Spirit's Oath Read Online Free

Lyonette?”
    Miranda looked up to see a man standing just a few feet away. He was dressed far too nicely to be a servant, but he didn’t have that effortless snobbery of a noble. He was tall but not handsome, though not ugly either. He mostly looked put-upon and bored, like he’d rather be doing anything else besides standing here, though he did manage a smile at her.
    “Miranda!” Her mother cried as she came out next. “Where are your manners?”
    “I have no idea,” Miranda muttered, looking back at the man. “Who are you, sir?”
    Her mother gasped a little, but the man didn’t seem fazed at all. “Martin Hapter,” he said, putting out his hand.
    Miranda shook it with wary curiosity. It was customary for a host to greet his guests, but they usually did it inside, not by coming out and stalking the carriages. Still, he’d done nothing to upset her yet, unlike her family, so there was no reason to be rude.
    “Thank you for the invitation, Mr. Hapter,” she said, shaking his hand firmly. “I am Spiritualist Miranda Lyonette of the Spirit Court.”
    His eyebrows shot up. “Spiritualist?”
    Miranda smirked. Her parents must have neglected to mention that tidbit. Her mother was certainly turning a nice, splotchy shade of pink.
    “Miranda is a wizard, sir,” she said at last, moving to stand beside her daughter. “Knowing nothing of wizardry, we thought it best to let the Spiritualists teach her.”
    “Teaching doesn’t mean taking oaths,” Martin said, looking Miranda up and down. “You’re sworn, then?”
    “I am,” Miranda said, holding out her gold ring so he could see.
    Martin didn’t even look, but his polite smile fell to a distracted frown, like he was doing math in his head. “I suppose it makes no difference,” he said at last. “Why don’t you come inside?”
    Their carriage was blocking the way, so the whole Lyonette family piled out and followed their host into his enormous house. A head of the family and the highest ranking noble, Lord Simon should have walked first, but Martin led the way, and Miranda walked beside him when her mother wouldn’t let her walk anywhere else. Miranda didn’t pay much attention to that after the initial shock, though. She was too busy gaping at the house.
    It really was like a palace. Every inch of it was a work of art. Antiques and collectibles from all over the world were arranged to their best advantage throughout the rooms. The lamps hung from enormous rings of antlers cut from animals she’d never seen before. The paintings on the walls were from a broad variety of styles and schools, and the floor alternated between polished stone and some kind of yellow wood she didn’t recognize. Every room was painted a different color, and through the windows Miranda could see a garden filled with plants she couldn’t even name.
    “Your house is very impressive,” she said after they’d walked through the third room that would have been at home in a king’s treasury.
    “Thank you,” Martin said. “Our company deals mostly in metals and timber, both of which have been booming since the Council lifted the tariffs. We have offices all over, and most of my year is spent traveling among them. I try to bring things back from wherever I visit, but since I’m gone so often, this house is more of a museum than anything else.”
    “You’re in trade?” Miranda regretted the words the moment they were out of her mouth. She sounded as snobby as Alyssa, but she just couldn’t believe her parents would go to a party thrown by a tradesman. Her mother didn’t even answer letters from anyone who couldn’t prove at least three generations of noble blood.
    “Yes,” Martin said, glancing at her. “Does that bother you?”
    “No,” Miranda said. “I think it’s very impressive.” Always nice to find someone with money who’d actually earned it. Nice, and rare, though getting less rare as the Council’s influence grew.
    Martin left them in the ballroom,