Battle Mage: Winter's Edge Read Online Free

for safety and defense.
                  Climbing a few stairways to eventually gain the lord’s main audience room, the group came upon Southwall soldiers lining the walls though in light numbers. Lord Dorwyn was hardly fearful of attack here inside his castle, but still the men guarded as much for show as true guardians this day. If they weren’t enough deterrent, Sebastian’s added presence would be enough to protect the man most days. A battle mage’s magic was powerful against most enemies and his magic shield and sword would buy the man time to flee in a crisis.
                  The visitors’ eyes noted the decoration of the audience chamber had become more impressive than the halls that had delivered them here, however, and eyes drifted. More luxurious wall hangings were uniformly hung across from one another. Brightly colored and long enough to reach from nearly floor to ceiling, the hangings also served to mask doors and sometimes more soldiers or wizards. For all that it was designed to impress a visitor of the regal nature of the lord they faced, it was an unspoken design of power and diligence as well.
                  Lit by five, large, impressive chandeliers above them the room was easily rid of any darkness despite being an inner chamber with no outside walls. A small dais held a desk and a pair of chairs with only one occupied at this time.
                  The man sitting atop the dais looked up from the papers on his desk with a smile. “Ambassador Romonus, I believe?” questioned the man with dark brown hair which had begun to gray. As he rose to greet them, they noted that his clothing, while finer than most of the commoners, did little to change the look of a military man. With a polite smile, the lord of the castle gestured towards the small crowd and added, “The rest are your people, I would presume.”
                  With a little bow, the round Kardorian with his bald head revealed as he held his hat gestured to the young woman next to him saying, “My daughter, Helena, my Lord Dorwyn.” With a slight twist he introduced the wizards, “Deiclonus, wizard of the first order, his apprentices Wendle and Ashleen, and of course our savior, Falcon Trillon, who is one of yours, of course. We thank you for his timely assistance, Lord Dorwyn.”
                  The man raised his eyebrow in query. “It sounds like there is a bit of a story that I have not yet heard. Was there trouble north of the wall?”
                  Romonus nodded in return and answered for them all, “Our party was set upon by a force of were-things, wolves and the like. We were quite outnumbered and surrounded. I thought for sure we were doomed, when your battle mages arrived to the save the day just in time.
                  “I, for one, am greatly thankful to this young man,” he said patting Sebastian on the shoulder fondly. “I am on business from the capitol and my death would have meant great delays, not to mention my wife would have missed me greatly,” the man finished with a laugh. As ambassador, Sebastian figured it was the way of such men to make light and try to be charming to other lords and ladies.
                  Lord Dorwyn answered, “I am sure you would have been missed.” A light smile was upon his lips for the story though the feeling seemed to not quite work into his eyes due to the darker information of another Dark Emperor hunting party. The man’s eyes strayed to Sebastian briefly as he continued, “Our Falcon Trillon has had a habit of arriving just in time throughout his short career. I am glad he could arrange the stars so well once again.
                  “Well, if you have no true business with our little keep beyond that of a stay over, I offer you and yours my hospitality. Manweyn will see to your rooms. We have a fair amount of guest room here at the moment thanks to