Read Online Guardians of the Keep: Book Two of the Bridge of D'Arnath by Carol Berg - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Carol Berg
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homeless thirteen-year-old since our
adventures of the summer. Rowan, Paulo, and Kellea, an untrained young sorceress from Valleor, had
become valuable, if unexpected, allies, as I helped the mysterious Prince of Avonar evade pursuit and
accomplish his mission in our world.
“Is anything wrong?”
“Nope. Just checking on things. Not heard from you in a while. Sheriff thought you might want one of
us about to take letters or help out or whatever. Easiest if it was me.”
“I’ve just been a bit busy. I’ll write a letter to send back, but before you go, I want to hear all the
news from Dunfarrie.”
Paulo’s brown hand twisted the tail of his tunic, and his eyes roamed everywhere in the room except
my face. “Course, I don’t need to go back. You got horses here need a good hand.”
“I’d be delighted to have you here, but don’t you think the sheriff would worry?”
“Time I was getting me a job. Don’t want to be a burden. He and Kellea are . . . well, you know.
Don’t need me about all the time.”
I knew that the courageous sheriff, bound by his office to hunt down sorcerers and burn them, had
lost his heart to a talented, short-tempered young woman who was probably the last living Dar’Nethi
sorcerer born in the Four Realms. But I also knew that neither of them begrudged Paulo a home. “It’s
not that Graeme’s making you work at your lessons?”
It wasn’t easy to make Paulo blush, but a spring radish would have paled in comparison. “Horses
don’t care if a man can read.”
“I’ll give you a job in the stables. Allard needs the help. But later this winter, we might have to work
on your schooling a bit.”
I returned Paulo to Allard, who was waiting in the kitchen, and I said I could find no fault with the boy
except that he needed a bath even more than he needed a meal. Paulo scowled and followed the old man
back to the stables.
Paulo and I seldom had occasion to speak. But as I made my rounds of the estate with Giorge or
rode out for pleasure, I saw him limping about the place. He always grinned before he ducked his head
and touched his brow. Allard swore that Paulo had been born in a stable, perhaps of equine parentage.
Soon I couldn’t go into the yard without seeing the two of them, heads together.
I never told anyone that I had known Paulo in my former life, though I could not have explained why.
I was certainly not ashamed of him. He was a good and talented boy who had been my companion in
adventure, brave and steady in circumstances that would daunt many grown men. It just felt good to have
a private friend.
Seille came, the midwinter season when we observed the longest night of the year and the ten days
until the new year. Seille and Long Night were celebrations bound up with the legend of a wounded god
brought from despair by the generous offering of food, entertainment, and gifts from the poorest of his
subjects. I found the truths of sorcery, two worlds, and the magical Bridge that somehow linked them
and kept them in balance more fascinating than any Long Night myth. But I had always loved the
trappings of Seille: gifts bound with silk ribbons, storytelling, pageants, pastries, evergreen boughs, hot
cider fragrant with cinnamon and cloves, and splurging with hundreds of scented candles to brighten the
cold, dark nights.
With the holidays came the first evidence of real progress with my nephew. I was surprised and
pleased to find Gerick in Philomena’s room when I went to her for our nightly hour on the Feast of Long
Night. It had seemed a bleak holiday having no family gathering to parallel the festivity in the servants’
hall, so I had asked the maids to garland Philomena’s mantel with evergreen, ordered a special supper
for the duchess, and invited Gerick to join us. Though matters between the boy and me had been more
detached than hostile of late, I had never expected him to come. But he was dressed in a fine suit and
had already
adventures of the summer. Rowan, Paulo, and Kellea, an untrained young sorceress from Valleor, had
become valuable, if unexpected, allies, as I helped the mysterious Prince of Avonar evade pursuit and
accomplish his mission in our world.
“Is anything wrong?”
“Nope. Just checking on things. Not heard from you in a while. Sheriff thought you might want one of
us about to take letters or help out or whatever. Easiest if it was me.”
“I’ve just been a bit busy. I’ll write a letter to send back, but before you go, I want to hear all the
news from Dunfarrie.”
Paulo’s brown hand twisted the tail of his tunic, and his eyes roamed everywhere in the room except
my face. “Course, I don’t need to go back. You got horses here need a good hand.”
“I’d be delighted to have you here, but don’t you think the sheriff would worry?”
“Time I was getting me a job. Don’t want to be a burden. He and Kellea are . . . well, you know.
Don’t need me about all the time.”
I knew that the courageous sheriff, bound by his office to hunt down sorcerers and burn them, had
lost his heart to a talented, short-tempered young woman who was probably the last living Dar’Nethi
sorcerer born in the Four Realms. But I also knew that neither of them begrudged Paulo a home. “It’s
not that Graeme’s making you work at your lessons?”
It wasn’t easy to make Paulo blush, but a spring radish would have paled in comparison. “Horses
don’t care if a man can read.”
“I’ll give you a job in the stables. Allard needs the help. But later this winter, we might have to work
on your schooling a bit.”
I returned Paulo to Allard, who was waiting in the kitchen, and I said I could find no fault with the boy
except that he needed a bath even more than he needed a meal. Paulo scowled and followed the old man
back to the stables.
Paulo and I seldom had occasion to speak. But as I made my rounds of the estate with Giorge or
rode out for pleasure, I saw him limping about the place. He always grinned before he ducked his head
and touched his brow. Allard swore that Paulo had been born in a stable, perhaps of equine parentage.
Soon I couldn’t go into the yard without seeing the two of them, heads together.
I never told anyone that I had known Paulo in my former life, though I could not have explained why.
I was certainly not ashamed of him. He was a good and talented boy who had been my companion in
adventure, brave and steady in circumstances that would daunt many grown men. It just felt good to have
a private friend.
Seille came, the midwinter season when we observed the longest night of the year and the ten days
until the new year. Seille and Long Night were celebrations bound up with the legend of a wounded god
brought from despair by the generous offering of food, entertainment, and gifts from the poorest of his
subjects. I found the truths of sorcery, two worlds, and the magical Bridge that somehow linked them
and kept them in balance more fascinating than any Long Night myth. But I had always loved the
trappings of Seille: gifts bound with silk ribbons, storytelling, pageants, pastries, evergreen boughs, hot
cider fragrant with cinnamon and cloves, and splurging with hundreds of scented candles to brighten the
cold, dark nights.
With the holidays came the first evidence of real progress with my nephew. I was surprised and
pleased to find Gerick in Philomena’s room when I went to her for our nightly hour on the Feast of Long
Night. It had seemed a bleak holiday having no family gathering to parallel the festivity in the servants’
hall, so I had asked the maids to garland Philomena’s mantel with evergreen, ordered a special supper
for the duchess, and invited Gerick to join us. Though matters between the boy and me had been more
detached than hostile of late, I had never expected him to come. But he was dressed in a fine suit and
had already
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