Read The Living Sword for Free Online Page A

boy scoffed with a gap-toothed smile. “That doesn't buy me a sardine. If I'm stuck showing him around all day, I'll need half a moon.”
    “When you try to rob someone, you shouldn't try it unarmed. I'm sure one of your friends would be happy for the coppers.”
    He didn't even glance back. “Sure, they'd take the copper and leave your murmer standing in the middle of the market. A good job takes good money.”
    Eurik watched on as they came closer to a price. This negotiation had a different tone than the ones back on the island. 'So this is haggling. Fascinating.'
    “Fine, you little thief, eight coppers it is,” Patheos relented. “But you'll take him wherever he wants to go and you should know, he understood every word we said.”
    That earned Eurik a more careful look from the boy. He gave the Linesan a smile in return. “Call me Eurik.”
    Patheos counted out four copper pieces. “First, I want you to take him to the Charging Anauceros. After that, to Dogall & Sons on Silverfield Street. Once he has concluded his business there, wherever Eurik wants to go for the rest of the day. He'll give you the rest once he's done.”
    The scholar turned to him. “These dinners take forever, so you'll be on your own tomorrow morning. I simply must have my eight hours of sleep. But I should make it to the Anauceros before lunch. Until then.” Patheos waved him goodbye and then set off with his patron's messenger in tow.
    Eurik watched him go until he disappeared into a waiting carriage that slowly rolled away. 'And now, I am surrounded by strangers.' Shaking that thought off, Eurik tried to get into the spirit of things. There was a city to explore, an entire world, in fact.
    “Name's Dak, if you're curious,” the boy said.
    He simply nodded. “And this is Misthell.” Eurik indicated the sword peeking over his shoulder, which earned him a frown as Dak tilted his head slightly to the right.
    A frown that lasted as long as it took for the living sword to speak up. “Hey.”
    Dak jumped back, but he quickly regained his composure. “Could you tell my ma what I'm doing?” he asked his friends. They said yes, and without another word Dak left them to their fishing.
    Eurik followed his new guide down the docks, but stopped when his foot hit the stone quay. He'd been trying to get a feel for Wind these past days, and he hadn't been entirely deprived of the feeling of Earth chiri during the trip either, yet it was now that he connected with the world in a way he hadn't since leaving home. It was instinct to send the energy swirling through his body, strengthening it.
    With a renewed spring in his step, Eurik walked on. He didn't get far, however, before it slammed into him. The breeze was stifled here by the buildings and for the first time, Eurik got to smell the accumulated scents of half a million people living together.
    This time, Dak noticed he wasn't following and he doubled back. “What's wrong with you?”
    Eurik tried breathing through his mouth, but he swore he could faintly taste the filth. “The air, it's ... not as clean as I am used to.”
    His guide gave an experimental sniff. “I don't smell anything funny.”
    Not wanting to focus any more on the smell, Eurik looked over his shoulder and addressed Misthell. “You wouldn't happen to find anything here familiar?”
    “Hmmm, can't say that I do. Why do you ask?”
    “Well, if you did, then that would have meant my parents had been here before. It would mean the ship they were on left from here.”
    “Or I simply don't remember being here,” Misthell pointed out. “I wouldn't hang too much on me not remembering something.”
    “I won't. Let's go, I'll be fine.”
    Dak shrugged and started to lead him down the street again.
     
    ***
     
    Tall warehouses gave way to even taller apartment buildings. They looked somewhat similar, with the first two stories made of brick while the rest of its height was constructed out of wood.
    The apartment buildings,