Shadow Magic Read Online Free PDF Page B

least.”
    “Staying for a week?” Alethia frowned. “Then one of you will have to sleep in the south tower; Father will want the north one for the Lords Armin and Gahlon, and—”
    “Lord Armin and First Lord Gahlon are coming here? Together?”
    “At the end of the week,” Alethia said, nodding. “And I’m not supposed to know why Father asked them to come, so don’t bother quizzing me until after Father explains it to you.”
    “Father asked them?” Har repeated. “Allie, you’re making that up!”
    “Unfortunately, she is not,” said a deep voice behind them, and Alethia jumped. The three turned to find a tall, dark-haired man of middle years looking at them with a smile. “Father!” said Alethia and Har together.
    The man’s smile deepened. “Welcome home,” he said to his son, and there was no mistaking the deep affection in his tone. For a moment they stood silent, then Har shook himself and turned to introduce Maurin.
    “I am honored. I have heard a good deal about you, Lord Bracor,” Maurin said when the formalities were finished.
    “Nothing too dreadful, I hope,” Bracor responded. “Har, I realize that you have only just arrived, but I have some questions for you and your friend. Would you join me in my study?”
    “Questions?” Har said. “Why?”
    “Honestly, Har, sometimes you are thicker than Ceron’s treacle sauce!” Alethia said. “You just got back from a caravan patrol that ran about as close to Lithra as you can get without being raided, and you can’t think why Father would want to ask you questions?”
    “The Lithmern haven’t raided anyone in months,” Har said.
    “That’s what you—”
    “Alethia.”
    The girl broke off, looking faintly guilty. Bracor studied his daughter for a moment, then shook his head ruefully. “I don’t suppose you would like to go and tell your mother that Har has returned?”
    “Mother probably already knows,” Alethia said, and smiled.
    “And you would rather join us. I don’t quite see why; you appear to know everything I was going to say to Har already.”
    “I know just enough to be interested, that’s all,” Alethia said. “Of course, I can find out from Har later, but it would be easier if you’d just let me stay. Har leaves things out sometimes.”
    Har’s face reddened, and Bracor shook his head in mock resignation. “Very well, then, since you are so determined. Come.”
    Bracor led them inside and up a long, spiral staircase to a pleasant, though simply furnished, room. Maurin was pleased to find that the cleaning frenzy had not completely stripped the castle of furniture; there were two benches and a footstool, in addition to a trestle table littered with parchments.
    Once they were all seated, Bracor looked at Har and said, “As Alethia has already guessed, I want to talk to you about the Lithmern.”
    “I don’t see the point,” Har said. “The border has been quiet for months.”
    “The Conclave of First Lords feels the same way, I’m afraid,” the Lord of Brenn replied tiredly. “But open raids are not the only thing to fear from the Lithmern.”
    Har looked puzzled, then frowned suddenly. “ Open raids? Are you saying you think they’ve been raiding secretly?”
    “It’s not speculation,” Bracor said. “I’ll wager your Trader friend knows what I’m referring to.”
    Maurin looked at Bracor with surprise and respect. “You must have excellent sources to have uncovered that, my lord.”
    Har made a frustrated gesture. “What are you talking about?”
    “Three caravans have disappeared completely in the past six months,” Maurin said.
    “Disappeared?” Har raised his eyebrows skeptically. “How can fifteen or more wagons and sixty men just vanish?”
    Maurin shrugged. “If we knew that, we might be able to stop it. But the only information we have is that all three caravans were traveling near Lithra. At least, that’s where we think they were.”
    “You aren’t sure?” Alethia