Shadowforged (Light & Shadow) Read Online Free Page A

usual impassive expression. “You know, I doubt that you can do it. I don’t think you can hold him that way, for that long.” He smiled, and I saw that he was using the same ploy, setting her off balance. He let his smile stretch, then waved his hand and his eyes hardened. “But there are more important matters. How do I know you are not trying to play me for a fool, Miriel?”
    “I would not dare.” Miriel ignored his slight to her abilities. Her voice was muted with real fear. “If you wanted, you could have executed me. I am your ward, it is the law. And I have learned now that I cannot deceive you. You can know that I am not trying, for I cannot risk your displeasure, my Lord uncle. And…” She closed her eyes. “I have learned my lesson.”
    “It will not take another lesson?” His voice was wintry.
    “My Lord uncle, I only barely survived this one. This is the court. I cannot afford to make mistakes.”
    “Sufficient.” He walked over to her and tilted her chin up with his fingers. “You will obey me, Miriel. I will expect it.” I did not like the sound of his voice when he won, and I knew without looking that Miriel disliked it as well. The surprise was Temar; ahead of me, his face had gone as blank as I had ever seen it. There was something here that he did not like, and it was not mistrust of Miriel. I filed that away.
    “Be aware, however, that I will not be made a fool of. I will be watching you, and watching the King. I have ways of learning what you do, learning what you say, learning what you think. If you play me false, I will know, and I will make you beg for me to kill you to put an end to your pain.”
    “I will not play you false,” Miriel said, a quaver in her voice. “I swear it.” Gone were the days of her clever turns of phrase, her prevarications. She had made her choice of course, and she lied without hesitation.
    “Good.” The Duke released her. “Now. News from Ismir.” He strolled over to the table and took a seat. He looked for a moment at the refreshments. “Wine?” It had been his intention to make Miriel serve him, but she was not to be trapped in that way. Her pride had a breaking point.
    “Catwin,” she said simply, and so I went to the table and poured a glass of wine for the Duke, and handed it to him. Miriel watched him as he took a sip, her face unreadable.
    “The King, no doubt bereft in the loss of your steadying influence—“ he looked at her coldly “—has been less…welcoming…to the Ismiri envoy. Tempers are fraying. He reminds the envoy daily that House Warden will not take accusations of murder lightly.”
    “What do you want me to do?” Miriel asked, no hint of insolence in her voice, and the Duke took another sip of wine.
    “I want to have this out,” he said. “Kill them all, break their army on the mountains, and take their capital. But the King will never do that. He does not have the stomach for it. So. I want you to remind him of his dignity. Remind him that he must not tolerate such statements. Remind him that Dusan should silence Kasimir’s accusations. And tell him, for the Gods’ sake, to mind Kasimir’s threats to invade.” He drummed his fingers along the side of his glass. “If anyone else asks you, you will be shocked and hurt that anyone should accuse the King of such an act. Look foolish if you must: play the young girl in the first flush of love. The King is your idol, he can do no wrong in your eyes.” Miriel considered, and then nodded.
    “Anything else?”
    “The rebellion.” His eyes narrowed. “It’s quiet, but not gone. They’re waiting for something. The King must not be persuaded to let Jacces go, just because the violence has died away. He will turn the southern lords against him; they want vengeance.”
    “Indeed.” Miriel did not betray, for a moment, that she would help the rebellion when she was Queen. She had made her choice: for now, the rebellion must wait. She considered. “And if she talks