Dragon Sacrifice (The First Realm Book 3) by Klay Testamark

handsome,” said the elven pirate. “Let’s not get too excited.”
     
    He stepped down from the gunwale, where he’d teleported. Ten other pirates had materialized on deck.
     
    I brought my sword up. “Men of the Northlands, defend yourselves!”
     
    The pirates laughed and the crew looked sullen. I noticed the pirates were a mixed bunch, mostly halflings and half-elves. There were even a few humans.
     
    “Will we not fight?” I asked the crew. “Are we not men?”
     
    The pirate captain shook his head. “Sven, where did you find this guy? What kind of sailor hasn’t heard of me?”
     
    “He’s a passenger, Serrato.”
     
    “And I see you have an elf as well.” Serrato leaned toward Cruix. “Tell me, sir, are you here by choice? Or are these bad men holding you against your will?”
     
    “I assure you, I’m here because I want to,” Cruix said. “Were that not the case, none of you here could hold me.”
     
    “A wizard, eh?” Serrato said. “I didn’t know they changed the law. Enjoy your visit to the
    Northlands. Stay out of my way while I conduct business.”
     
    He turned to the ship’s captain. “You heard me, Sven. It’s tax time.”
     
    The skipper grumbled and handed him the manifest.
     
    “Narwhal bacon, Sven?” Serrato said. “How were you planning to unload that?”
     
    The pirate handed it to his quartermaster and the man began giving orders. While the knarr’s crew stood to one side, the freebooters began transferring goods to their own vessel like they’d done it a hundred times before.
     
    “And you’re just going to let them?” I asked the skipper.
     
    He shrugged. “Cost of doing business. Better to lose a little wealth than a whole lot of blood.”
     
    Serrato clapped him on the back. “I couldn’t have said it better!”
     
    “You!” I said. “I remember you. Serrato Alva. An elf once said you were a dangerous man. Care to prove it?”
     
    “You are challenging me, boy?” asked Serrato.
     
    “I am. For the honour of my people.”
     
    He laughed. “Well if it’s about honour then.”
     
    He drew a naked blade out of the air. “On guard, then.”

    I studied the weapon. It was a light cavalry sabre with serrations along the upper edge. It would cut quickly but messily. It was held in the right hand, but there was something wrong about the guard.
     
    I studied my opponent. I had a double reach advantage with my height and my weapon. Elves were dangerously agile, however. Even the pampered ones had light feet, and this one didn’t look pampered at all. He wore ordinary sailor’s clothes—a vest with no shirt, a sash and wide belt, and baggy striped trousers.
     
    “You gonna stand there all day admiring, or are you gonna fight? That was a serious question. I’d hate to kill such a cutie.”
     
    I shivered. He struck. I parried and he cut, angling for my neck. I dodged and he menaced me with the blade. I didn’t like the sabre in my face so I circled. He turned to face me. I leaped, hewing down, but he spun out of the way and halted my charge with the point of his sword.
     
    We circled. I settled into a front middle guard and his blade flicked out, slashing once and twice. I parried both times, turning away his blade with difficulty. I saw an opening and swipe but he parried to the side and turned the parry into a cut. I blocked low and stepped back.
     
    Serrato twirled his sword. I frowned. His attacks had been flawless, but lazy. Almost like he wasn’t trying trying. He smiled and I knew I was being toyed with. I assumed a front high guard and waited for an opening.
     
    “Ha!” I said. Our swords met and met again, longsword against sabre. Back and forth we went along the deck, blades halving the air. I used every trick I knew but he countered each one effortlessly. He stamped on the deck with one bare foot. I barely had time to duck before his blade passed over my head. I got a hand on the deck and kicked out. He leaped