Legacy of the Sword Read Online Free PDF Page B

had no single
lir.
They conversed with every
lir
, and took whatever shape they wished. But now, each warrior is limited to one.”
    “
You
have two!” Sef looked around for Taj and Lorn. “Are you a Firstborn, then?”
    Donal laughed. “No, no, I am a Cheysuli halfling, or—perhaps more precisely—a three-quarterling.” He grinned. “But my half Homanan
jehana
bears the blood of the Firstborn—as well as some of the gifts—and by getting a child by my Cheysuli
jehan
she triggered that part of herself that has the Firstborn magic. I have two
lir
because of her, and I may converse with any, but nothing more than that. I am limited to those two shapes.”
    Sef turned to stare at the island. “Then—this is your birthplace.”
    “In a manner of speaking.” Donal looked at the island again. “It is the birthplace of the Cheysuli.”
    “That is why you go?” Sef’s odd eyes were wide as he looked up at Donal. “To see where your people were born?”
    “No, though undoubtedly every Cheysuli should.” Donal sighed and his mouth hooked down into a resigned grimace. “No, I go there on business for the Mujhar.” He felt the curlof unhappiness tighten his belly. “What I am about is securing the throne of Homana.”
    “Securing it—?” Sef frowned. “But—the Mujhar holds it. It’s his.”
    “There are those who seek to throw down Carillon’s House to set up another,” Donal told him grimly. “Even now, in Solinde…we know they plan a war.”
    Sef stared. “
Why
? Who would do such a thing?”
    Donal very nearly did not answer. But Sef was avid in his interest, and he would learn the truth one way or another, once he was in Homana-Mujhar. “You know of the Ihlini, do you not?”
    Sef paled and made the gesture warding off evil. “Solindish demons!”
    “Aye,” Donal agreed evenly. “Tynstar and his minions would prefer to make the throne their own and destroy the prophecy. He wishes to have dominion over Homana—and all the other realms, I would wager—in order to serve Asar-Suti.” He paused. “Asar-Suti is your demon, Sef, and more—he is the god of the netherworld.
The Seker
, he is called, by those who serve him:
the one who made and dwells in darkness
.” He saw fear tauten Sef’s face. “In the name of his demon-god, Tynstar wishes to recapture Solinde from Carillon and make the realm his own, as tribute to Asar-Suti. And, of course, his ambition does not stop there—also he wants Homana. He plots for it now, at this moment—but we know this, so we are not unprepared; we are not a complacent regency in Solinde. And so long as Carillon holds the throne—and his blood after him—the thing will not be done. The Lion Throne is ours.”
    Sef’s hands were tight-wrapped around the rail. “
You’ll
hold the throne one day, won’t you? You’re the Prince of Homana!”
    He glanced down at the attentive boy. “Now, do you see why I must teach you how to hold your tongue? Honesty is all well and good, but in Royal Houses, too much honesty may be construed as grounds for beginning a war. You must be careful in what you say as well as to whom you say it.”
    Sef nodded slowly. “My lord—I have promised to serve you well. I give you my loyalty.”
    Donal smiled and clasped one thin shoulder briefly. “And that is all I require, for now.”
    His hand remained a moment longer on Sef’s shoulder. The boy needed good food in him to fill out the hollows in his pasty-white face and to put some flesh on his bones, but his attitude was good. For a bastard boy living from hand to mouth it was very good indeed.
    Donal chewed briefly at his bottom lip.
Being little more than an urchin, he may not prove equal to the task. He may not mix well with the other boys. But then I cannot judge men by how they conform to others—how boring that life would be—and I will not do it with Sef. I will give him what chance I can.
He smiled, and then he laughed.
Perhaps I have found someone to serve me as