Call of Sunteri (Keepers of the Wellsprings Book 2) Read Online Free PDF Page A

Saesa. You’re getting there. Unless you have anything else for me?”
    Saesa chews her lip thoughtfully and glances at me.
    “Prince Vorance arrived last night,” she ventures, watching him carefully.
    “Aye, knew that,” he says with a short nod. He folds the oilcloth over the blade as Saesa watches with longing.
    “Surely his men will need their weapons tended. They’ll need your services,” she offers.
    “I like where this is going.” Bren scratches out a figure on a scrap of parchment pinned to the sword’s wrappings. He writes the new figure beneath it. The scrap is covered in similarly crossed out amounts. Saesa has been paying for this sword for months. Years, probably.
    “I can drive them to you. Bring you business,” she says.
    Mister Bren smirks as he tucks the sword below and then rests his elbows on the counter so he’s eye-level with her.
    “You do that, Miss,” he says, “and I’ll knock five silver off your sword for every gold spent by a man who comes in here sayin’ your name. Deal?” He offers a rough hand across the counter, and Saesa shakes it firmly.
    “Deal,” she grins. “Come on, Tib. Let’s go to the Inn.”
    Outside, we’re greeted by a sheet of frozen rain and Raefe, who’s leaning against the rickety railing under the shelter of the leaky awning.
    “How’s Feat?” he asks Saesa with a hint of disapproval.
    “Raefe…” she sighs. “I was just…”
    “Saesa.”
    “One gold thirty-nine silver to go,” she mutters.
    “Good,” he says, tugging his hood down over his brow. “That should take a while. Maybe by then you’ll be trained up enough for it.”
    “I’m ready now,” Saesa says with a huff. “Hub says I’m the best in my group.” She crosses her arms under her furs.
    “Care to test that again?” he asks. “Or do you remember the last time we had a bout?” He steps closer so he’s towering over her. Saesa purses her lips and glares at him. She doesn’t say anything.
    “I thought so,” Raefe says. “Come on, let’s go home. It’s almost luncheon.” He ducks into the rain and Saesa turns to me.
    “I really hate him sometimes,” Saesa says as she watches him saunter away. “You’re so lucky you don’t have a brother to boss you,” she grumbles. “Come on.”
    Luncheon is pots of melted cheese with warm crusty bread to dunk into them, and vegetables and Saesa’s salt fish, all spread out on the dining table with fancy silver and fine dishes with gold rims that glint in the candle light.
    “After we eat,” Saesa says to me as I stuff myself with bread and cheese, “I have my training. You could come.”
    “It’s time Tib figures out what he wants to work towards, if he’s keen to stay,” Nessa says. She bounces baby Garsi on her knee while Emme clings to her arm.
    “Well, he can’t do swords like Saesa and Raefe and me,” Ruben pipes up through a mouthful. “He’s too skinny.”
    “I was weak when I started. Hub helped me get stronger.” Saesa argues.
    “Master Hubvenchlis, Saesa.” Nessa corrects her.
    “Master Hubvenchlis,” Saesa repeats apologetically.
    “What is it you like to do, Tib?” Nessa catches a bit of drool with a lace-trimmed serviette as Garsi gums a crust of bread.
    “Climbing,” I say. Right away I realize that I shouldn’t have. It might connect me to the towers.
    “Magic.”
    Nessa makes a suggestion that I don’t hear. Everyone watches me, waiting for me to answer.
    “Say magic.”
    Yes, say magic. No, I don’t want to. I despise magic. Mages, Sorcerers, I don’t want anything to do with them.
    “Tib?” Saesa whispers. Nudges me. Everyone’s looking.
    “Magic,” I say reluctantly. Most of the eyebrows around the table go up. Lilen is the first to break the silence.
    “No offense,” she says, “but you really don’t seem bright enough.”
    “Lilen!” Maisie scolds. “Just because you start off saying ‘no offense’ doesn’t make it all right to insult someone.”
    “Well