Read Silver Dragon for Free Online

"Sit down, lad, and help me understand. Patrina came back nearly a week ago going on and on about how bad she felt for your family and how nice they all were. Now I'm getting the feeling things aren't what she thought they were?"
    "They were, but they've changed."
    "Changed how?"
    Alto took a deep breath. "Changed a lot. Caitlyn and I are all that’s left of my family."
    Teorfyr rocked forward in his chair and slammed his hands on his desk. "Saints , son! What happened?"
    "That Silver Dragon Knight, Beck. He went to their farm and he killed them. He was waiting for me and was going to use Caitlyn as bait, but I showed up too early I guess."
    Teorfyr stared at Alto for a long minute before he asked, "Is he dead?"
    Alto nodded.
    "Good."
    "Not good enough, my lord. Beck was doing the bidding of someone else. The man in charge, a wizard named Fizzulthorp. And that means that the wizard was doing the bidding of something else. Sarya."
    "You think they're still after you?"
    "I'm still alive."
    "And your sister?" the jarl asked.
    "To get to me, yes."
    Teorfyr grunted. "She'll stay with my family. I'll treat her as my own daughter, you have my word."
    Alto felt one of the many weights on his shoulders lift off. He staggered backwards and felt his leg hit the chair Teorfyr had suggested a few moments ago. He all but collapsed into it and had to blink back the moisture in his eyes. When he'd regained control , he nodded. "Thank you, my lord. I don't have the words to—"
    "Silence," Teorfyr insisted. "Your family is my family, Alto. We've fought together and spilled blood together. You've taken up a cause that puts me in your debt, even if you are barely old enough to piss standing up!"
    Alto smirked in spite of himself at the jarl's crude humor.
    "What will you do?"
    "I'm going to make sure she's safe. I'll make sure everyone's safe."
    "The last man to wield that blade had notions like that. It didn't work out so well for him ." Teorfyr stared at the sword hilt hanging over Alto's shoulder.
    Alto stood up and slipped Kevard's Blade and scabbard off his back. He laid it on the desk and sat back down. "My lord, Kevard's Blade is yours. I am no longer fit to wield it."
    "You're daft , lad!"
    Alto shook his head. "No, it stopped answering my call. I have another blade, the sword I took from the knight. This one I've earned. Kevard's Blade is no longer mine to use."
    Teorfyr reached out and drew the legendary sword from its scabbard. He smiled as he moved it slowly through the air. "I feel it," he said to himself. He nodded and sheathed it again before looking at Alto. "I don't know what you can do, nor how you can do it, but you've got my support, lad."
    Alto nodded. "I thank you, jarl. I'm sorry I can't fulfill my oath to you or your daughter."
    "You make sure you take care of your sister and yourself, then we'll worry about that."
    Alto nodded. "I look forward to the day," he said without much hope.
     
    * * * *
     
    Alto opened the door to the room he'd been given and held the lantern up so he could see how it was laid out. He cried out when he saw Patrina standing in the room with her back to him. His eyes went to the bed and he saw the impression from where she'd been sitting in the dark until she heard him fumbling with the latch.
    "Shut the door," Patrina said in a whisper. "I've brought your shirt back."
    Alto shut the door behind him and then sat the lantern on the table beside the bed. Patrina reached up with one arm and undid a clasp on the cloak she wore. She pushed it off her shoulders and let it fall to the floor, revealing his shirt that he'd given her to wear when her dress had been torn. The shirt was large enough on her that the bottom fell halfway to her knees.
    Patrina turned and stepped closer to him, pausing when she was only a few feet away. "Alto, I know what I want. I'm not a foolish girl, not anymore. If this is something I can't have then that's your fault, not mine. I've talked to my father and he agreed that