Silver Dragon Codex Read Online Free

kind of you,” Mysos murmured satirically.
    “… Offered her a warm bed, a safe haven. In return, she worked for the circus. First she performed odd jobs, but it became quickly clear that she had a great talent. Thanks to her, and the rest of my fine performers, our circus has gone from obscurity to … to … renowned!” Worver tugged at his coat nervously. “I don’t know if you saw her perform, my lord wizard, but Belen is an exceptional dancer, one of the best I’ve ever seen. She’s made the circus a great deal of money. She’s been sweet, gentle … honest …” Worver fumbled for words.
    Mysos was impatient. “And you never once asked where she came from?”
    Stiffening, Worver snapped, “We’re a circus, not a magistrate. A lot of people here have questionable pasts. More than a few of them are running from something. I don’t ask questions.”
    “Then I’m sure you won’t mind if I do.” Mysos turned away from the ringmaster, evoking another hiss from Tsusu.The White Robe addressed Belen sharply. “Belen, do you deny that you are a dragon?”
    “Don’t ask me—I don’t remember!” Belen answered. “The ringmaster is correct. I have no memory beyond when I first saw the circus. My first memory is of seeing circus tents through the trees and making my way toward them. I was wandering in the forest, wearing nothing but rags. I was hurt—my legs and arms were cut, torn by forest brush, we think. I know that I was upset, but I don’t remember why. There’s nothing before that.” Belen was standing firmly on widespread feet, but her legs were shaking and her hand still gripped Jace’s arm. She opened her mouth again to say more, but her voice failed, and she fell quiet, eyes blazing.
    Jace couldn’t stand to see his friend so shaken. “Sir wizard,” he addressed the mage. “What proof do you have that Belen is responsible?” Mysos seemed to realize that Jace was in the room for the first time, taking in the boy’s brightly colored tights and wind-rumpled hair with a quick assessment. “She’s my friend, and she’s always been kind—to me, and to the people of the circus. We can’t just let her go with you unless we’re sure you speak the truth.”
    When the wizard spoke, his voice was somewhat kinder. “You’re the tightrope walker, Jace Pettier, aren’t you?” Jace nodded, surprised that the wizard knew hisname. “I was a fan of your father’s when I was a child. His death was a very great tragedy, son. You have my sympathies.” Jace blinked at the unexpected kindness, surprised to see a bit of humanity beneath the White Robe’s stony demeanor.
    “My spell used these to track the dragon.” Mysos reached into a pouch at his side, drawing forth three shining objects that Jace thought at first were silver coins. Mysos placed them in Jace’s hands. They were lighter than money—thin and supple, with the texture and resilience of leather, not metal. “These are dragon scales. They were collected at the village, and they belonged to the silver dragon that attacked Angvale. I took them from the ruins of the buildings that were destroyed, where the dragon had scraped herself on the rubble. On that day, five years ago, I cast a spell on these scales to help me find the dragon, but she had passed beyond the scope of my magic. A few days ago, the tracking spell began to work again. Watch.”
    The wizard moved one hand through the air above the scales, and a soft white light emanated from them. A pale, greenish smoke rose from the three silver crescents, hovering in the air before drifting directly toward Belen. Jace stepped back and forth, holding the scales in his palm. No matter where he moved them, the smoke continued to drift toward the young woman. “They began to smoke whenshe re-entered Solamnia,” Mysos explained. “I simply followed the direction of the magical compass until I arrived here. While she was performing, I walked around the edge of the stage. I’m quite