All the Paths of Shadow Read Online Free

and nodded frantically.
    “Do you think your brother Kervis sees her, soldier?”
    The nods came faster. The captain leaned down and stepped close to Kervis. “You and your brother are the lady’s bodyguards, soldier,” said the captain, his voice fallen to a whisper. “What does that mean, bodyguard?”
    “Sir,” said the boy, his eyes wide, “We are to protect her, um, body, from, er—”
    “Enemies, sir!” croaked the other Bellringer. “Enemies, foreign or, um, domestic. Sir.”
    The captain glared. Kervis shook. “That’s correct, soldier,” he said. “So if you’ve got to take on the whole of Vonath single-handed with a dull butter knife then that’s what you do. Because if anything happens to the sorceress it won’t be the army or the crown you’ll answer to. It’ll be me.” The captain’s voice rose to a bellow. “Me!”
    The captain whirled, winked at Meralda, and stamped off down the stairs.
    The Bellringers, sweating and wide-eyed, watched him go.
    Meralda shook her head. “Guardsman Kervis,” she said, when the captain’s footfalls died. “How old are you?”
    The boy cleared his throat. “Eight and ten, ma’am,” he said. “Soon be nine and ten.”
    “Me, too,” said Tervis. “Ma’am.”
    “I surmised as much,” said Meralda. “Well, gentlemen, let me make one thing clear, here and now. The king has decreed that you shall dog my steps. But it would not do for you to be too much underfoot.”
    “Yes, ma’am.”
    “Yes, ma’am.”
    Meralda sighed. Somewhere in the palace, a clock began striking the ninth hour, and with every bell toll Meralda felt the weight of the day settle heavy in her bones.
    “Guardsman Kervis,” she said, stifling a yawn. “Are you familiar with the palace?”
    Guardsman Kervis leapt to attention. “Yes, ma’am,” he said.
    “Then you know where the basement kitchen is.”
    “Down the west stair, left at the Burnt Door, right and two doors down from the Anvion Room. Yes, ma’am,” said Kervis.
    Meralda stepped off the last stair. “Very well. Go there, at once. Tell them the sorceress wants a pot of coffee.”
    Kervis beamed. “Yes, ma’am,” he said. “Right away.”
    “And get three mugs, too,” said Meralda. “You gentlemen do drink coffee, I assume?”
    The Bellringers nodded. Tervis’ helmet threatened to fall off, despite the strap cutting into his chin.
    “Good,” said Meralda. “We’ll all need a cup, tonight.” Then she stepped to the door, fumbled in her pocket for the big black iron key, and put it in the lock.
    The door crackled faintly, and the short-cropped hair on Tervis’ head tried to stand up below his helmet.
    Meralda whispered a word, and pushed the door gently open. “Knock, when you return,” she said to Kervis. “And, gentlemen, I don’t need to warn you against ever opening this door yourself, do I?”
    “No, ma’am,” said the Bellringers. “Not ever.”
    “Good,” said Meralda. “Good.” Then she removed the key, dropped it back in her pocket, and closed the door gently behind her.
    “Nineteen days,” she said, to the shadows. “Nineteen days to shrink the Tower or move the Sun.”
    “Ma’am?” spoke a muffled voice from beyond the door. “Were you speaking to me?”
    “No, Guardsman,” said Meralda. “I wasn’t.”
    “Just checking,” said Tervis. Meralda couldn’t see the young man, but she was absolutely certain that he had snapped to full attention before speaking. “Ma’am.”
    Meralda shook her head, shrugged out of her coat, rolled up her sleeves, and went about switching on her spark lamps.
     

Chapter Two
     
     
    Bright morning sunlight streamed through the kitchen window. “Good morning, Mistress,” said Mug, as Meralda shuffled out of her bedroom, barked her shin on a chair leg, and made slowly for the cupboards. “Did you sleep well?”
    “Mmmph,” said Meralda, squinting in the daylight. Her bathrobe, belt trailing loose like a train, hung lopsided from