A Quest of Heroes (Book #1 in the Sorcerer's Ring)

a horse.
    He was nudged again, and he sat up, the
room spinning violently. He leaned over and threw up, gagging again and again.
    A chorus of laughter erupted all around
him, and he looked up to see Reece, O’Connor, Elden and the twins hovering
close by, looking down.
    “Finally, sleeping beauty wakes!” Reece
called out, smiling.
    “We didn’t think you’d ever rise,”
O’Connor said.
    “Are you okay?” Elden asked.
    Thor sat up, wiping his mouth with the
back of his hand, trying to process it all. As he did, Krohn, lying a few feet
away, whimpered and ran over to him, jumping into his arms and burying his head
in his shirt. Thor was relieved to see him, and happy to have him at his side.
He tried to remember.
    “Where am I?” Thor asked. “What happened
last night?”
    The three of them laughed.
    “I’m afraid you had one drink too many,
my friend. Someone can’t hold his ale. Don’t you remember? The alehouse?”
    Thor closed his eyes, rubbed his
temples, and tried to bring it all back. It came in flashes. He remembered the
hunt…entering the alehouse…the drinks. He remembered being led upstairs…the
brothel. After that, it was all black.
    His heart quickened, as he thought of
Gwendolyn. Had he done anything stupid with that girl? Had he ruined his
chances with Gwen?
    “What happened?” he pressed Reece,
serious, as he clasped his wrist. “Please, tell me. Tell me I didn’t do
anything with that woman.”
    The others laughed, but Reece stared
back at his friend earnestly, realizing how upset he was.
    “Don’t worry, friend,” he answered. “You
did nothing at all. Except for throw up and collapse on her floor!”
    The others laughed again.
    “So much for your first time,” Elden
said.
    But Thor felt deeply relieved. He had
not alienated Gwen.
    “Last time I buy you a woman!” said
Colven.
    “Perfectly good waste of money,” said
Caven. “She wouldn’t even return it!”
    The boys laughed again. Thor was
humiliated, but so relieved he had not ruined anything.
    He took Reece’s arm and pulled him
aside.
    “Your sister,” he whispered, urgently.
“She doesn’t know about any of this, does she?”
    Reece broke into a slow smile, as he put
an arm around his shoulder.
    “Your secret is safe with me, even
though you didn’t do anything. She doesn’t know. And I can see how deeply you
care for her, and I appreciate that,” he said, his face morphing into a serious
expression. “I can see now that you really do care for her. If you had gone
whoring, that would not be the kind of brother-in-law I would want. In fact, I
have been asked to deliver you this message.”
    Reece shoved a small scroll into Thor’s
palm, and Thor looked down, confused. He saw the royal stamp on it, the pink
paper, and he knew. His heart quickened.
    “From my sister,” Reece added.
    “Whoa!” came a chorus of voices.
    “Someone’s got a love letter!” O’Connor
said.
    “Read it to us!” Elden yelled.
    The others chimed in with laughter.
    But Thor, wanting privacy, hurried off
to the side of the barracks, away from the others. His head was splitting, and
the room still spun—but he didn’t care anymore. He unrolled the delicate
parchment and read the note with trembling hands.
    “Meet me at Forest Ridge at midday.
Don’t be late. And don’t call attention to yourself.”
    Thor stuffed the note into his pocket.
    “What does it say, lover boy?” Calven
called out.
    Thor hurried over to Reece, knowing he
could trust him.
    “The Legion has no exercises today,
right?” Thor asked.
    Reece shook his head. “Of course not.
It’s a holiday.”
    “Where is Forest Ridge?” Thor asked.
    Reece smiled. “Ah, Gwen’s favorite
place,” he said. “Take the eastern road out of the court and stay right. Climb
the hill, and it begins after the second knoll.”
    Thor looked at Reece.
    “Please, I don’t want anyone to know.”
    Reece smiled.
    “I’m sure she does not either. If my
mother found out, she would kill you both. She would lock my sister in her
room, and exile you to the southern end of the kingdom.”
    Thor gulped at the thought of it.
    “Really?” he asked
    Reece nodded back.
    “She doesn’t like you. I don’t know why,
but her mind is set. Go quickly, and don’t tell a soul. And don’t worry,” he
said, clasping his hand. “I won’t either.”
    *
    Thor walked quickly in the early
morning, Krohn scampering beside him, trying his best not to be seen. He
followed Reece’s