The Bardic Academy (A Bard Without a Star, Book 3) Read Online Free Page A

and he stumbled into the light from the procession.
    The riders
pulled up sharply, and many yells came from the back ranks that could not see.
The warriors quickly surrounded Fidgen, spears leveled at his chest. Every
face reflected anger and shock, and several spear tips poked him hard enough to
hurt. He held very still, but he thought he could hear the Pooka’s laughter on
the wind.
    An older
warrior pushed through the ring and stopped short at the sight of Fidgen. “A
human!” he exclaimed. He drew his sword and placed it against Fidgen’s neck. “Tell
me why I shouldn't separate your filthy head from your body right now.”
    “Let him
go, Allód,” the King said, coming up from behind him. “Obviously the boy is
too scared to say anything with your sharp sword making it hard for him to even
swallow.”
    The
warriors raised their spears, and Allód reluctantly backed away. Queen
Fionnuala came up beside her husband and linked her arm in his. “Is this what
has interrupted us?”
    “It is, my
love,” Oengus said. “The question is, what should we do with him?”
    Thinking
quickly, Fidgen sank to his knees. “I would ask a boon of thee, my lord,” he
said, bowing his head.
    “And why
would I grant such a thing to a human?” Oengus asked. There was a touch of
amusement in his voice, but Fidgen knew that his life hung in the balance.
    “I ask out
of bonds of kinship,” Fidgen said.
    The company
went completely silent. Fidgen did not dare even glance up, but kept his eyes
on the grass just in front of the king’s boot. “And what kinship do you claim
with us?” Oengus asked.
    “I am of
the line of Don.”
    Fidgen
thought he heard the company sigh, and Oengus said, “We will not kill you out
of respect for this bond, but why would we do anything more?”
    Fidgen
said, “I have been learning the magic of the Cymry, and I seek your help. I
have already caused the death of my uncle and my cousin, and I do not wish any
more harm to befall those around me.”
    Fionnuala
said, “What is your name?”
    Fidgen
hesitated. “I have been commanded not to speak it for now.”
    “Who would
require such a thing?” she said.
    “Ogmah.”
    Oengus
tapped his toe. “You make it difficult to make a wise decision,” he said. “Ask
your boon, so that I might better judge its merits.”
    Fidgen
looked up. “Can you tell me why I can’t hear the winds?”
    The king
and queen shared a long look, and she nodded slightly. Oengus looked down at
Fidgen. “Your question both confirms some of our suspicions, and raises others.
So instead of simply granting the knowledge you seek, I will trade it for other
knowledge.”
    Fidgen
spread his hands. “Anything I can answer for you, I will.”
    “Very well,
then.” Oengus spread his hands over Fidgen’s head, and bowed his own. “You cannot
hear the wind because you have not bound them to you,” Oengus said. “I can
feel the remnants of some temporary bonds, most likely made by he who taught
you. Wait--there is one here. Did you ever seek out a wind without guidance?”
    Fidgen
thought back to the day when he found the high wind. “I did.”
    “Then you
should be able to hear that wind,” Oengus said. “As for the rest, you will
need to create your own bonds now that your unc--I mean, now that your teacher
is gone.”
    “Thank you,
majesty,” Fidgen said. “And now, what knowledge would you have of me?”
    “Want I
want to know,” Oengus said, “is how you found this place, and our procession.”
    “The Pooka
brought me here to see you,” Fidgen said.
    Fionnuala
clucked her tongue. “That one is due another lesson.”
    “Agreed, my
love,” Oengus said. “Perhaps our young friend here will deliver it.”
    “Me?”
Fidgen said. “I will feel blessed to live through this experience. Why would
I seek him out again?”
    “Because he
will be drawn to you until you give him a reason not to be,” Fionnuala said. “If
you don’t seek him, he will find