Cyador’s Heirs Read Online Free PDF Page A

days? Haven’t you seen?”
    Lerial frowns.
    “Have you observed your father and Lephi together? Which one glows whiter?”
    “Lephi. I thought that was because he’s younger.”
    “That’s partly true, but not as much as people think. The ability to handle chaos and order requires a certain skill. Some people have more than others, and it tends to be passed from parents to children. Your grandsire wouldn’t have been considered as a magus if he hadn’t been Emperor. He had that little ability as a magus. Your grandmother would have been a strong healer if she’d been born to the poorest tradesman or crafter in Cyad.”
    “That doesn’t solve anything. Lephi—”
    “I am trying to help you. Complaining and whining won’t help.”
    “What am I supposed to do? I’m of the Magi’i,” replies Lerial, a touch of bitterness in his words. “I’m supposed to be a white wizard who can handle a blade with the best.”
    “You could be a stronger gray magus and still handle a blade. You just can’t do it the same way Lephi and your father do. Can you observe the Lancers sparring without being seen?”
    “I can’t do concealments yet, and I didn’t know there were gray Magi’i.”
    “They have never been many. Most ended up as Mirror Lancer officers. Lorn was likely one. These days, no one is likely to say anything, especially since you’re not the eldest. I didn’t mean you should try a concealment. I just want you to watch some of them spar. Try to sense how order and chaos move around them. You should see a pattern.”
    “What sort of pattern?”
    Emerya shakes her head, then picks up a small cloth bag tied tightly at the top with twine. She tosses it to Lerial. He catches it without thinking. It is filled with sand.
    “Toss it back.”
    Lerial does so.
    “Close your eyes. Go ahead. Close them. Now try to catch the bag.”
    The bag bounces off his hands. He opens his eyes, then bends and scoops the bag off the woven grass carpet, dyed in green and white, before straightening up.
    “Concentrate on me, not the bag. Keep your eyes closed and toss the bag back to me,” orders Emerya.
    Lerial closes his eyes and lofts the bag back toward where she had been.
    “Lerial! I moved. Keep trying to sense where I am.”
    At the end of close to half a glass Lerial is again soaked in sweat … but by then he has a good feel for where the bag will be—and where Emerya is—by the way order flows around her.
    “How will this help?”
    “Do you need light to see what I’m doing?”
    “Oh…”
    “If you can sense where someone is when the light is bad…”
    Lerial nods.
    “That’s not the only reason, but you aren’t good enough yet for the second one to be obvious. You’ll have to trust me on that.”
    Lerial smiles. “I can do that.” For you.
    “Now … there’s something else you need to think about. Chaos comes in different shades of red,” explains Emerya. “Tomorrow…” She shakes her head. “No … tomorrow won’t work. Nor threeday. On fourday, you’ll come to the Hall of Healing after your lessons. I’ll arrange that with Saltaryn and your mother. While you’re there, you can see some of the differing shades of chaos. Order isn’t quite the same.”
    “It’s all black, but…” Lerial frowns. “Aren’t there different shades? In some people, it’s like the black is deeper, even though it feels like there’s no difference in the color.”
    “How do you know that?” asked his aunt. “I’ve never mentioned that.”
    “Ryalah is a brighter black than Amaira. I thought that was because she was younger.”
    This time, Emerya is the one to frown. “You definitely need more training in order and chaos, especially in order. That might be a problem.” After a moment, she adds, “I’d appreciate it if you didn’t mention that to anyone quite yet.”
    “I won’t. Will you tell me when I can talk about it?”
    “I will.” Emerya smiles. “Go and get a good night’s sleep.