THE ROOT OF DARKNESS

CK

ss the ba

er the noise of the market. The rattle and the din.

e bulging belly to my left loudly haggles o

onder if I can borrow a fat loaf for Aunt back home. The thought distracts me for a second, but

owdy kingdom market makes my refle

Jack! Ov

promptly curses me out. I am grinning when a kid w

off my face when yells erupt from an all

ig

ood stalls and expertly weaving through people. I burst out of the

His clothes are dusty, and a nervous expression covers his face. Knowin

out of anything. Luck is not

trinket you st

ight yells t

The other two knights are in the middle of catching thei

from chasing after Adam an

g of that sort!

usiness. That woman is wrongly accus

all and approach the Knights in a jog, trying t

headed towards the castle gat

king about, street bastard

ckets. He was pretty fast, so I didn't get a good look at it. But it l

lances. They decide they could not risk a thief getting n

, yelling at people to move out of the way. Once they wer

holding up a shiny trinket. The g

ine. Especially since knights are the most cruel to orphans in the

. "This looks like it's sure to earn us a

s closer, his tall, lanky form swaying with triumph. I am several inches taller than he is, but despit

build. Adam has close to no

curling my lips down. It turns out to be

isn't even made of precious ston

ld? But nice find, Adam, you should trade it when the du

sandy blonde hair, as we both

e to build a damn castle

l, except for curses from a few women while playing kickbal

bread earlier. I was thinking about borrow

hand on his flat belly

ood, Jack. I'm hung

e orphans. We adapt, of course, but the sight of the prominent ribs in the younge

he kingdom gates. Where our small village rests. I absently kick

ut the most peaceful. Well, as peaceful as a village can

You are better at haggling with that miserly ol

he expects me to refuse when we d

. I'll see

e house seems to be falling apart at the seams, as it is way older than aunt herself, yet I always

! I'm

y cough, and a violent wheeze. I glanced sideways to see Aunt c

your herbs?" I say worriedly, crossing

slowly, clearing h

y of rest. Then I will be up and spinning lots of blankets to

at for my sake. I knew her health

to spin blankets we can sell to earn more copper pieces. Recently, she h

spin the blankets like Aunt does it, but that only ends

y good yarn. So, I can n

ol mug of spring water. She slightly sits up, and I make her

, Jack." S

make her far more comfortable, and even healthy again. After all, s

eath, and I was sent to my aunt in anot

her and father, going strong till she is now too weak to work

I brush a strand of her hair away f

o pay our taxes, A