Sasharia En Garde Read Online Free PDF

“Why don’t you tell us
your end of things, so we can put it together with what we know?”
    “Sounds reasonable—” I began, but Elva cut in.
    “No,” she stated, chin up. “At least, not until you find your way back to your ship .”
    Zathdar gave her a quick, challenging grin. “Why don’t you
find your way back to yours?”
    Elva flushed. “Because I know my brother’s friends. They are
all trustworthy. I know they mean to restore Prince Math to the throne, if
Queen Ananda doesn’t want to rule on her own. If we can find out where he’s
hidden. You showed up knowing our plans, followed us to the World Gate castle
without any invitation—”
    “Saved our butts,” I put in, trying to keep things fair.
    “Oh, I think the three of us could have gotten out without
his sword waving around,” Elva retorted with commendable bravado, but even she
didn’t seem convinced.
    Especially when Devli shook his head slowly but
emphatically. “Bad as those fellows were, we were no help, and Sasharia
couldn’t have fought them alone. Without him, we’d be in Prince Jehan’s grip
right now. Or far worse, War Commander Randart’s.”
    Elva shuddered, then squared her shoulders. “I don’t trust
this fellow. Too many unexplained coincidences.”
    “There aren’t any coincidences from my end.” Zathdar sat
back on his cushion and clasped his hands around one knee. “One of my crew
heard one of your friends asking questions all around Land’s End Harbor,
hinting at plots that include mages, World Gates, and the name Zhavalieshin.
They reported it to me. Some investigation led me to the mage students. They
were quite easy to follow.” He nodded at Devli, who blushed.
    “It was our fault we kept our headquarters at Cousin Nad’s
house,” Devli admitted.
    Zathdar continued. “King Canardan was not too stupid to
investigate the houses of the former stewards belonging to the old king, he was
probably too arrogant. But obviously that changed. I believe the attack on the
old castle—which everyone who knows anything about magic knows holds a
Destination accessible to the World Gate—is proof enough that the king’s men
were right on your heels.”
    Elva sighed. “All right, so we made some mistakes. But I
still have questions.”
    “Well, why not discuss them on the ride down to the river
where I’ve hidden my flagship? Prince Jehan’s men will be busy searching all
over, and we cannot hole up in this cave forever.”
    Elva looked at her brother, who spread his hands, then at
me.
    I copied Devli’s gesture.
    “Let’s go,” she muttered.

Chapter Four
    She said those words at the very same moment that, away in
time and space through the World Gate, sunshine dancingstar Zhavalieshin (later
known as Sun, which was the best damage control she could do with that stupid
name she’d made legal back when she was twenty-two, complete with lowercase
initial letters) picked up her cell phone.
    At the hotel-room door, Roger stood patiently. “Coming? We
might not get a cab in time to make the curtain.”
    Sun said, “Sasha has never ignored my calls before. One more
try.”
    Roger murmured, “Maybe she didn’t pay her bill?”
    Sun gave him an ironic look. “I may be an old hippie. And my
daughter is a child of a hippie. But Sasha’s too practical to skip paying
bills. You ought to know that by now.”
    “I know you two are half-crazy, with all your talk of World
Gates and what all.” He grinned, adding under his breath, “But that’s part of
the fun of being around you.”
    “Hello?” Sun stood straight, her brows arching in surprise.
“I take it this is not my daughter Sasha.”
    At the other end of the phone, Dougie quickly recovered his
surprise at hearing a female voice. “Nah. I was hoping you’d know where she
was.” How was he to know it wasn’t his dope connection calling back? Stupid old
bag—having a blocked number. Everyone knows only drug dealers have blocked
numbers.
    “I am Moira