Read Online Lachlei by M. H. Bonham - Free Book Online Page B

louder. Mead flowed from the barrels into flagons and someone handed her a cup. Lachlei grinned and took a gulp of the spiced honey-wine as the chanting grew louder. Almost immediately, she felt the heady rush from the drink.
    “Lachlei!” Cahal said.
    Lachlei turned and smiled at the younger Chi’lan . “What is it, Cahal?”
    Cahal paused, noting her eyes were bright from the mead. “Perhaps we should talk later.”
    “Perhaps we should talk now,” she said with a smile. “What is it?”
    “The new Chi’lan , Rhyn…” he began.
    “What about him?”
    “He bested Tamar.”
    Lachlei turned to see Rhyn gazing at her from across the room. He had been talking to Tamar and looked up, somehow sensing that she was looking at him. He was handsome, she decided, and a sly smile crept across her face. “Is that so? He bested Tamar?”
    “He has a Sword of Power,” Cahal added.
    Lachlei stared. “Really? Are you sure?” Even in her inebriated state, Lachlei knew the implications.
    “Quite,” Cahal said. “The sword glowed.”
    Lachlei considered Rhyn thoughtfully. “A Sword of Power. This is very interesting, Cahal. Who knows about this?”
    Cahal shrugged. “Everyone. Rhyn took Tamar on right here in the hall.”
    “There are no Swords of Power left.”
    “Rhyn said he inherited the blade from his father.”
    Lachlei shook her head. “No, Cahal. Swords of Power disintegrate when the forger dies. Only godlings have strong enough magic to forge a Sword of Power. Are you sure what you saw?”
    “Ask anyone here if you don’t believe me.”
    “I believe you,” she said, glancing at Rhyn. “I just find it extraordinary.”
    Cahal glanced at Rhyn and then back at Lachlei. “Do you think he’s lying?”
    Lachlei shrugged. “Not necessarily, but I think Rhyn isn’t telling us everything.” She glanced at Rhyn, and his steady silver eyes met hers. For a moment, she felt as though he had knocked down her mental defenses with ease. She shivered and broke eye contact, glancing into the empty mead cup. She turned to Cahal. “See that I’m not disturbed,” she said. She strode to the door to her private chambers and left the hall.
    *****
     
    Lachlei found that she couldn’t sleep at first, despite the mead. She had checked on her sleeping son and Wynne, his nanny, before collapsing in exhaustion. She had wept for weeks since Fialan’s death. Now, she could weep no more — instead, she began to think about the demon that killed Fialan.
    She felt edgy — as though something was about to happen. The Sight did that to her frequently, but gave her only hints and clues as to the future. A random image here or there or a fleeting thought would come to her. It didn’t come when bidden, but sometimes Lachlei could summon the visions without controlling what she was summoning. The Wyrd — the fabric of the past, present, and future — was like that. Only the gods had the ability to see the entire Wyrd, but even they could not control it. Very few first-bloods had been able to summon visions and those had been primarily godlings.
    Lachlei let herself drift, allowing the Sight to permeate her senses. Fialan had better control over the Sight than she had, but he too found it difficult to interpret. The Sight certainly didn’t save Fialan’s life — if Fialan had seen the demon, he would have avoided it.
    Lachlei saw nothing save darkness. It would be dawn in a few hours and she knew she would need her rest for the work ahead. Exhausted, she fell into an uneasy sleep.

CHAPTER Fifteen
     
    Fialan followed Eshe across the plains as the “sun” rose into the dark sky. Unlike Sowelu, the sun of Elren , this sun was swollen and red, but cast little heat and almost no light. It provided little warmth in this barren place. Fialan wrapped his cloak around himself, but the cold wind cut through it.
    Fialan marveled that he was still dressed much the same as he had when he died — assuming he had died. He didn’t quite