Darksong Rising Read Online Free PDF Page A

of the table. Gatrune took the other end, and
    Firis and Himar sat on the side to Anna’s right, Liende to her left. Two sets of twin-branched
    candelabra provided the light.
     
    Gatrune glanced at Anna.
     
    Anna recalled a grace greeting from somewhere and spoke slowly. “In the name and spirit of
    harmony, may we be blessed and may this food pass our lips.”
     
    “That was nice. I’ve never heard it quite that way,” said Gatrune, as a serving girl offered the
    large platter to Anna.
     
    Perhaps you didn't recall it quite so well as you thought "Thank you.” Anna speared two large
    slabs of meat with her knife and eased them onto her plate, knowing she would probably need a
    third or fourth, just to keep her weight up, especially after the effort she’d made at Sorprat. She
    took an entire potato coated with cheese as well, and broke off a large chunk of crusty bread
    before passing the willow basket to Liende. “This looks wonderful."
     
    “Especially after days of travel,” added Himar.
     
    A third serving girl filled the heavy crystal goblet before Anna with an amber wine. Anna took a
    small sip. “This is good, too.”
     
    “You did not say why you chose to repair the ford now. I would not pry…” Gatrune let her
    words trail off.
     
    “That’s simple enough,” Anna replied dryly. “I’ve worried about it ever since I destroyed it
    when we defeated the Evult’s forces. This was the first opportunity I’ve had to do anything about
    it. Even so, we’ll have to hurry back to Falcor.”
     
    “Did you build a bridge, as we heard you did across the Fal?" asked Firis.
     
    “No. I replaced the ford with one made of stone, but wider and shallower than before. It should
    be solid enough for wagons, except when it floods.”
     
    Firis nodded.
     
    “That will speed travel to the east,” observed Gatrune.
     
    “Indeed,” mumbled Firis, swallowing quickly.
     
    “It may last longer than Defalk,” suggested Liende. “When the Regent creates a sorcery, it is
    powerful indeed.”
     
    “Not always.” replied Anna. “There was this dam—”
     
    “The flood was powerful... was it not?” countered the chief player. “And the dam remains, a
    third cataract on the Falche.”
     
    “This was the dam that tilted and started the flood that swept away most of Dumaria and Narial?"
    asked Firis.
     
    Anna nodded as she took another mouthful of the beef, dry beneath the brown gravy. The dam
    she’d created across the Falche near Abenfel had drained her energies for weeks, and it had
    almost been a relief when it bad slipped loose from the canyon walls and tilted forward—except
    for the wall of water that had swept through Dumar, killing thousands, and precipitating the
    Spellsong War with Lord Ehara.
     
    “They say that it created a new lake leagues long. Is that true?"
     
    “There’s a new lake there,” Anna answered. “How long it is, I don’t know.” A good reminder of
    how trying to do too much with spellsong can create an even worse mess.
     
    “Will Dumar keep the agreement?” asked Gatrune bluntly.
     
    “Lady Siobion serves as regent for her son. Her armsmaster serves me. If she fails to keep the
    agreement, I could let the dam at Abenfel fail completely.” Anna took two more slices of beef, as
    delicately as she could. But how can you be delicate when you have to stuff yourself to maintain
    the energy you need for spellsinging?
     
    Gatrune nodded. “It is good that you do not rely just upon faith.”
     
    Necessary, but not good “I’ve discovered that.” Anna paused, then asked, “How does the harvest
    look?”
     
    “Better than in years, but now we must worry about late rains.” Gatrune shook her head. “In past
    years, we could count on dry weather for harvesting what little survived the dry and heat. Now
    the fields are high and full—but we could have too much rain.”
     
    “Let us hope not.” Anna took another sip of the amber wine. “Have you heard