Soul of Sorcery by Jonathan Moeller

Author:Jonathan Moeller [Moeller, Jonathan]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Fiction, Fantasy
Published: 2014-01-16T00:00:00+00:00

###

An hour later they stood outside one of the village houses. Riothamus sighed and took a deep breath, flexing his fingers. Molly still felt the residual power from his spell lingering in the air. He was strong. Not as strong as Guardian, but at least as strong as Lucan Mandragon.

The Tervingi bondswoman looked at the girl of three in her arms. The child stirred, blinked once or twice, and looked around. A few moments earlier the girl had been on the edge of death.

And now, after Riothamus had worked his spell, she was the image of health.

“She’ll…she’ll get better?” said the bondswoman.

“She will,” said Riothamus. “You did well, summoning me. Another few days, and the infection would have been fatal. Make sure she gets rest and plenty of water.”

“Thank you,” said the bondswoman. “Oh, gods, witcher. Thank you.”

The woman smiled. Then the fear returned to her expression, and she disappeared into her house with the child.

“Why is she so afraid of?” said Molly, handing Riothamus back his spear. “You?”

“In part,” said Riothamus, tapping the butt of his spear against the ground. “Her husband as well. He would not have approved of approaching me. I suspect she did so behind his back. He would have forbidden it, had he known.”

“Absurd,” said Molly. “You saved the child’s life.”

“The Tervingi fear and loathe magic,” said Riothamus. “It stems from ancient days, when the Dark Elderborn enslaved our ancestors. The Dark Elderborn used powerful dark magic. So by the custom of the Tervingi, only two wielders of magic are permitted among the Tervingi. The Guardian, and the Guardian’s chosen successor.”

“You,” said Molly.

“Me,” agreed Riothamus.

They walked along the street. The Tervingi gave them a wide berth.

“How did you become the Guardian’s apprentice?” said Molly.

“My father was Rigotharic, a thain in Athanaric’s service,” said Riothamus. “He had his own hold. When I was six, the Malrags fell upon his hold, and slew everyone. The Malrags would have slain me, but Aegidia arrived and destroyed the Malrags. She raised me, and taught me to use magic.”

“A grim tale,” said Molly.

“No different than many others among the Tervingi,” said Riothamus. “The Malrags harried us for years, and many were slain.” He gestured with his spear. “Everyone here has lost kin to the Malrags.”

“So have most of the folk of the Grim Marches,” said Molly.

“What of you, my lady Molly?” said Riothamus. “What of your tale? It must be more interesting than mine.”

Molly laughed. “What makes you say that?”

“Because I have heard your father’s armsmen speak,” said Riothamus. “Lord Mazael only married Lady Romaria a few months past. She is not your mother.” He paused. “And you look nothing like her.”

“I suppose not,” said Molly.

She hesitated. Why not tell him the truth? Or at least as much as the truth as he could handle?

“My father used to be a wandering knight,” said Molly. “He seduced my mother and kept wandering, never realizing that she was pregnant. My mother died when I was six, and my brother Corvad and I were taken in by the Skulls of Barellion.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.