The First Life of Tanan Read Online Free PDF

them that he had brought it back from a recent trip to Sothport.
    Lindelin poured a small glass of red wine and handed it to Tanan.  “This will help with the taste.”  It did help.
    When dinner was finished, Tanan cleared the table and helped Soama wash and put away the dishes.
    Night had crept in on them while they had their dinner, and Soama showed Tanan to one of the extra rooms.  After the long walk Tanan was tired and was soon asleep.
    •        •        •
    Soama returned to the kitchen, where Lindelin had lit a small oil lamp.  He sat at the table and poured more wine into his glass.
    “Now,” he said, “tell me why you’ve come.”
    “I want to leave Tanan with you.” Said Lindelin.  “He has shown the ability to do magic already. I am also concerned that the King’s Legion might be suspicious of him.”
    Soama took a drink of his wine.  “Have the authorities discovered that he is a child of the Lataki?”
    “There was a Legion man in Port Billen. He questioned Sweelin, Anin and Jelak about Tanan. I don’t think they know he’s Lataki, but it seems the census raised some concerns at the capital.”
    “This is my fault,” said Soama.  “I neglected to tell Sweelin about the boy when he took over the Abbey in Port Billen.  It would have been best to just leave the boy off the census.  I should have thought about that when I left.”
    Lindelin waved away the idea of Soama being at fault.  “They were bound to find out about Tanan sooner or later.  Half the village suspects that Anin brought him from the mainland. It’s a miracle it’s taken this long for the Legion to catch wind of this. They’ll figure out the truth sooner or later.”
    Soama sat his glass on the table and refilled it.  “Sooner, I’d expect. We’ll need to be ready to take him off the island quickly when that happens. He will be welcomed at Jesera.”
    Jesera was a monastery hundreds of miles north of Komisan. It’s existence was a closely guarded Abbot secret. Lindelin was one of very few non-Abbots that knew about Jesera.
    Lindelin nodded. “Anin and I will go with him. I should have retired ten years ago, and Anin could do his work anywhere. But I will feel bad leaving Port Billen without a Doctor or Apothecary.”
    “Issues that will be dealt with easily enough,” said Soama. “I will arrange for a new doctor and Apothecary to find their way to Port Billen.”
    “Let’s make the necessary preparations,” said Lindelin.  “Will you be able to arrange for an Abbot to take us to Jesera?”
    “I think,” said Soama, “that I will take you to Jesera myself. You should return to Port Billen soon and discreetly wrap up your affairs.”
    “I will go back first thing in the morning.”
    The men sat in silence for several minutes, drinking wine and making plans for their departure from Komisan.
    Finally, Soama’s thoughts came back around to what Lindelin had told him about Tanan. “You said that the boy has shown the ability to do magic?”
    Lindelin nodded. “He mastered cold summoning in less than a month.”
    Soama looked skeptical.  “He is quite young.”
    “Observe him, Soama. Spend time with the boy and you will see.”

CHAPTER NINE
    Kirkik was leaning against the wall in an ornately decorated antechamber in the Royal Palace. He was waiting to see his royal majesty, King Dannap.  The King was always busy with one thing or another, most of it complete nonsense.  Waiting to see him was normal.
    When the big double doors to the King’s throne room finally opened, a procession of finely dressed and self-important people filed out, completely ignoring him as they moved through the room. At the rear of the procession was Nim, the King’s elderly and diminutive aide. Nim gestured into the throne room, “He will see you now.”
    Kirkik touched the top of Nim’s head as he walked past, “Thanks Nimmy.”
    Nim shook his head at Kirkik in stern disapproval.  “Rotten brat,”