Dragonborn Read Online Free Page A

ordinary death. Watch and learn.”
    Starback kept close to his friend while the rites were performed. Sam didn’t look at him. He kept his gaze on the face of the man who had raised him for nine years and given him the only home he had ever known, and who now lay dead.
    â€œNow,” said Eloise. “It is the boy’s turn.”
    Sam looked at her and, for the first time, his eyes took in the rest of the room. It had filled. Silently, slowly, one after another, more and more people had entered. Over thirty stood there now. All turned to look at him. There were women there, but most of them were men, and, Sam knew, all wizards. He had no idea there were so many in the whole world.
    â€œWhat?” he said.
    â€œSandage was his first apprentice, and has performed the preparation. You were his last apprentice,” said Eloise. “You must give me the elements to finish this.” She seemed changed by the ritual she had performed, but Sam was used to that. He had seen it many times with Flaxfield. It wasn’t that anything actually changed, but they looked different. The first thing Sam had noticed about Eloise was that she was beautiful. He had seen very many strangers since coming to live with Flaxfield, but not many of them were women; he had no idea what beauty was in a woman, yet the first sight of Eloise was enough to tell him that she was. It reminded Sam of a day when he had been sitting with Starback, looking over the steep hill and the tumbling river that ran down eastward through the forest before changing its mind and doublingback to run past the bottom of the meadow behind the house. The light of the angled sun on the slopes and water seemed to the boy to be the most beautiful thing in the world. And then, without warning, a high, huge cloud slipped over the sun and, in a breath, everything was changed. The shadow changed the beauty, made it more, disclosed depths and mysteries. It was like that after magic. There was always more. Flaxfield had seemed more wise, more stern, more old. Eloise, the words completed, was more beautiful, and, suddenly, frightening.
    â€œI don’t know what to do,” said Sam. “You do it.”
    â€œI do not know how to,” she said. “Only the last apprentice knows how. He has taught you.”
    â€œHe didn’t. Truly he didn’t.”
    â€œThen you are no apprentice,” said Axestone coldly. “You have lied to us.”
    There was a tension in the room as thick as smoke and as hard to breathe. He could feel everyone waiting to see if it was true.
    Sam wanted to cry. He
knew,
he just
knew
that Flaxfield had never taught him this. How could he forget? He hated Axestone for humiliating him, and he hated Flaxfield for not teaching him.
    Starback nudged his legs. Sam was so upset that even this was not welcome, though he knew the creature was trying to be kind. He put his hand down to push him away, but Starback grabbed it in his mouth and pulled him away, toward the dresser. He nosed against a small door. Sam opened it. He took out a loaf of bread, some figs, a small bottle of cordial, and a bag of silver coins. Theyhad been put there recently, because the bread was fresh, and there was nothing else in the small cupboard. His hands were not steady. He carried the items carefully to Flaxfield and placed them inside the wicker basket, as close to Flaxfield’s hands as he could. Then, he stopped and looked at the still face. “You have done all things well,” he said, quietly. “Go where you must.” Then, he leaned forward and kissed the cold, dry cheek.
    The room made a small, comfortable sound, of breaths that had been held being released.
    Sam looked around to see if it was right. Axestone nodded, and almost smiled.
    â€œThat’s no good!”
    â€œAh, Caleb,” said Axestone, looking at the one who had spoken. “You have arrived at last. That leaves only Waterburn still