Lodestone Book One: The Sea of Storms Read Online Free PDF Page B

widened out into a spacious main square.
Buildings flanked the square on three sides. They were taller than
those on the outskirts, with stone roofs, and up to three stories
high. The fourth side was dominated by the Great Cathedral of
Chalimar.
    Easily the most impressive
building in the city, more so than even the keep itself, the
cathedral was dominated by three immense spires– one yellow, one
red and one white–symbolising the unity of the Three Suns. The
cathedral building itself was constructed of immense stones, with
narrow slits which admitted only slivers of outside light. There
were wide stone steps, leading to a huge wooden door which was
firmly shut. Above the door was the familiar symbol of three
concentric rings, above which, someone had more recently carved a
flame, the symbol of the Prophet. The Three and The One. The
addendum looked distinctly out of place–more like vandalism than
devotion. Keris rode past and on to the wide uphill street that led
to the keep itself.
    The gate of the keep swung open
to meet them and the small procession clattered into the mustering
courtyard. Keris dismounted the graylesh and handed the reins to a
soldier. She turned to see Borian, the Gatemaster, walking over to
meet her. He was a large man with close cropped dark hair and an
easy smile. His skin was a dark olive, and he swished his tail
confidently.
    “Greetings, Keris. I trust your
trip went well.” He cast his eye briefly over the caravan. Servants
of the keep had arrived and were busy unhitching the animals,
whilst the soldier escort stood together in a knot, speaking in low
tones. The three “tributes” were glancing nervously about them, no
doubt fearing the worst. Borian turned back to Keris. “Orders. I
have been told to tell you that you are to report to Mordal in his
chambers as soon as you arrive.”
    Keris sighed
slightly. “I see. Thank you, Borian.” The man nodded and headed
back to the barbican. What now? She had a number of pressing activities she had
in mind to be getting on with, the first and most important of
which was going to be to stick her head into a bucket of cold
water. Well, it looks as if that
particular luxury will have to wait.
    She started for the keep’s main
door. Passing through the atrium, she ascended the central stairs
and made for Mordal`s office. She knocked once and then
entered.
    Mordal sat on a stool behind his
desk, seemingly preoccupied with work. He was bald, with glabrous
face and small, dark, piercing eyes. He wore a plain scarlet tunic
and red-brown trousers. A flying cloak was draped carelessly over
another stool near the door. His office always seemed to exude an
air of casual efficiency, much like the man himself. The walls were
inlaid with ornate wooden panelling and lined with rows of
leather-bound books. More books were stacked on the desk, some of
them open. A small window behind his head afforded a view of the
refectory and the garden.
    Keris spoke up. “Fealty and
service to the Three.”
    The man looked up from his desk.
“And to the One.”
    “And to the One,” she
added.
    “Report.”
    “Tariff exacted from Hassun. Two
carts of produce. Moba and Kassian mainly. However, harvest last
year was poor and their stores are depleted. We could be looking at
starvation in the eastern settlements in a half a turn or so. Three
tributes delivered. One lost en route through…an accident.” Mordal
looked up at that and seemed as if he was about to say something,
but checked himself. “Rodann is billeting them prior to induction.
I am to leave tomorrow for Sakima before Ail-Gan rises.” Keris
finished and waited patiently for Mordal`s response.
    “No.”
    “I don’t–”
    “I have charged Niall with that
particular task. I have another mission for you.” He stood up,
walked around his desk and stood next to her, placing his hand on
the small of her back. “Walk with me.”
    She followed as he led her out
and down the stairs. They went through a side