The King's Gold: (The King's Gold Saga Book 1)

  “Of course,” the barman said. “Shall I bring them over to your table?”

  “No need,” Ty replied, thinking of the tip the man might expect. “I’ll take them.” The innkeeper nodded and turned to his task, taking three wooden flagons from the top shelf.

  Ty pulled a gold coin, freshly stolen from one of the King’s guards, from his pocket and flipped it. He looked idly around the inn, sizing up the customers. Perhaps a game of dice or cards against some unwary fellow would fill his pocket with ready money.

  A burst of girlish laughter next to him caught Ty’s attention, and he turned to see a young farmer chatting to three human young ladies, obviously trying to impress them. The lad preened as the girls giggled at his story and batted their eyelashes at him. The young man shifted, and coins jingled in the leather purse hanging from his belt.

  Ty rubbed his thumb and forefinger together and glanced around the room.

  No one was watching.

  The End

  AUTHOR’S ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

  Back in the early 80s, my friends and I let our imaginations run free during many sessions of the popular role-playing game Dungeons & Dragons. The King’s Gold is a retelling of the adventures we had back then.

  Thanks to the role players and still good friends, Tryston Wilson (Kern), Jason Connell (Nuran), Shane Butterfield (Galandrik), Gav Wilson (Jarrow) – and of course the dreaded Dungeon Master (and best friend), Shaun Saunders, who held the fates of our beloved characters behind his screen, encapsulated inside weird-shaped dice.

  I’d also like to say thank you to…

  My parents, Billy and Hazel – I really don't know how they managed to put up with five noisy teenagers in the house playing Dungeons & Dragons three or four nights a week, but I thank them dearly for doing it. My mum always had dad’s tea ready when he’d come home after a hard day’s work, but he’d have to eat it on his lap while we role-played up the table. Now and then my mum would escape us by going to bingo, but when she came back, there we were – the five of us still immersed in our world of magic and monsters, and dad trying to hear the television over our chatter. Mum would fix us all cheese-and-onion sandwiches, and keep us supplied with coffee into the night until my dad uttered those inevitable words, "Pack that lot up now." Every time, it was just at the point in the game where we were about to kill the final monster in a dungeon or open the last chest and discover what the loot was. All we’d be able to think about the next day at school was how it ended, and when and where we could continue the adventure.

  It wasn't until I had my own kids that I realised why my dad would go out for a swift pint when my mum wasn't at bingo, but now I completely understand why… five teenagers and Dungeon & Dragons.

  My wonderful partner, Cheryl – who has supported me along the whole journey, from setting down the first scribbles to finally getting this published.

  Rob Stebbings who gave me the idea to write a book in the first place, and Jenny Jackson, my poet friend.

  Marina and Jason at http://www.polgarusstudio.com and Ashley at http://www.redbird-designs.net for their invaluable assistance, advice, and patience during the nuts-and-bolts phases of publishing.

  Olie Boldador at https://www.facebook.com/OlieBoldadorArt/ for bringing the cover art to life. (Accepting commissions at rboldador@gmail.com)

  Elayne Morgan for editing assistance.