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The kid took another run at him, and Rafe stepped forward this time, catching the boy’s thrusting arm and using his body force to spin them both around.
“This is no good,” Rafe told him. “You have some potential, but you’re carrying your weight all wrong. Stay on the balls of your feet, so you can change direction, and don’t lean over your front foot like that.”
“I don’t want to learn anything from you, and I don’t care about my potential,” the boy spat back. “You killed my father.”
“Who was your father?” Rafe asked.
“Judge Quenton Gaxx,” the boy said, his voice breaking again. “He was the most noble man to ever live, and I will have my vengeance on the one who murdered him.”
Jade drew in an audible breath.
The boy tried to lift his arm again, but Rafe held it down.
“Listen to me,” he told the boy. “I didn’t kill your father. I’m an Invicta warrior. Do you think I’m going to give that up just because someone insulted my traveling companion? Discipline is the core principle of the Invicta.”
“Invicta,” the boy breathed, his eyes sliding over Rafe’s armor.
“I’ve been wrongly accused, and so has Jade over there,” Rafe went on. “She just adopted a baby boy, and she wants to start a quiet life here with him. She doesn’t want to be caught up in a murder trial.”
The boy’s eyes went right to Jade’s.
To Rafe’s intense relief, she smiled at the boy without a trace of fear in her eyes.
The young man relaxed a little in his hold.
“She and I are investigating your father’s death,” Rafe went on. “Not because we knew him, but to clear our own names. If you can get hold of yourself, you can be part of the investigation. We could use a local who knows the ins and outs of the town. But I don’t want to hear that you attacked anyone, or did anything at all to draw attention to us.”
“You’re investigating?” the boy asked.
“We are,” Rafe said. “It’s unofficial, but with my experience and her quick wit, I expect we’ll find the murderer soon.”
The boy looked deep into Rafe’s eyes as if he were trying to gauge whether he was telling the truth.
“I’m Rafe, and that’s Jade,” Rafe said as he released his grip on the boy’s arm.
“Tally,” he said after a moment. “Tally Gaxx.”
Good boy, Rafe thought, but he didn’t say it out loud.
“Are you hungry, Tally Gaxx?” Rafe asked instead.
The boy nodded.
“Let’s grab something to eat, and we’ll catch you up on the results of our investigation so far,” Rafe told him.
The boy slid his sword back into its sheath, and they continued down the alley together, Jade jogging to catch up.
“Anyplace good around here?” Rafe asked.
“Just the inn,” Tally said, shrugging.
“Fine,” Rafe told him. “Let’s go.”
He glanced over at Jade and was relieved again to see the corners of her mouth tugging up slightly.
Fierce, compassionate mate, the dragon hummed proudly
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