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

When Kirian came in, the old woman grinned at her, showing yellowed teeth. “You are letting that lordling get to you, young Kirian—I can see it.”
    Kirian laughed. “I suppose so. He is very handsome.”
    “And a righ , remember that. Oh, by all means indulge your eye—you’re young, after all. But never forget who they spring from, the righ, and what they care about. It’s not us; that’s certain.”
    Kirian unwrapped her cloak. Her face stung as her chilled skin began to warm in the heat of Ruthan’s crackling fire. “You sound like someone I knew at College. He cursed all nobles.”
    “I have reason. Look, do you see Gru on the docks sometimes, doing naught much of anything?”
    Kirian nodded. Gru was a man of middle years whom she guessed had once been able and energetic. Now the man spent all day sitting on the docks, in the sun or hooded and cloaked in the wind, sometimes drinking, sometimes just dreaming. His face was weathered, but there were remnants of beauty there. He was married with two children, yet Kirian noticed that his wife and children mostly ignored him.
    “Lord Alkiran punished Gru for interfering between himself and Gru’s wife.”
    “Gru’s wife? I thought the righ were forbidden to father half-breed children?” That made her think of Lord Callo, and she frowned. Perhaps he was a different case, due to his rank. It seemed unfair.
    “Sure, they are forbidden to father children on a commoner. That does not mean they can’t take their pleasure where they will. Gru’s wife was young and very lovely, and Mikati saw her once—gods know where; it’s not like he spends time down here with us fisherfolk. Gru raged and cried to me, but said not a word to Alkiran. Afraid for his life, he was. I gave her herbs, but they did not work. When she quickened, and then bore the child to term and it was his . . .”
    Kirian was riveted, sitting on the floor at Ruthan’s feet. “How did they know it was Lord Alkiran’s?”
    “I knew. My eyes could tell. But it mattered not. If Alkiran had been unsure, he would have acted the same.”
    “What did he do?”
    “Sent his men to take the babe as soon as it was born. Gru tried to hide it, but he was no match for warriors. They stole the babe and left Gru and his wife screaming for it.”
    “What—what did he do with the child?”
    “He slew it. Himself, with his own sword, and ordered the guards to set the body out on the rocks for Jashan.”
    “By the Unknown God! How could he?”
    “We’re not human to him, you see. Only the righ are human. And when Gru came raging up the mountain with a fishing knife in his hand, Lord Alkiran used his color magery on the man, and Gru came back confused. He’s never been the same.”
    “I wonder he didn’t kill him.”
    Ruthan cackled. “That was his idea of mercy, to leave the man alive but so empty-minded he sits in the weather and leaves his family to be fed by his brother.”
    * * * * *
    Ruthan confirmed that Cam’s shoulder was not broken, but scolded Kirian for growing to depend too much on Ruthan’s sight. Kirian sent Cam away, the boy skipping and babbling some song as he headed for the cliff path to see Miri in the Alkiran stables.
    Later that week, Kirian made a point of stopping along the docks where Gru sat in the sun. The man was wrapped in cloak and blanket against the chill sea wind. His hood was drawn down over his eyes. He stared out to sea even though the sun on the waves was so bright Kirian could stand it for only a few seconds. But Gru looked, and did not waver. Perhaps it was not as bright as the color magery that had stolen his wits. After a few moments he looked up at her, his eyes in his once-handsome face now blank and incurious. She asked him if he needed anything, and he did not respond; instead, he just stared at her with the same lack of intensity he had given to the ocean. She waited a while, then wished him well and left him. She knew no healing that could help a man whose