Sunstone - Dishonor's Bane (Book 2) Read Free Page A

means you tested out at a very high level. Much Affinity.” Her head bobbed in a knowing fashion.
    “What is Affinity, really?” Shiro said. “I’m new to all of this.”
    “Farmer, by your clothes. There aren’t too many nexuses in the northwest, so Affinity isn’t brought out in folks quite so much as in the rest of Roppon. In the South Isle, you would have exhibited power early on. You wouldn’t mistake it for anything else.”
    She used the term and Shiro still didn’t quite know what she meant by the term nexus.
    The woman seemed to sense Shiro’s question. “Nexuses are like water springs. They are conduits of the earth’s energy that bubble up to the surface. Roppon has more than all other continents on Goriath combined. There is an emergence of the nexus just to the north of here.”
    Shiro frowned. These nexuses must be the power lines in the earth. He headed south to Boriako, but thought he might want to see what a nexus looked like. “What do these nexuses do?”
    “You recharge your magical powers more quickly.” She shrugged.
    “So if I used up my magic, a nexus would make me more powerful?”
    The woman shook her head. “Never more powerful. Your Affinity allows you to only absorb so much and then your power is full. When you use magic, your power is depleted and you’ll feel tired and your abilities degrade. The nexus will top that up, just like filling up a water jar.”
    Shiro finally understood. “How far? I’d like to see this nexus.”
    “Heading for Boriako? The nexus is to the north—”
    “North is the opposite direction of where I need to go in the morning,” Shiro said. The feeling of disappointment inside surprised him.
    The woman gave him a look of curiosity. “It’s about an hour or so north of here. I’ll give you instructions in the morning. When you reach a big meadow, you’ll see an outcropping of orange rocks. The nexus is underneath them. From there, head northeast to the port of Hoksaka. If you looked at a map, it would seem longer. If you end up taking a ship to Boriako from Hoksaka, you’ll arrive at your guild nearly a week faster than traveling south and taking a ferry to Roppon Isle.”
    Shiro went out to the back of the inn to use the latrine and the well to wash. He walked back in to find a meal waiting for him. He found the food fresh and delicious and wondered why the inn didn’t enjoy more popularity.
    “You’re not that far out of the way. You’re a good cook. I’d expect more travelers to stay here.”
    The innkeeper laughed, more of a cackle really. “I don’t need many customers to be happy. More travelers, more work. Those who I like, get my best cooking for free. Those I don’t…” she shrugged and then grinned.
    “You like me?” Shiro said taking another bite.
    The grin disappeared. “Promise that you will seek my inn should you ever need shelter of any kind on the Northern Isle.” The woman took on a look of deadly seriousness. “A person like you may need friends outside the guild at some point in your career.” She flashed half of a grin Shiro’s way and winked. “If you survive.”
    “I intend on surviving and I won’t forget your offer.” He smiled. Why would he ever need shelter if he headed for a life at the Boriako guildhouse? Shiro nodded to promise, so he considered that as cheap payment for the very good meal.
    Shiro headed north the next day, stopping by a stream near the road to fill his empty waterskins. He wandered north for a while and found the track the woman had suggested. He nearly lost his way through a forest as he ascended into coastal hills and threaded through a rocky gully and stopped. Below him lay a large green valley with little pockets of woods.
    He picked his way down the trail and enjoyed just riding through the place. He stopped at the rocky outcropping and could feel a buzz in his mind. Hobbling his horse, so it could pick it’s way through the wild grain stalks that littered the meadow; he