Dead Magic Read Online Free Page A

Regular ?" Elsie smiled and gestured for them to be seated. "I've read several articles from that distinguished paper."
    "You have, my Lady?" Valeda's eyes widened in surprise, but she managed to take her seat beside Montgomery.
    "Yes, we Witch-Born do learn how to read, Miss Quinlan." Elsie continued to study the woman, who flushed a painfully bright pink under the scrutiny.
    "No, of course, my Lady. I only meant that . . . well, Tormey is so far away. I wouldn't have thought a person of your distinction would have the time to bother." Valeda bit her lower lip, glanced at Montgomery, then Dorian, and finally back to Elsie.
    Her mind mapped out Magnellum. Tormey House, she thought. Eastern Magnellum. She really didn't know much about the Tormey family. However, those lands were very popular with the Untalented and Elsie had a particular interest in its Universities.
    "I take an interest in all of Magnellum, Miss Quinlan," Elsie said. "Isn't that right, Ambassador?"
    "It would appear so," Taven said. He was too well-bred to squirm, but she had the distinct feeling that he wanted to. The attention of the table moved to him and Elsie spotted a bead of sweat rolling from his temple. The poor man was sweltering in that coat. If she asked him to, he would likely take the thing off, regardless of the social faux pas that would make. One did not dress down in the company of a Witch.
    Elsie felt a wave of humid air pass over her and glanced at the garden. Strong purple and pink hues overwhelmed the greenery in the space, still keeping the jungle feel with the hibiscuses in constant bloom. There was only one bush that looked awkward in the bunch, set nearest to the gondola and small by comparison; a rose bush. Her mother had determined to have one many years ago, but it was Brochan Delgora-Fie, Elsie's father, who had managed to bring a potted rose into the tropics.
    Leona kept the thing alive, mostly by her gentle willpower, or so Elsie thought. For years it had been a symbol of pain for Elsie; a dark reminder that the ambitions of men could end in murder. Her heart ached for her parents and she took a deep breath.
    "Tell us, Ambassador, what news my stepmother sends." Dorian slouched in his chair.
    "Lady Orzebet wishes to meet with you both at Winter Tournament." Taven remained poised but sweating, inclining his head just-so as he made the request.
    "We were not intending on going to Winter Tournament," Dorian said, glancing at Elsie.
    Elsie's mind went to the ark. Seven long years of construction and they were nearly done. There was an ominous growling in the back of her mind, a warning that they might not be done in time. That she would fail all of them, that she had somehow misinterpreted Magic's guidance, but even as she contended these thoughts, there was a greater fear. The ark was a colossal, sprawling, floatable dome of brass and iron, built to house many people and withstand any assault; and the Fates only knew why she'd had to build it. Magic only told her so much, shedding light only when it pleased him. She wasn't certain if he was just capricious or if he was hiding something from her.
    Maybe she really was going crazy.
    ***
    On a scale of one to ten, with ten being the most bizarre, Valeda decided that House Witch Delgora qualified for an eleven. She was beautiful, make no mistake, with the richest, blackest, shiniest hair Valeda had ever laid eyes on, and exotically curved features offset by lush eyelashes, perfectly arched eyebrows and a full mouth that seemed always to be half-smiling. But there was something preoccupied in the steady, umber gaze the woman sent her, something that made Valeda nervous.
    Rumor had it that Elsie spent time as a Bedim Assassin prior to her ascension to House Witch. The league of assassins that plagued Magnellum for so long had suddenly disappeared from society-again, some eight years ago, around the time that Magic, the man-god, had last been seen. No one could say how or why they had