Read Touch of Power for Free Online

longer.
    “Remember when those three drunks challenged Belen to a fight?” Quain asked no one in particular during dinner and when Kerrick was out on watch.
    “And Kerrick gave strict orders. No fighting or we wouldn’t be able to go near a tavern again,” Loren said.
    Flea rolled his eyes. “I’ve heard this story a dozen times.”
    “Only a dozen?” Belen asked. He had stretched out on his back by the fire and rested his head on his crossed arms. “For some reason those two monkeys—” he gestured to Loren and Quain “—think that story bears repeating over and over again. Perhaps it’s just an unfortunate manifestation of their low intelligence.”
    Quain snorted. “Manifestation? Oh, boy, look who’s trying to impress the healer.”
    “He doesn’t want us to finish the story. He’s afraid we’ll scare Avry,” Loren said, trying to draw me into the conversation.
    All four of them had been overly solicitous as the bruise on my cheek swelled, turned red, and faded to a mere smudge of greenish black. I reminded myself that they hadn’t struck me. No need to hate them.
    “I’m not that easy to scare,” I said. “What happened with the drunks?”
    “He clapped all three of their heads together, knocking them out. Thus, no fight,” Quain said.
    “Thus? Now look who’s flinging the fancy words around,” Loren said.
    “ Thus is not fancy,” Quain shot back.
    Flea sighed elaborately. “Here we go…again.” He picked up his two rocks and practiced juggling them despite his claims of giving up the other night.
    I had made sure my bedroll was close to Flea’s. While Quain and Loren launched into a debate about the fanciness of certain words, I asked Flea about his name.
    Keeping his gaze on the stones, he pointed his chin over to the others. “They, ah, gave me the name. Seems it was nicer than being called a parasite.”
    “What’s your given name?” I asked.
    “I don’t have one. At least, not one I remember.” Flea missed a stone and muttered a curse. “I grew up on the streets, thieving to survive. I’ve been called boy, thief and other uncomplimentary words.” A flash of his lopsided smile. “How’s that for a fancy word? Uncomplimentary. ”
    “I’m suitably impressed,” I said.
    He managed to keep the rhythm of the throws consistent for a number of exchanges before the rocks collided in midair. Another curse and he started again.
    “How did you get involved with this group?” I asked.
    “About a year ago, they came to my town, asking questions about healers. They were discreet, but still word gets around and the local muscle didn’t like them or me for selling information to Kerrick. Stealing secrets was one of my most lucrative abilities.”
    “It almost got you killed,” Belen said.
    “ That time. I had a whole network of informers and these guys showed up and just blew it apart.”
    “Funny, I remember it differently.” Belen tossed another log on the fire.
    “You would. Your life and livelihood weren’t at stake.” Flea scratched his temple with the edge of one of his stones. “When things grew too hot, I helped them slip out of town and…” He glanced at Belen with affection, but masked it before the big man could see. “I just stayed.”
    “Ha. We rescued him from the stockade before they could hang him as a traitor. And then we stopped the idiot from going back.”
    Which would explain Flea’s comment about kicking Belen’s shins because he wouldn’t let go.
    “So who gave him his name?” I asked.
    “Kerrick,” Belen answered.
    Not who I’d expect. “Why ‘Flea’?”
    A full-out grin spread across Flea’s face. “’Cause I’m fast and hard to catch.”
    “Because he’s a pest and hard to squash,” Belen said.
    “Because he jumps about three feet in the air when you scare him,” Loren added.
    “Because he’s annoying and makes us itch with impatience,” Quain said.
    “Thanks, guys. I love you, too.” Flea made exaggerated kissing