Daughter of Prophecy Read Online Free PDF Page B

funeral. However, Phelan always rallied. He has not been seriously ill for more than a year.” She paused. “Then there is Creag. He is thirteen. He is so serious, so determined to be found worthy. He counts the days until he turns sixteen and can take his place in the adult world.” Lakenna could tell Mererid chose her next words carefully. “He is the slowest at learning and . . . feels it keenly.”
    â€œWhat do you mean, m’lady?”
    â€œOur previous tutor, an older monk, was determined that the heir should excel. He was hard on the boy. Creag does not learn at the same pace as Phelan or Rhiannon—when she tries. But once Creag finally grasps it, he does not forget. Loreteller Girard is impressed with Creag’s memory for dates and names. But the boy has trouble reading even the simplest passages from Holy Writ, and his writing is atrocious. It drove Keeper Astwin to despair.”
    â€œBut Creag learns well mouth-to-ear?”
    â€œPardon?”
    â€œIf you read to him or explain it to him with words, he does better?”
    â€œWell, that is how Master Girard teaches clan lore. He keeps saying how pleased he is with Creag. Without the loreteller’s praise, I don’t know what the boy would do.” Mererid regarded Lakenna frankly. “Girard joined with me to convince Tellan to search for a tutor who was not a monk. It was his loreteller contacts that led us to you.”
    Lakenna was surprised. “I wondered why a Dinari lord living so close to the Kepploch Monastery was interested in engaging my services. As I understand it, clan loretellers and the Keepers work closely together. And yet your loreteller recommended me to take the place of one of their monks?”
    â€œWe are familiar with the Albanes’ reputation for producing gifted teachers. And everyone Girard talked to had nothing but the highest praise for you in particular. I am so pleased you decided to accept our offer.”
    Lakenna smiled politely. “Tell me more about Rhiannon.”
    â€œShe is growing into an extraordinarily beautiful young woman, and yet all she thinks about is becoming a clan warrior. She wears her sword continually. Yes,” Mererid sighed in response to Lakenna’s perplexed look, “and practices every spare moment. I begged Tellan not to give it to her, but . . . ” Mererid turned her head and gazed at the countryside. “As I said, Rhiannon is the image of her mother. I have come to realize that Lady Eyslk holds a place in my husband’s heart I cannot touch.” Her voice was flat, her face emotionless. “When he looks at Rhiannon—well, he indulges her. He teaches her as he would a son and heir.”
    â€œWhich Creag sees as disapproval of him,” Lakenna said, warming to the challenge, wondering what the Eternal had in store for the boy.
    â€œIt is not that bad. Truly. Tellan is good to all of them. He prepares both Creag and Phelan as his duty requires; he just includes Rhiannon as well. Which makes my role of teaching her a noblewoman’s responsibilities difficult.”
    â€œI look forward to meeting her,” Lakenna murmured neutrally.
    â€œYou should know that there is another reason Tellan teaches her as he does.” Again, it was apparent that Mererid composed her words carefully. “At Rhiannon’s birth . . . well, first let me explain about certain monks at Kepploch during that time. A number of the younger ones were searching the writings in both theirs and other monasteries’ archives, attempting to separate myth from fact around Destin Faber and the Cutting of the Covenant. They sought to recover an understanding of the warfare in the heavenlies that occurred during the Founding.”
    Lakenna’s jaw dropped. Keepers had attempted to do what the Eternal had called Albanes to do? She listened intently.
    â€œRhiannon’s mother, Lady Eyslk, became interested in the monks’