Shadow Magic Read Online Free Page A

would expect to find in a medieval castle when I revised than I did ten years earlier…
    “I suppose Alethia has already told you what I wanted to talk to you about,” Bracor said when they were all seated inside.
    Once they were all seated, Bracor looked at Har and said, “As Alethia has already guessed, I want to talk to you about the Lithmern.”
    “Well, she did say something about Lithmern raids,” Har said, glancing at his sister. “But I don’t see the point; they’ve practically stopped.”
    “I don’t see the point,” Har said. “The border has been quiet for months.”
    “The Conclave of First Lords feels the same way, I’m afraid,” the Lord of Brenn replied tiredly. “But open raids are not the only thing to fear from the Lithmern.”
    Har looked puzzled , then frowned suddenly. “ Open raids? Are you saying you think they’ve been raiding secretly?”
    Bracor continued. “Do you know that the Lithmern now control, either by outright conquest or by more subtle means, most of the countries to the north and west of Alkyra? They are far stronger than you may think.”
    “Then why aren’t they raiding more instead of less?” Har said stubbornly. “If they thought they could get away with it, the Lithmern would be attacking every caravan that takes the northern trails!”
    “Not every one,” his father said. “Only a few that they can loot completely. “It’s not speculation,” Bracor said. “I’ll wager your Trader friend knows what I’m referring to.” I mean.” Maurin looked at Bracor in surprise as Har and Alethia turned their heads.
    Maurin looked at Bracor with surprise and respect. “You must have excellent sources to have uncovered that, my Lord,” Maurin said with new respect.
    Har made a frustrated gesture. “What are you talking about?”
    “Three caravans have disappeared completely in the past six months,” Maurin said.
    “Disappeared?” Har asked skeptically. “How can fifteen or more wagons and sixty men just vanish?”
    Maurin shrugged. They are certainly gone. No trace of men, horses, goods, or wagons has been found, not even the Traders’ family gear. And all of them were passing near Lithra. “If we knew that, we might be able to stop it. But the only information we have is that all three caravans were traveling near Lithra. At least, that’s where we think they were.”
    “You don’t know?” “You aren’t sure?” Alethia asked.
    “Caravan masters can be very secretive about routes and destinations , especially if they think someone else wants to cut in on their profits.” Maurin explained.
    “But how could the Lithmern do it?” Har puzzled. “And why would they take everything that way?”
    “How, I do not know,” Bracor said. “Why, I can guess. “The Lithmern have never made any secret of their raiding before,” Har said, his frown deepening. “They must have something new to hide.”
    Har’s dialogue changes quite a bit. He’s supposed to be smart, and he’s been educated to be heir to Brenn, so rather than asking blatantly obvious questions in this conversation, I tried to make him a little smarter.
    “I believe they wish to keep us in doubt of their numbers and their intentions ,” Bracor said.
    “Are you sure it’s not more than that?” Har said.
    “Need they have more reason? Until now they have been afraid of Alkyra; they remember their defeat at Eirith too clearly to take chances with us. Now I think their fear is passing; they have been preparing carefully for years, growing stronger while we bickered among ourselves . But I think their fear is passing at last.”
    Alethia stared at her father. “ Then you You think the Lithmern are planning to attack Alkyra!” Alethia said. she blurted.
    “I do,” her father replied. “I have tried to tell the Conclave that, but they will not listen .”
    “Your Regent—” Maurin began, but Bracor was already shaking his head.
    “The , and the Regent has too little power to