The Song #4 by Jean Johnson

Author:Jean Johnson [Johnson, Jean]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

TWELVE

W ait,” Mariel interjected quickly, straightening from her toe-touching exercises. The other three women paused as well, though it was Alys the Healer addressed. “I’m confused. You say that you’re related to this ‘Uncle Broger’ person, and yet the boys have said the exact same thing—doesn’t that make your marriage to Wolfer a bit…you know…?”

Alys blushed, Serina quirked one of her pale brows, and Kelly laughed. None of them objected to Mariel calling their husbands and siblings-in-law “the boys”; this was a women-only moment, after all. The redhead lifted her chin at Alys, grinning. “You explain that one. While we finish our stretches, ladies? Stretched muscles are limber muscles.”

Balancing her bare feet on the felt-padded floor, arms stretching over her head before windmilling around her body, Alys rolled her eyes and explained as shortly as she could. “Wolfer’s mother was named Annia. Annia had a sister, Sylvia. Sylvia married Broger. Broger had two brothers, Donnock and Tangor. Tangor was my father…so we’re related by marriage only, through my Uncle Broger and their late Aunt Sylvia. Well…I suppose Uncle Broger’s son, Barol, technically links us by blood,” she added thoughtfully, “but we’re not related directly. It’s not as if my father married their Aunt Sylvia. He married my mother, Glyssa, who isn’t related to any of them.”

“Right…and you said that your Uncle Broger took over the County after the boys were exiled?” Mariel asked next, leaning over as far as she could sideways to stretch out her rib muscles.

“First, Lord Daron of Corvis took it over. He was Saveno’s younger brother, and in the direct line of succession, what with the boys exiled all the way out here,” Kelly explained for Alys, who was a little red in the face from leaning over so far. “But then Broger had him secretly killed off, so that he, as the next most powerful mage, could take over the governance of the family County. Since it was only a pro tem position while the brothers were in exile, he didn’t have to be directly related by blood.”

“In fact, technically my uncle was holding it on his son’s behalf, since Barol is the one who’s related by blood,” Alys continued, straightening and lifting one foot, doubling back her leg so she could stretch out her thigh muscles. She wobbled a little, catching Mariel’s shoulder for balance. “His plan was to steal not only my own powers if and when he killed me, but to steal the boys’ powers, murdering them to send those magics into his son, and then kill his own son to transfer those energies to himself, to become the most powerful mage in Katan, and thus become our next king.”

“Sounds like a true bastard-by-nature,” Serina grunted, having bent over one foot again. She swung her body so that she leaned over her other foot. That made her long, platinum-pale braid slide across the layers of felt serving as a cushioning pad underfoot. “I’m glad he was swallowed into a Netherhell. I don’t

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.