Read Online Color Mage (Book 1) by Anne Marie Lutz - Free Book Online

of pregnancy. She reassured the woman that her time was not yet, was offered hot tea and berry cakes, and left the house with a smile on her face.
    Kirian walked down the rocky strand with the sea breeze in her hair, noticing that the air had grown colder in the last week or so. The villagers were salting extra catches in preparation for the winter, and Marka had butchered a pig. The children who played tag between the gray houses wore cloaks. Ruthan had warned Kirian that she would not like the village so much after she had experienced a Seagard winter.
    As Kirian passed Marka’s house, a small boy ran up to her with an excited grin on his face.
    “Hon Kirian, come and see! There is a horse!”
    Kirian laughed. “Indeed, Cam! I know how you love horses. But whose horse could it be?”
    “A warrior came from the Castle to talk to Elder Hame. He left his horse tied to the line. Come with me, Hon Kirian!” Cam grabbed her hand and pulled her toward the Elder’s house.
    It was not just any carthorse that stood tied loosely to Hame’s clothesline. The mare was a beauty, with clean, delicate lines—a  nobleman’s mount. The mare turned her head to look at them as they approached. Cam was charmed.
    “Can I pat her, Hon Kirian?”
    “I don’t know, Cam—this mare may not want to be bothered, and it is not your horse . . .”
    Before she could finish her thought, the mare bobbed her head at Cam as though inviting him nearer. The boy approached and gently rubbed her chestnut neck.
    “I wish this was my horse,” Cam said.
    Running footsteps sounded behind them. There was a rattle of flung gravel, and a few of the small stones struck the mare. She startled and pulled at her tether.
    Cam drew back. “Hey!”
    Kirian turned, but the offender had hidden around the corner of another house. “Who is that? Is that you, young Peak?”
    There came another rattle of stones, thrown from the other corner of the house. Kirian saw a grinning face—Peak, one of the older boys known for his sometimes mean pranks. This time a stone struck the mare’s nose. She neighed and reared, twisting, and one of her hooves struck Cam’s shoulder, knocking him to the ground. Cam yelled in pain.
    Booted footsteps sounded on Elder Hame’s wooden walkway. A deep voice, vaguely familiar, said: “What’s going on here?”
    Kirian fell to her knees next to Cam. He clutched his left shoulder, blood leaking from between his fingers. His hand shook.
    The man went to his horse’s head. The mare was still shaken, her eyes showing white. “Calm down now, Miri, my sweet. Nothing threatens you.”
    Elder Hame stomped out onto his walkway. “I saw you, young Peak!” he roared at a figure fleeing down the beach. He came up behind Kirian. “Is he all right?”
    “Send someone for his mother, if you please, Elder Hame,” said Kirian. Cam was crying hysterically, trying to scramble farther away from the mare. “Stop now, little one. You must let me look at your shoulder. Your mother is on her way.”
    Cam paid her no attention. He shoved her hands away, sobbing.
    “Cam! Let me look, little one. I can help you.”
    Someone crouched down beside her. “Who is this? Cam, did you say? Cam, my mare did not mean to hurt you. She was frightened.” Kirian looked up to see Lord Callo, the amber-eyed lord from SeagardCastle. His voice was deep and calm. “Let the Healer see to your shoulder, and then you can come with me and meet Miri properly.”
    Cam’s teary eyes looked up. He stopped shaking. Gently, Kirian took his hand and moved it from the bleeding shoulder.
    “Good, that’s the trick,” Kirian said. “I think your Mama is coming, Cam—let’s show her you’re brave, shall we?”
    A small crowd approached, led by Cam’s anxious mother. Lord Callo went on talking, about nothing very much. His deep voice carried a soothing vibration Kirian could not identify. She felt calmer, listening to it. It held Cam still like a bug pinned to paper.
    Cam