Guardians of the Keep: Book Two of the Bridge of D'Arnath Read Online Free PDF

might be to the story I had told him, whether
    childish tears or controlled sorrow, confusion, or the more common disinterest of an aristocratic child
    whose parent was preoccupied with great events, but Gerick caught me entirely by surprise.
    “The witch!” he screamed, as he jumped up and ran to his mother’s bed. “How dare you come here!
    How dare you speak of my father! He banished you from Comigor for your crimes. You’re supposed to
    be dead. Mama, make her go away!” Never had I heard such abject terror. Beasts of earth and sky,
    what had they told him?
    “Hush, Gerick,” said Philomena, nudging him aside and smoothing the bedclothes he had rumpled.
    “Calm yourself. She’s leaving right away. Now, give me the ring before you drop it.”
    The boy clung to the red coverlet, shaking and completely drained of color. His voice had faded to a
    whisper. “Go away. You shouldn’t be here. Go away. Go away.”
    Philomena’s aunt looked triumphant.
    I didn’t know quite what to do. Controlled retreat seemed best. “I am certainly not a witch, and the
    last thing in the world I would want is to harm an intelligent boy such as yourself. Your father and I were
    strangers for many years, believing terrible things of each other, but by the time he died, we had learned
    the truth—that the evils in our lives were done by the wicked men who killed him. All was made right
    between us then, and that’s why he sent me to you. But I know it’s complicated. I hope that as you learn
    more about me, you’ll not be afraid. And if there comes a time when you would like me to tell you more
    about your father, what he was like when he was your age, what things he liked to play and do, I’ll come
    back here and do so. For now, I’ll leave as you’ve asked.”
    They must have filled the child with all the worst teaching about sorcery. Even so, I would never have
    expected Tomas’s child to be so dreadfully afraid. I nodded to Philomena, who was paying more
    attention to the signet ring than to her trembling child, and left the room. A wide-eyed Nancy stood
    outside the doorway. Unhappy, unsatisfied, I asked her to bring my cloak and summon my driver. It was
    certainly not my place to comfort the boy.
    As I descended the stairs, I met a small party coming up. Nellia was leading a gentleman so
    formidable in appearance that you could never mistake him once you’d met. His dark curly hair and
    tangled eyebrows were streaked with gray, but his cheerful, intelligent black eyes, giant nose, and
    drooping earlobes, heavy with dark hair, had changed not a whit since the last time I’d seen him.
    “Lady Seriana, have you met the physician Ren Wesley?” asked the housekeeper.
    “Indeed so,” I said. “Though it was many years ago.”
    “My lady!” said the gentleman, his bow only half obscuring his surprise. “I never would have thought
    to find you here. I was not even sure— Well, it is a considerable pleasure to see you in good health.”
    Ren Wesley had once been my dinner partner at the home of a mutual acquaintance. The animated
    conversation with the well-read physician had turned a dreary prospect into a stimulating evening. On the
    day of Karon’s trial the sight of the renowned physician among the spectators had prompted me to argue
    that a healer’s skills were not usually considered evil, but rather marvelous and praiseworthy.
    “I’m surprised to find you here also, sir, a full day’s journey from Montevial. My sister-in-law is
    fortunate to have such skill at her call.”
    “Her Grace is difficult to refuse,” said the physician. “And, indeed, she is in need of care.” He pursed
    his lips thoughtfully. “May I ask—I never expected to have the opportunity—but I would very much
    appreciate a few words with you once I’ve seen to the duchess.”
    “I was just leaving.”
    “Oh dear. I’m sorry to hear that. I assumed—hoped— that you might be here to care for the young
    duke while his mother