The Spirit Stone Read Online Free PDF Page A

the army. He shouldn’t. He needs to be here in the dun. The fortguard can’t keep watch against certain kinds of danger, but he can, if you take my meaning.’
    ‘I do.’ Gerran had a long swallow of ale. ‘Not that I like thinking about it.’
    ‘I realize that.’ Salamander paused for a nervous glance around, but none of the servants were in earshot. ‘I can take his place, if our good tieryn will let him stay behind. But I need a tale that will convince Cadryc, some clever ploy, some magnificent obfuscation, a lie, in short, since I can’t tell him the truth.’
    ‘There’s no need to pile up horseshit.’ Gerran set his tankard down. ‘You’re not inventing a tale for the marketplace.’
    ‘Well, what else can I do?’
    ‘Leave it to me. I’ll go speak to his grace right now.’
    Gerran found Tieryn Cadryc out in the stables, where he and the head groom were making an important decision: which horses the warband would take to Zakh Gral. Gerran waited for a lull in their talk.
    ‘Your grace?’ Gerran said. ‘A private word with you?’
    ‘Of course.’ Cadryc nodded at the groom. ‘I’ll be back straightaway.’
    They walked across the kitchen garden and out to the curve of the dun wall, where no one could overhear.
    ‘What’s all this, Gerro?’ Cadryc said.
    ‘Your grace, do you trust me?’
    ‘What? Of course I do!’
    ‘And do you trust my judgment? You don’t think me daft or suchlike, do you?’
    ‘Of course not! Gerro—’
    ‘Then grant me a daft-sounding boon on my word alone. Neb the scribe should stay here when we ride out.’
    For a long moment Cadryc stared at him narrow-eyed. ‘On your word alone? No explanation?’
    ‘None, your grace.’
    Cadryc shrugged and smiled. ‘Done, then,’ he said. ‘It’s an easy enough boon to grant, eh? I can always ask Prince Dar’s scribe if I need a message written or suchlike.’
    ‘Better yet, Salamander can read and write. Neb can give him what he needs for the job.’
    ‘Well, there you are, then. Easy and twice easy.’
    Cadryc went back to the stables, and Gerran started for the broch. He took a shortcut through the kitchen garden, then realized that someone was lurking behind the cook’s little gardening shed. He could guess who it was.
    ‘Come out, gerthddyn,’ Gerran said wearily. ‘I should have known you’d be eavesdropping.’
    ‘Think of all the effort I’ve saved you.’ Salamander strolled over to join him. ‘This way you won’t have to tell me what our noble tieryn said. My thanks, by the way. You were quite right. We didn’t need the pile of horseshit. I’ll just go tell Neb that the matter’s settled.’
    Salamander trotted off with a cheerful wave. As Gerran followed, he happened to glance up. Far above the dun the black dragon floated on the summer breeze. Although he didn’t know where Arzosah was lairing, at various times during the day this strangest of all possible allies would appear, keeping watch over the dun. She’d take a turn or two over it at night, as well, when she was on her way to hunt down a wild meal. Gerran was never sure if her presence was comforting or terrifying. As long as she doesn’t scare the horses, he thought. With a shrug he went inside to join the warband.
    ‘Well, it gladdens my heart to have that settled,’ Branna said. ‘I feel horribly selfish, though. I’m just so happy that Neb will be staying here safe in the dun.’
    ‘Why not be happy?’ Salamander gave her one of his sunny grins. ‘Life is short, so grasp what joy it gives you. As to safe, I hope you both will be, but you’ll need to be on your guard.’
    ‘Because of the raven mazrak?’
    ‘Precisely. He may not know who you specifically are, but dweomer can always smell out dweomer. He must know you have it, and that therefore you’re a potential thorn in his feathered side.’
    ‘Let’s hope I can be a dagger, not a thorn.’
    ‘Someday, mayhap, but not now.’ Salamander’s voice dropped to a