Kindling Ashes: Firesouls Book I Read Online Free PDF Page B

that’s why he’s so bad tonight.”
    The man nodded. He grabbed Corran’s arm, but paused. He lifted his hand to push Corran’s head to one side, pulling his high collar away from the ugly scar it covered.
    “Hey! What are you doing?” Corran tried to pull away but the man was stronger than he looked. He didn’t want this stranger staring and poking at his scar! He swivelled his eyes, looking all around for somewhere to run. There were stars in the sky tonight. He wondered if they’d listen to prayers from drunkards about fixing his life. The wall was dirty black stone. It needed a wash. This man needed a wash too , he stank . He wasn’t from here – he must have been on the road for weeks.
    “Boy. Hey, focus!”
    Corran looked up from the floor to stare at the traveller man. “Huh?”
    “Where were you at the end of the dragon war?”
    “In the King’s Circus,” Corran answered without thinking. The man’s eyes widened and he realised his mistake. The tiny sober part of him produced a trump. “My– my family are merchants. They were trading there. Lots of rich warriors to sell to.”
    “Ah, okay.” The man turned to Henry with a grim expression. “I think he needs to come with us too. How well do you know him? Can he be trusted?”
    “Not that well… but I think so.”
    “Go where?” Corran asked.
    “Out of town. Come on.”
    “Huh? But why?” Corran turned to stare at Henry instead when the traveller man just pulled him into a walk down the street. “Henry? D’you know where we’re going?”
    Henry didn’t answer either, and Corran found himself trundled along by them through the town and out of the gates. When a guardsman challenged them, Henry called back that they were taking him home because he’d drunk too much. Corran chuckled to himself at that – it was funny because he had drunk too much, definitely drunk too much, but they weren’t taking him home. They didn’t even know where his home was! They thought he was a merchant!
    He continued to laugh to himself as they walked down the road – but after a while he registered how far they’d gone and stopped finding it funny.
    “Are we there yet?”
    “I am not looking forward to explaining this in the morning,” the traveller man muttered under his breath. Corran leapt on the opportunity to turn on him.
    “Explain what? You could explain now. Then there’s no explaining in the morning and nothing to not look forward to!”
    He grinned at the brilliance of his logic, but the traveller man just shook his head. They turned off the path, and Corran looked about with interest as they headed into the forest. He tripped a few times on roots and rocks, but the traveller man and Henry always caught him. A small fire came into sight and Corran perked up. Sleeping bodies were scattered around it, with one old man stood alert. He waved a hand in greeting.
    Corran strode forward ahead of the others to kneel in front of the fire, soaking in the warmth. He heard words exchanged behind him and turned to watch as the traveller man talked to the old man on guard, Henry hanging back.
    “–Found him by accident. Never heard from him before but I’m certain he’s a Firesoul too. I’ll have to explain in the morning though. He’s far too drunk to comprehend a word right now.”
    “I can comprehend!” Corran called. The old man motioned at him to be quiet and the traveller man sighed.
    “Go to sleep, Corden. Wait –” He walked over and pushed some water into his hand. “Drink that first. All of it. Then sleep, and I’ll tell you everything in the morning.”
    Corran frowned at him, but drank the water and decided that perhaps sleep was a good idea. What time was it? He had no idea. He sank to the floor next to the fire and lost himself in dreams.
    *
    Someone was playing drums. Or banging pots together. Or shouting at the top of their lungs. And all of those sounds were knocking at the side of Corran’s head, bringing him to a bleary