Silver May Tarnish Read Online Free Page A

muscles to move smoothly and without tiring. Do this even when you are weary. A fighter must not let his body rule him. He must rule his body.” I knew that. It was something my father and Berond had often said.
    â€œI will see you here in the exercise yard at this time every fifth day unless there is other work I must be doing. Between-times, let you hunt and practice what I shall show you. Hunt well, boy.” He looked down thoughtfully, his eyes assessing me.
    â€œYour father was a good fighter. Your brother Merrion looked likely to be so as well. But you have the fighter’s eye and greater speed. I think you have it in you to best them both.” Before I could reply he had walked away, leaving with me the weapons he had brought me to try. I gathered
them up. They were good arms, the sling well made. The bow and arrows and the sword I believed likely to have belonged to one of the lord’s sons when they were younger. I would use them well, as Faslane had said.
    Use them I did. At first I stayed close enough to Hold walls until I knew the land. Then I roamed out further afield. At first I brought back rabbits, the occasional hillhare, and a few times I brought back fine plump birds. The cook became my friend, always eager to see with what prey I had returned.
    Faslane had been right. The game I found helped feed us all but some there were who laughed, saying it was fit work for a child. Hogeth was not the slowest of those who mocked my hunting. Once, when I was lucky in the hunt, I returned with three pheasants. The cook made of them a fantasy, setting them at the high table as if they crouched in cover from a dog, the undergrowth being made from pastry and the pheasants roasted with their feathers carefully replaced. The dog was pastry also and colored to look like a hound.
    It was at a time when meat was scarce and we had visitors on behalf of two of the other Keep lords. I think the cook had feared lest his master’s table look poor before them. So he did his best with what he had, but was mightily happy when I returned from my hunting bearing the birds in triumph. It may be that his master, too, had feared a poor table, since Lord Hogar came later to the kitchens to speak to the cook while I was there.
    â€œThat was well done, Leerin. But whence came the birds, I knew not any were left nearby?”
    The cook bowed. “Lord, this lad brings much game to the kitchens, saying it is his kin-duty to do as he can, being not yet old enough to ride as a fighter. Instead often he rides deep into the hills and it is rare for him to return to my kitchen empty-handed.” He spoke thus as a friend and wishing his Lord know I did my duty.

    â€œWho are you, boy?” I stood forward at that and spoke clearly.
    â€œLorcan of Erondale, Lord Hogar. Keep’s Heir, son of Joros, and kin of that branch of your House.”
    From the lord’s side where he lounged I heard Hogeth snort. “A cock crows loud on his own dunghill, let him crow quieter on another’s. Erondale is gone.” Lord Hogar was a hard man, as I knew, but that day he showed also that he was fair, for he turned to look at Hogeth and his face was grim.
    â€œThe boy is kin and does his duty as custom demands. I see nothing in that at which a man might sneer. Let you be silent, my son, until your lord bids you speak.” Aye, he was fair was Lord Hogar, but I saw Hogeth’s eyes on me and knew he had made me an enemy.
    Now and again Berond was at the keep. The war had slowed. Men had found swiftly enough that the invader machines were not indestructible. But the invaders poured in from the coast and those defenders who could fight were hard-pressed.
    Berond was often leading one of the Paltendale scouting parties in the hills near the coast. Sometimes it was many weeks before he returned to call for me. Each time I listened eagerly to all he could tell. He had struck up a friendship with Faslane, too, so that I think