Dreamwielder Read Online Free Page A

physician, not by anyone.​
    Taera was sitting on her bed with the lamp at her nightstand still burning brightly when Caile knocked at her chamber door.
    â€œStill awake at this hour, Brother?” she asked as she ushered him in.
    â€œI was worried you’d be the one asleep.”
    â€œSo I could go back to my visions?”
    â€œI’m sorry, I didn’t mean to…”
    She smiled for him. “It’s not your fault. The visions are my concern.”
    Caile snapped out of his reverie and grabbed her in a nervous embrace. “No, it’s all of our concern. That’s why I’ve come to say goodbye.”
    She hugged him, then pushed him away, not unkindly, and straightened the leather jerkin he wore. “Goodbye? Is Father sending me off so soon then?”
    â€œNo, you’re staying. I’m going to Col Sargoth in your stead.”
    â€œBut how—”
    â€œPlease don’t argue with me,” he interrupted her. “I’ve convinced Father that it is best this way. I’m leaving now before he changes his mind.”
    â€œBut you’ve not yet slept and you’ve been on the road already for weeks, and today, the firewielder…”
    â€œDon’t worry, I’ve learned to sleep in the saddle,” he said with a grin. “Besides, I’ll be safe in Col Sargoth—I’m no danger to the Emperor. Your job is the more difficult one.”
    â€œOh?”
    â€œYou have to pretend to be deathly ill. And you need to get Father back. Remind him that he’s the king.”
    Taera closed her eyes. “Be easy on him, Caile. He’s weary. He must choose his battles with the Emperor. It’s not easy.”
    â€œA king hasn’t time for weariness. That’s what he always used to tell us.”
    â€œI know.”
    â€œRemind him. Make Pyrthinia ready. I mean to find out what happened to Cargan. I don’t know what will come of it, but it may be trouble.”
    Taera could only nod in agreement. As scared as she was for her brother, she knew it was pointless to try and stop him, for she had already foreseen him in Col Sargoth in her dream visions. Her own path lay in another direction. A ship. A cavern of ice. A beautiful girl. Whatever end fate awaited each of them, she could not say, but their paths were clearly set out for them in her mind. She kissed Caile on the forehead.
    â€œBe careful, Brother.”
    â€œCareful is the way of old men. I’ll stay alive. You do the same, and be wary of having too many visions—the houndkeeper here can sense magic as well as the ones in Col Sargoth and Sol Valaróz.”

4
A New Moon Rises
    From the rooftop, Makarria could see far beyond where Spearpoint Rock jutted out from the turbulent waters and off into the horizon where the Esterian Ocean and gray sky melded into an imperceptible border. Somewhere beyond the horizon, farther to the south, were the East Islands, and beyond that Makarria could only imagine. Maybe another land where the sun shone every day and a girl could run in the grass and wear a proper dress without having to worry about it being ruined by never-ending ocean squalls. Makarria smiled at the thought of actually being free of the salty air for once. She did love the ocean, especially when sailing with her grandfather, but she would love it a lot more, she decided, if she didn’t have to live right next to it.
    â€œMakarria!” her father hollered from where he lay sprawled out a few feet away from her. “Thatch!”
    â€œSorry,” Makarria said, handing him one of the long palm fronds she’d set down on the roof beside her feet. Galen took it from her and threaded it into a gap in the roof where a frond had blown free the night before.
    â€œYou’re not much help to me up here just staring off into the distance,” he said when he was done. “Why don’t you go see if your grandfather needs