The Dragon Society (Obsidian Chronicles Book 2) Read Online Free Page A

Black said.
    Arlian nodded. He should have expected as much, he told himself; Black was always prepared. A man of great foresight; Arlian knew he had been very lucky to stumble into such a companion, and even luckier that Black had stayed with him for so long.
    Oh, he paid Black a generous salary, and Black was moderately susceptible to the superhuman charisma of anyone possessing the heart of the dragon, but there was no question that Black had the willpower and common sense to leave if he chose.
    That he did not so choose flattered Arlian immensely. He wondered sometimes whether he deserved such an honor.
    "I think the postern would be appropriate," Black suggested, breaking into Arlian's thoughts. "Given the hour."
    "Of course," Arlian agreed—though if he had been driving in his current weary state he would have taken the wagon directly to the front gate without thinking about it.
    Black clucked and pulled at the reins, and the oxen turned in to the alley, bound for the kitchen entrance.
    A moment later the wagon creaked to a stop, and Black leapt to the ground. "You wake the others," he said. "I'll unlock the doors and see if there's a fire."
    Arlian, who had been poised to jump down after his steward, caught himself. "Of course," he said. He turned and ducked down into the body of the wagon, dodging the arrow that still stood in the floorboards.
    The Arithean magicians were curled up on one side, Lady Rime on the other; at the back, sleeping on cushions atop the luggage, were Cricket and Brook.
    There was no sense in waking the younger women until someone was available to carry them; Arlian turned to the magicians, Thirif and Shibiel, first. He shook Thirif's shoulder gently. The Arithean stirred and sat up, then awakened his companion while Arlian turned his attention to Lady Rime. Rime came awake instantly and stared up at him.
    "We're at the Old Palace," he told her. "You're welcome to stay as long as you like, or we can take you to your own home once we have the others safely inside."
    Rime shot a glance at the sleeping women, and another at the magicians. "I'll stay here tonight," she said.
    "It's almost dawn," Arlian said.
    "Then I'll stay the morning," Rime replied. She twisted around, pulled her wooden leg from the corner where she had secured it, and set about strapping it onto the stump of her left leg.
    "Good," Arlian said. He turned toward the others, and found Cricket already stirring, her sleep disturbed by their voices.
    A moment later Black returned to announce that the postern was open, the kitchen fire burning, and the staff alerted. "Will you want breakfast, my lord?" he asked.
    Arlian blinked at him.
    "I want sleep," he said. "Have my bed readied, and places found for all of us. Anything else can wait."
    "As you will, my lord," Black said.
    Arlian stared at him for a moment. Black had slipped easily back into his formal role as steward after months of casual equality on the road; Arlian, in his exhausted condition, could not make the adjustment so readily. "Let us fetch the women," he said, gesturing toward Cricket and Brook.
    Black nodded.
    Everyone was awake now, and the Aritheans lent a hand in getting Brook and Cricket down from their perch and out of the wagon.
    Brook stared at the arrow, but said nothing. The others seemed not to notice it. Arlian suspected that Rime had been awake for at least a portion of their encounter with Drisheen's assassin, and had already seen it.
    "We're really here?" Cricket asked sleepily, as Black lifted her and started for the postern. "I'll really see Lily and Kitten and Hasty and Musk?"
    "You really will," Black assured her.
    She smiled happily. "That's wonderful! What else could I ask for?"
    "Feet," Brook said grumpily as Arlian hoisted her in his arms, the stumps of her ankles waving in the air.
    And on that note, Lord Obsidian re-entered his home.

    Arlian came awake with the odd impression that he had coughed. His throat felt entirely fine, however. He