Light in the Barren Lands: Travail of The Dark Mage Book One Read Online Free PDF Page A

turned to them and nodded a greeting. “You’ll find the Lady in the house,” he said, then returned to his pruning. By Lady he meant Meliana. She was the Lady, while James was always referred to as the Master of the house in one form or another, at least by Sty and his wife. Though treated as equals, their sense of propriety forbade them to become overly personal with those they served.
    “Thank you, Sty,” Aleya said.
    About that time, the front door to the manor opened and Meliana rushed out. “You’re here!” she said with great joy. Being cooped up on an island was great for James, but Meliana preferred more social contact than what was available in so remote a locale.
    Aleya met her halfway and the two women embraced. “So good to see you again,” she said.
    About to reply, Meliana was forestalled when her son let out a wail.
    “She hit me!” he cried in little kid fashion.
    The adults turned to find Kenny crying on the ground and Jira standing over him.
    “Jira!” admonished Aleya.
    Turning eyes wary of retribution to her mother, the young girl said, “We were just playing.” She then turned the most innocent look upon her father, one that he knew well. He had seen it often enough at home.
    “You will be more careful with your cousin,” her mother told her.
    “Yes, mother,” Jira replied.
    Kenny leapt from the ground and raced to his mother, burying his face in the folds of her dress.
    Patting him on the back, his mother said, “It’s alright Kenny. I’m sure she didn’t mean it.”
    “She does like to play hard,” Jiron said. Still meeting his daughter’s gaze, he gave her that look all fathers give their children, warning of dire consequences should inappropriate behavior be repeated. “You will take it easier from now on?”
    Lowering her eyes, she said in a subdued voice, “Yes, father.”
    “Sorry about that,” he said, turning his attention to the aggrieved boy’s mother.
    Giving him a grin, Meliana said, “I understand.” And before he could ask, she said, “James is up at his workshop.”
    “Go ahead, dear,” Aleya told him. “Meliana and I have a lot of catching up to do.”
    Knowing when he was being dismissed, most likely so they could talk about him and James, he gave her a grin. “As you wish.”
    “Can I come?” asked Jira.
    “You know your uncle’s workshop is off limits to squirts,” he said. “Stay here and play with your cousin.” Then giving his wife a peck on the cheek, he headed to the trail leading to the workshop. Pausing after two steps, he turned back to his daughter and said, “Keep your knives sheathed.”
    “Yes, father,” she replied, looking slightly disappointed. There was nothing she liked better than to exhibit her fighting prowess.
    Giving her one more warning look to do as she was told, he turned back and headed for the workshop.
    The workshop was over a mile from the house. Originally it had been located much closer but an experiment gone wrong took out much of the surrounding forest. Had it been any worse, the blast zone may have extended as far as the house. After that, James’ workshop had been relocated to a place farther east where a ridge of hilly terrain provided the manor with a buffer zone. And for those experiments that held the greatest risk of turning destructive, there was a second area on the other end of the island to the north.
    Jiron always enjoyed James’ island. Most times the weather was pretty good, though the winter could be bad, with fierce storms blowing in across the water. The air was clear and clean; the whole place was clean as a matter of fact. He never knew anyone so fastidious about cleanliness. Garbage had a specific spot, and James even had water running through his house.
    That had been one of the first things James had working once his house was finished. Built near a stream as it was, it had been a simple matter to construct ceramic conveyances that reminded Jiron of a mini representation of the