Thornbear (Book 1) Read Online Free PDF

was planning something that might lead to trouble.
    “Your sword.”
    He gave Matthew a strange look, “What sword?”
    “Your dad’s sword,” replied Matt with a smug look.
    “The one in Albamarl, on display?” Gram was referring to his father’s longsword. That sword had originally belonged to his grandfather, whom he had inherited his name from, and was one of the first swords Mordecai had enchanted. The main chapterhouse for the Order of the Thorn kept it on display in the capital. They had asked Lady Rose to gift them with the broken great sword, Thorn, but she had refused to relinquish it for sentimental reasons.
    “Nope. Thorn, the broken one…”
    “Whatever you’re thinking, it’s a stupid idea. I’ve had thoughts about secretly buying a sword, but she would never let that pass. She keeps it on the wall in her bedroom, in plain view. If I tried to sneak it out, she would know immediately…”
    Matthew waved his hands dismissively, “I’ve already thought about that. She can’t do anything if she doesn’t know it’s gone.”
    “She’s going to know, Matt! She looks at it every time she thinks of him. I wouldn’t be surprised to find out she was taking it off the wall and sleeping with it. She’s obsessed.”
    “Wizards can do anything, remember?”
    Gram made a sour face, “I’m sorry. I was exaggerating, but there’s no way…”
    “There is a way.”
    “How?”
    Matt grinned, “You signal me the next time you all leave, like at dinnertime maybe. I’ll skip the meal, pretend I’m sick, and then I’ll sneak into her room and grab the sword. I’ll leave an illusion on the wall so she won’t…”
    “Not good enough,” countered Gram. “I told you, she touches it sometimes. She may even take it down.”
    “Let me finish,” said Matthew reproachfully. “I’ll bring it back here and create a close copy. It won’t be perfect, but with a bit of illusion attached, I can produce something she can touch and that will look exactly like the original. I’ll sneak in again and replace the simple illusion with the copy, and then she’ll never know the difference. All we need is a full twenty-four hours.”
    Gram was doubtful, “I think she probably touches it almost every day.”
    Matt nodded, “That’s fine. I’ll make sure the illusion has a tactile component. It will be alright so long as she doesn’t try to take it off the wall, at least until I get the copy in its place.”
    “So, assuming that your plan works, and I don’t wind up locked away for the rest of my youth, what does your magical testing have to do with any of this?” asked Gram.
    “You know the Sun-swords?” asked Matthew.
    “Yeah…”
    “Well, your dad couldn’t use them, because he was a stoic. I need to know whether you’re the same, otherwise I might make a sword you can’t use,” explained the young wizard.
    “It’s broken,” reminded Gram. “You have to fix it first. Do you even know how to enchant a sword?”
    “Are you kidding?” said Matt with a slightly wounded expression. “How long have you known me? I’m not just going to fix it, I’m going to make it into something worthy of your legend!”
    “You mean my father’s legend,” corrected Gram.
    “No, I mean yours ,” reaffirmed Matt. “It’s going to be something fit for your father’s memory and strong enough to match your deeds as well.”
    Gram stared at his friend, transfixed. The words, coming from anyone else, would have been an obvious attempt at mockery, but he could see the sincerity in Matthew’s face. He felt a whirl of emotions rising within himself, things he didn’t want to deal with in front of his friend. He started for the door. “You’re crazy.”
    Matthew caught him by the shoulders. “I’m dead, damned serious.”
    Gram was growing more irritated, in part because his friend never seemed to clue in on when it was time to let go of something, and also because he secretly wanted to believe him.