Clariel: The Lost Abhorsen (The Abhorsen Trilogy Book 4) Read Online Free PDF Page A

Roban. “Alive. He has them swim inside huge glass orbs. He likes . . . or he liked . . . to watch them.”
    “And you saw this when you were a Royal Guard?” asked Clariel.
    “Yes, milady.”
    “Why did you leave?” asked Clariel, before immediately regretting the question, as Roban’s neck tilted back and he once again looked up and past her shoulder at his invisible officer. Perhaps he was dismissed, she thought, for drunkenness or some dereliction of duty. “Oh, I’m sorry, that is a . . . a silly question.”
    “I didn’t leave as such, milady,” said Roban slowly. “When the guilds took over our duties in the city and beyond, most of the Guard was disbanded, there only being a few score needed for the palace alone. Quite a few of us joined up with one or other of the guild companies.”
    “I didn’t know about that,” said Clariel. “I suppose I don’t know much about the city and . . . everything. Uh, why did the guilds take over from the Guard?”
    Neither Roban or Valannie answered, but Clariel detected a kind of tension within them, as if both would like to speak. But Roban continued to stare at the sky, and Valannie reached up to make a quick and barely noticeable adjustment to Clariel’s scarf.
    “Well, it’s useful to know about the fish, thank you,” said Clariel, into the silence. “Do you know where I could buy one . . . or some . . . of these bright fish?”
    “The fish market does sell live fish and unusual catches,” said Valannie, wrinkling her nose. She looked at Roban. “Is it safe today?”
    Roban nodded.
    “Safe today?” asked Clariel. “What do you mean? And no one has told me why I need a guard in the first place.”
    “There is some unrest in the city, milady,” said Roban. “Disaffected workers and the like. There have been some . . . minor disturbances . . . and the fish market is close to the Flat, where the day workers live.”
    “Day workers?” asked Clariel.
    “Those who do not belong to guilds and are hired—or not—by the day,” explained Roban patiently.
    “Nothing to do with us and nothing to worry about,” added Valannie brightly. “The guilds look after their own. Oh dear, that scarf still isn’t quite right. Please, allow me, milady.”
    Clariel reluctantly lowered her head and let Valannie retie the scarf. It was clear to her there was a lot going on in the city that she didn’t know about, and probably needed to know, but neither Valannie nor Roban were going to tell her about it.
    Not that she intended on staying in Belisaere for a moment longer than was necessary. Not once she had worked out how to get back to Estwael, and how she might be able to live with only limited support from her parents. Or perhaps no support at all, for she was reluctantly coming to the conclusion that they would never countenance her ambitions. She would have to devise her own plans for the future.
    “Very good,” proclaimed Valannie, interrupting Clariel’s thoughts of independence with a last, tiny tug on the corner of her scarf. “By tomorrow, milady, with the right clothes, I believe you will be a credit to your family and the High Guild of Goldsmiths.”
    “Good,” mumbled Clariel, just for something to say, since she didn’t care about clothes or being a credit to anyone. “I suppose we had better go and buy these clothes, then. But first, a bright fish for the King.”

Chapter Two
    COLORFUL FISH AND COLORFUL CLOTHES
    T he fish-buying mission was not a success. Clariel almost couldn’t bear the crush of people in the fish market, the noise, the swift traffic of carts laden with fresh-caught fish, and the overpowering smell. Even with Roban leading the way, his presence somehow making people move aside despite his small stature, it was hard to proceed along the narrow alleyways that were lined with booths selling all manner of fish, crustaceans, seaweed, and who knew what else. Everywhere there was constant shouting from the sellers,