Even Hell Has Knights (Hellsong) Read Free

it sizzled. He was glad Rick had turned off the hotplates before cooking the meal. If the heat dissipated fast enough, Rick wouldn’t have a chance to burn the bread. Galen said Rick enjoyed burning the bread.
    “Not many dyitzu about.” Arturus tried hard to make his calculated remark sound like an offhand comment.
    Rick paused before answering, busying himself by flipping the hound liver.
    Does he know I’m trying to wheedle him into something?
    Rick tossed more water onto the meal. “No, it might be difficult finding one to hunt.”
    Arturus watched the fresh steam dissipate into the air. There would always be water on the ceiling over the plates after meal times. Rick left the plates for a second and poked his head through the curtain which cordoned off their supply closet.
    “Do you think I could go hunting with you?” Arturus asked.
    “You know that you’re only supposed to go with Galen,” Rick called back over his shoulder. “I’ve got too many bad habits for you to pick up.”
    Arturus studied Rick for a moment as the man returned to the heating plates.
    “Then let me go to Harpsborough!” he blurted out.
    Rick looked up from his cooking. Arturus saw that he hadn’t immediately rejected the idea.
    “I know I’ve never been there by myself before,” Arturus said quickly, “but you said that the dyitzu have been light. And I know how to handle myself just in case. Galen and I got in that firefight last month, you remember? Besides, I’ve got to start going there sometime.”
    Rick shook his head. “It’s too dangerous. You might get lost.”
    “I go there all the time, I know the way.”
    “There are dyitzu about. You could get attacked. Galen would kill me if he got home and found you hurt. Besides, you know you aren’t allowed to travel that far on your own.”
    “I travel almost that far when I go to the Hungerleaf Grove. I do that all the time.”
    Rick’s eyebrows narrowed. “Let me think about it.”
    “But—”
    “Quiet, Turi. I said I’d think about it.” He tested the liver with one of his knives, cutting into the center of it. “Get your plate.”
    Arturus walked over to the supply closet and picked out his favorite hellstone plate. It had a chip on one of its square edges from where he had dropped it years ago. The grain of the plate’s rock swirled towards the center, making a dark spot which Arturus pretended was a girl sitting by a river. He offered it up to Rick, who delivered to him his portion of hound liver and flatbread.
    Arturus’ heart sank. Rick had managed to burn the bread. Arturus stayed quiet, not wanting to anger his father while he was in the middle of making such an important decision. He sat back down and waited.
    Rick was frowning as he made his way to the table, deep in thought. Arturus watched him intently.
    “Don’t stare, Turi,” Rick said as he took his seat.
    Arturus looked at the hound liver. It was covering up the girl on the river. He wrapped it in the flatbread and started to eat it with his fingers. The liver was hot enough to burn his tongue a little.
    He dared another glance at Rick.
    “Can’t let you go,” his father said. “How would you make the trades?”
    “I’ve watched Galen trade hundreds of times! I know who to speak to and how much to offer.”
    Rick took a bite of the flatbread and chewed it thoroughly. “They’ll try and cheat you. They might think you are an easier mark than Galen.”
    “I’ll be smart. Besides, I won’t take much if you don’t want me to.”
    “You wouldn’t even know who to go to.”
    “Massan has shells, he always does, and he won’t try and cheat me,” Arturus insisted. “I can always trade at the Fore if he doesn’t.”
    Rick sighed, putting down his flatbread. “There’s a lot of trouble you can get into at the village. I don’t know if I feel safe with you alone in Harpsborough.”
    “I’ll just do the trades, I swear. Then I’ll come right back. Besides, if I get in any