Mageborn The Line of Illeniel, Michael Manning [best ebook reader for laptop txt] 📗

possible motives. Not that there was much I could do about it at the moment. I expanded my awareness to keep a better watch around us. I would definitely have to give some more thought to our trip back home. They knew we were leaving, they knew where we were headed, and they knew when we would be traveling.

We arrived at the Lancaster’s house. I had expected it to be magnificent and I wasn’t disappointed. It was actually built slightly back from the road with a small stone wall circling the property to provide privacy and protection for the family. A heavy wrought iron gate blocked access to the property. A bell stood beside it to ring for attention if there wasn’t anyone standing watch. Luckily there was someone there so we didn’t have to use it.

“Mordecai is that you?” came the guardsman’s voice.

I looked at him carefully; he was a man of nearly forty years, slim and sun-browned. “Wallace?” I asked. I wasn’t entirely sure, as a boy memorizing all the guardsmen’s names wasn’t high on my list of priorities.

“Hah! It is you boy! Glad to see you. Hang on I’ll get the gate open in a moment. His grace said you would be coming by today.” He worked carefully to unlock the gate and then turned a small winch to swing the doors wide for us. He could have used a smaller door built into one side of the gate but the mules were too bulky to fit in that way.

It felt good to see someone who knew me from my childhood days. It took some of the foreignness out of the situation. I hadn’t realized how home-sick the capitol had made me until just then. As I relaxed I felt the wind swirling around us and it almost seemed as if it were whispering. The air plucked at my hair and sent small leaves twirling about in the small inner courtyard. I smiled and took a deep breath. As the wind murmured to me I could see the trees along the western edge of the city, where the royal preserve came down to almost meet the city walls. A light rain there had scented the air with the fresh smells of earth and growing things.

Penny’s hand on my shoulder interrupted my reverie, “Mort, are you alright?”

“Sure why?” I looked at her, though it took a moment for my eyes to refocus on her.

“You were just standing there smiling and muttering to yourself. Who were you talking to?” her dark brown eyes were full of concern.

“No one, I was just listening to the wind... it was talking about the rain and...,” I caught myself. As soon as I had said the words, ‘it was talking’, her eyes had narrowed. “I mean I could smell the recent rain. It’s a lovely day out. I didn’t mean to worry you,” I finished instead.

“Mordecai!” Marc shouted as he came out of the house to greet us. “How did it go at the bank? When I told father you were going he thought we might need to send a troop of guards to keep them from locking you up. He seems to think they’ll be none too happy to see you.” For a holy man and a saint he seemed remarkably like the same old friend I had always known.

“Hah!” I answered, forgetting my mistrust and his new profession. “They were only too glad to greet us with open arms and throw open their coffers! They sent us along with this as a token of their kindness,” I gestured at the mules and their heavy load.

Penny frowned, “He means they nearly tossed us out before he threatened to turn the bank into a pile of rock and sand.”

Marcus laughed, although she hadn’t been making a joke. Penny was none too happy at how I had handled things at the bank. I couldn’t help but wonder at his good mood. “What’s got you so happy?” I inquired. “Did you make up with your father?”

Marc’s face fell a bit, “No, he’s still mad as hell about my choice, but he’s adjusting. I’m just happy in general, though seeing you is always a plus. Since I accepted the goddess I’ve felt better in every way you can imagine. It’s like hearing music for the first time, after having been deaf my entire life.”

He did look happy, but his reasons for it soured my own mood a bit. I changed the subject, “Has Rose showed up yet?”

Marc’s eyes shifted, showing a hint of pity. He was probably inwardly lamenting that I would never know his goddess’ grace. “No she hasn’t come by yet. Who’s your large and well-muscled companion there?” He indicated Cyhan who was standing silently beside Penny.

“Oh! Forgive my rudeness. Cyhan I’d like you to meet my good friend, Marcus Lancaster. Marcus this is Cyhan. The king has sent him with us to train my bond-bearer.” I stepped back and the two of them shook hands quickly.

“By bond-bearer he means me,” Penny put in. She was making sure I didn’t forget who my choice was.

“The fighting prowess of the Anath’Meridum is legendary. Seeing you I begin to understand why,” Marc said as he released Cyhan’s larger hand.

“I was never chosen,” Cyhan replied, “but I have been involved in the training of several.”

“He taught Mort’s mother, Elena,” Penny added. Cyhan grimaced slightly when she said it.

“Why the face?” Marc asked. “You must be proud to have had such a student. My father tells me that Elena was the deadliest fighter he had ever seen.”

“The Anath’Meridum are not judged by their fighting skills, but by how they live up to their oath and their pact. In that Elena was a failure. My shame lies in that I trained the first and only Anath’Meridum to willfully break her oath.” Cyhan’s statement was devoid of emotion though it struck me like a slap in the face.

“What is that supposed to mean?” My voice was cold.

“Nothing more than what