Ghost in the Blood (The Ghosts) Read Online Free PDF Page A

called in High Nighmarian.
    His eyes focused on her, and he looked almost mournful. She knew why. He had told her once that she looked like his dead wife.
    “There are Ghosts in the shadows,” answered the man in mail, speaking High Nighmarian with a thick Caerish accent, “and let the tyrants tremble in their beds, for the shadows are ever watchful.” He looked at Halfdan. “Any word? Any news of them at all?”
    “No,” said Halfdan. “I’m sorry, Arcion.”
    The man nodded, and turned to Caina. “Countess.”
    “Not this time,” said Caina, speaking Caerish in the bored, diffident tone of a pampered merchant’s daughter. “I am Anna Callenius, daughter of the master merchant Basil Callenius, and I am accompanying my father on his business trip to Marsis. He hopes to find me a wealthy husband so he shan’t have to pay a large dowry, the cheap old buzzard.” 
    The man in mail almost smiled. “It still amazes me, how you change your voice the way other women change their hair.” He stepped forward and gripped her hands. “It is good to see you again, Caina.” 
    She gripped back. “And you, Ark.” 

Chapter 3 - Marsis

    “I thought you had gone back to Rasadda,” said Caina.
    She sat on the wagon besides Halfdan, who held the reins and cursed the mules every so often. Ark walked besides them, hand resting on his sword hilt, his eyes scanning the shore and the woods and the road for danger. 
    “I did,” said Ark. “Long enough to rebuild the Ghost circle.” He shook his head. “It was hardly necessary. Rasadda has changed. You should come back and see it, if you ever get the chance. No one goes hungry now, and the harbor is choked with trading ships. Last year the city was on the edge of starvation and revolt. Now they’re exporting grain to the Imperial capital and overseas to Alqaarin and Istarinmul. Even the commoners are growing fat and prosperous.” 
    “I can hardly picture it,” said Caina. 
    “And it was your doing,” said Ark. “When you took down Nicephorus and stopped Kalastus. Every man, woman, and child in that city would be dead, if not for you.” 
    “No. Our doing,” said Caina. “Not just mine. Why did you leave?”
    Ark shrugged. “Rasadda is at peace. There was nothing for me to do there. A message came from the circlemasters that Halfdan needed me. So I came.”
    “Why?” said Caina. 
    “He speaks Szaldic, for one,” said Halfdan, “since you were concerned about it.”
    “Of course I speak Szaldic,” said Ark. He looked away. “It was Tanya’s native tongue.” He frowned, and looked back at her. “You…don’t speak Szaldic?”
    “No,” said Caina.
    A smile flickered over his face. “I speak a language that you do not? I never thought I would see the day.” 
    “I’ve spent most my life in the central and eastern Empire,” said Caina. “No one speaks Szaldic there.”
    “Besides,” said Halfdan, “he’s steady with a sword. We’ll need someone like that, when trouble comes.”
    “I know that already,” said Caina. She looked at Ark. “But why did you come?”
    Ark shrugged, and glanced at the sea. “I wanted to keep looking. To see if I could find out what happened.” 
    “Oh,” said Caina. “I should have realized. I’m sorry.” 
    “No need,” said Ark. “It…” He frowned. “Riders.”
    Caina listened, heard the drumming of hooves. A moment later a pair of riders came into view, moving at a canter. A liveried messenger and his armored bodyguard. No doubt they carried messages for some noble House or another. 
    “Father,” said Caina, as the riders came into earshot, “when we reach the city I simply demand you buy me some bolts of silk at once. At once! My dress is horrid and I’ve simply nothing else to wear. How am I to find a husband when you dress me in these rags?” She gave the sleeve of her gown a disdainful tug. “And another thing. You must hire some new maids immediately. Do you expect me to do all the