The Keeper's Shadow Read Online Free PDF Page B

ILLUM? Y OU WERE ON HIS KNEE .”
    W ITHOUT OPENING HIS EYES, R AT NODS ONCE . “P LEASE, CONTINUE .”
    â€œI N THE VISION, W ILLUM TOLD ME WE HAVE ONLY UNTIL THE BULL RISES IN THE EAST . T HEN, IF WE FAIL, ALL ENDS .”
    R AT’S EYES OPEN . “R OAN OF THE P ARTING DIPPED HIS FINGERS IN THE RIVER OF TIME AND SAW VISIONS OF WHAT WAS TO COME, THINGS FOR WHICH HE FELT RESPONSIBLE . H E DECIDED TO TRY TO CHANGE THAT FUTURE . Y OU MIGHT THINK THIS PURE ARROGANCE BUT WHEN HE SOUGHT OUT MY ANCESTOR, A ITHUNA, HE WAS ACCOMPANIED BY CRICKETS . T HIS CONVINCED HER TO HELP HIM CARVE OUT THE PATH HE THOUGHT MIGHT SAVE US . B UT THERE ARE NO CERTAINTIES AND REALITY LAYS A CIRCUITOUS TRACK AROUND OUR CHOSEN COURSE .
    â€œW HILE IT IS CLEAR FROM YOUR VISION THAT THE N OVAKIN MIGHT STILL BE SAVED, IT IS ALSO EVIDENT THAT YOUR SISTER’S SURVIVAL IS IN PERIL . F IRE IS THE ELEMENT OF THE SPIRIT . S TOWE’S BURNS BRIGHTLY, R OAN, BUT WHEN SHE CAME UNDER D ARIUS’S THRALL, HE LEVELED A GREAT VIOLENCE AGAINST HER . W ILLUM WAS ABLE TO CONTAIN THE WORST OF HIS ATTACKS, BUT WE NEGLECTED TO ANTICIPATE THE DANGER POSED BY THE D IRT E ATERS . W E UNDERESTIMATED THEIR MALIGNITY AND IT HAS COST US ALMOST EVERYTHING .
    â€œT HERE IS NO ONE WHO REGRETS OUR ERRORS MORE THAN W ILLUM . H E KNOWS OUR MISTAKES HAVE COST YOUR SISTER A VITAL PART OF HER SPIRIT .”
    â€œW HAT DO YOU MEAN—HOW? ”
    â€œS TOWE’S POSSESSION BY A D IRT E ATER HAS TAKEN FROM HER WHAT SHE MIGHT HAVE SALVAGED HAD SHE ESCAPED D ARIUS WHOLE .”
    â€œI SN’T THERE ANYTHING THAT CAN BE DONE FOR HER ?”
    â€œW E ARE DOING ALL THAT CAN BE DONE . B UT, R OAN, YOUR SISTER MUST BE ALLOWED TO WALK TOWARD HER OWN FATE AS SURELY AS YOU MUST HAVE THE FREEDOM TO WALK TOWARD YOURS .”
    T HAT MAY BE, R OAN THINKS, BUT IF THERE’S A WAY TO PROTECT HIS SISTER, HE’S NOT GOING TO STAND BY AND DO NOTHING . H E CAN’T .
    R AT FASTIDIOUSLY SMOOTHS HIS TAIL AS IF SEEKING ANSWERS ON ITS FLESHY PINK SURFACE. “Y OUR VISION OUTLINES YOUR DILEMMA . T HE SWORD IS LEADERSHIP, THE BLOOD ON IT IS THE BLOOD OF THE BULL . T HIS IMPLIES THE INVOLVEMENT OF THE B ROTHERS OR THE F RIEND, OR BOTH, I CANNOT SAY . Y OU KNOW THIS BUT FEAR IT BECAUSE YOU DESIRE A SOLUTION WITHOUT VIOLENCE . B UT R OAN, BLOOD IS ALSO A SYMBOL OF HOPE, OF LIFE . I N YOUR DREAM IT AIDS THE CHILDREN . V IOLENCE COMES WHETHER WE WILL IT OR NO . T HE SWORD MELDS WITH YOUR HAND BECAUSE YOU KNOW YOU CANNOT TURN YOUR BACK ON THE RESPONSIBILITY BEFORE YOU . I F YOU DO, ALL WILL BE LOST .”
    â€œI HAVE SO MANY QUESTIONS .”
    R AT’S NOSE TWITCHES . “R EMEMBER THE WORDS OF YOUR PARENTS: TO WIN WAR YOU MUST ENVISION PEACE . T O DO OTHERWISE CLOSES THE WAY .” R AT CROUCHES BACK IN PREPARATION TO LEAP .
    â€œW AIT! ” CRIES R OAN . “T ELL ME: HOW CAN YOU BE MANY AND FEW? ”
    â€œO BSERVE .” T HE RAT’S BODY MELTS ONTO THE STONE, BECOMING A SWIRLING MASS ON THE SMOOTH ROCK . I T CONGEALS FIRST INTO THE FACE OF AN OLD MAN, THEN A YOUNG WOMAN, SOON REPLACED BY A MIDDLE-AGED MAN . D OZENS OF FACES CHANGING IN SHAPE AND AGE, THE LAST OF A MAN WHOSE DARK EYES AND BROW SEEM ODDLY FAMILIAR .
    â€œY OU RESEMBLE MY FRIEND, M ABATAN .”
    â€œI AM HER FATHER .” A SHADOW PASSES OVER THE MAN’S SMILING FACE . “T HE PEOPLE OF L ONGLIGHT LIVE WITHIN YOU, R OAN . F EEL THEM IN YOUR BLOOD, HEAR THEM IN YOUR MIND . Y OU WILL NEED THEIR WISDOM IN THE DAYS TO COME. ” T HEN IN THE BLINK OF AN EYE, THE FACE OF R AT VANISHES .
    You desire a solution without violence but…violence will come whether we will it or no—Rat’s words resound in Roan’s skull like a bell tolling in a watchtower.
    When he opens his eyes, Ende is still across from him. “Drink,” she says, gesturing to his cup.
    Roan takes a gulp of steaming tea, hoping it will steady him. “No matter what I do, people will be