feel relaxed.  “It’ll be nice to get cleaned up and have a real bed to sleep in.  We’ll need to get an early start tomorrow.
    “Bill!” Til’ called out loudly. 
    “Ant said we could pay him in the morning,” I replied tiredly through another yawn.
    “No, Bill!” Til’ urged, tugging my sleeve and pointing towards one of the front windows.
    Sure enough, the tattooed, shaved-head brute from Galius’s basement was outside, hitching what looked like a warhorse next to our mares.  Needless to say, our plans for a comfortable night’s sleep were ruined.

Chapter 6
    Ignoring the Gut
     
     
    Bill showing up at the Old Homestead did not bode well for us.  It appeared that he hadn’t been released from his Activated Contract with Galius after all.  Stupid Julan Bertal.
    A cursory glance at the entry door revealed it to have both a metal latch and a key lock above its handle.  I quickly jumped from my chair and darted to the door, slamming down the latch.  Taking a cue from my actions, Til’ ran to the windows and closed the shutters.
    “What should we do?” Til’ asked shrilly.  “We could take him, right?  I mean, we’ve taken on worse.”
    Til’ had a point, but I wasn’t about to willingly jump into a fight with the muscular Holder.  For the most part, any person using a Contract to make a living is tough, clever, adept, and a little crazy.  A Holder’s skills and smarts are all they have to protect themselves from lifelong servitude to a Setter.  Those attributes have to be sharp as a sword, or the Holder’s life is forfeit.  Basically, I wasn’t going to confront Bill unless I had to. 
    “We’re not even going let them know we’re here,” I replied.  I grabbed Til’s arm and started for the doorway behind the bar, hoping to find a rear exit.  “That bastard Julan must not have forced Galius to cancel his Contract Terms with Bill.  Why else would Bill be after us?”
    “But he can’t even hurt you, can he?” Til’ questioned.
    Pausing, I looked back at Til’.  He was technically correct.  I’d forgotten all about Galius’s order for Bill and his fellow thugs to kill me.  The magic of my prior Activated Contract with Galius would’ve protected me from physical harm at Bill’s hands.  However, I couldn’t be sure if Bill had planned for that or not.
    “No, but he can still hurt you.  We’re not taking any chances.  Our friends’ lives are too important to put ourselves at risk right now.”  My explanation silenced the Kolarin, and we continued on through the doorway.
    The back room had no windows or lamps, but I could faintly make out a door on the rear wall.  The soft glow from the doorway behind us kept me from running into tables and food-lined shelving.  When I reached the door, I found it to be locked. 
    “Damn, it’s locked,” I muttered as I pulled on the door’s handle to no avail.  “Let’s head upstairs and see if we can get the key from Ant.”
    Back in the barroom, the front door started rattling in its frame.  This was followed by several heavy knocks.  “I know you are still open.  I can see the lights in there,” Bill called out loudly in his rough voice.  The drunken man at the bar didn’t stir in the least.
    I caught Til’s attention and held a finger to my lips.  We grabbed our cloaks and backpacks from the table