Read Online Sworn To Secrecy: Courtlight #4 by Terah Edun - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Terah Edun
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Thomas down firmly in a hard-backed chair and lashed him to the seat with the rope from a nearby window valance.
“Close the curtains on all the windows,” ordered Lillian.
With barely a shrug, Ciardis and Caemon went to the six floor-length windows in the parlor and pulled their dark curtains closed. When a portly female servant with ruddy cheeks knocked on the door politely and eased it open with a, “Good evening, masters and mistresses, I’ve brought tea. With the weather being as cold as it is and all.” Vana frowned and stepped forward. Lillian held up a halting hand and spoke as if she was the lady of the manor. “Set it in the corner and leave. We’ll be needing no more service tonight. Instruct the maids and footmen to retire to bed.”
The servant quickly nodded as she glanced askance over at the bound boy in the chair before Thanar stepped in front of Thomas, his darkening gaze fastened on the woman. Her cheeks quickly paled under the splotches of red that marred her face and she exited back out the door.
As she left, Thomas began to awake. His eyes fluttered open and he struggled to sit up before he realized he was bound to the chair with rope. As everyone turned to stare at him, confusion and trepidation flashed across his face. Their brooding looks didn’t help. He began to hyperventilate again while trying to speak, but was overcome with anxiety.
Muttering, Caemon came forward. “This isn’t working.”
He hiked up his dress pants as he knelt down in front of the seated mage. He reached forward with both hands to grip the trembling boy’s balled fists but halted in mid-reach when at least three voices shouted at him, “Don’t touch him!”
Calmly, Lillian explained, “If he has the ability to cloud actions and change perceptions, he could change you without you even knowing it.”
Caemon frowned over his shoulder but slowly lowered his hands to his sides.
Softly, as if they were the only two figures in the room, he spoke to Thomas. “Calm down. Deep breaths, lad. We’re not here to hurt you.”
Thomas looked up with his eyes partially hidden by bangs as he shook his head slightly.
“What?” asked Caemon in light surprise, speaking to him as if they were alone in the room, two friends playing a game. “You think we’d hurt such a fine lad like yourself?”
Thomas stayed silent.
Ciardis bit her lip and walked forward until she stood at Caemon’s side. She put a hand on her twin’s right shoulder and smiled at Thomas. “You were quite chatty at the ball, Thomas.”
He looked up at her and his lip twitched. In a grimace or a smile, she’d couldn’t quite say.
Looking from one twin to the other, he hesitantly opened his mouth and spoke. Well, he tried to speak. What came out was more of a croak than intelligible conversation.
“Could we have some water please, Mother?” Ciardis said over her shoulder. She would be nice as pie to Thomas if that would get him to calm down and cure Inga of her ailment.
“Of course,” Lillian said as she quickly went over the teacart and poured from the crystal pitcher.
“Thanar, could you untie him?” asked Caemon calmly. The daemoni came over without a word and cut the thick curtain ropes.
Walking over to her son and daughter, Lillian smoothly held out the glass to the boy. This presented a conundrum. Thomas was still trembling so harshly that grabbing the glass seemed impossible. But being faced with the simple choice actually seemed to calm him. He stopped shuddering and reached out a tentative hand for the glass.
“There,” said Lillian with a smile. Thomas flinched.
Ciardis watched him carefully. Lillian was on her very best behavior, but even that seemed to frighten the young man.
“Thank you, Mother,” she said firmly.
Lillian backed away to stand next to Kane.
“Now,” said Caemon, his eyes fixed on Thomas with curiosity. “Why don’t you tell us why you’re so frightened?”
Between sips of water, Thomas managed
“Close the curtains on all the windows,” ordered Lillian.
With barely a shrug, Ciardis and Caemon went to the six floor-length windows in the parlor and pulled their dark curtains closed. When a portly female servant with ruddy cheeks knocked on the door politely and eased it open with a, “Good evening, masters and mistresses, I’ve brought tea. With the weather being as cold as it is and all.” Vana frowned and stepped forward. Lillian held up a halting hand and spoke as if she was the lady of the manor. “Set it in the corner and leave. We’ll be needing no more service tonight. Instruct the maids and footmen to retire to bed.”
The servant quickly nodded as she glanced askance over at the bound boy in the chair before Thanar stepped in front of Thomas, his darkening gaze fastened on the woman. Her cheeks quickly paled under the splotches of red that marred her face and she exited back out the door.
As she left, Thomas began to awake. His eyes fluttered open and he struggled to sit up before he realized he was bound to the chair with rope. As everyone turned to stare at him, confusion and trepidation flashed across his face. Their brooding looks didn’t help. He began to hyperventilate again while trying to speak, but was overcome with anxiety.
Muttering, Caemon came forward. “This isn’t working.”
He hiked up his dress pants as he knelt down in front of the seated mage. He reached forward with both hands to grip the trembling boy’s balled fists but halted in mid-reach when at least three voices shouted at him, “Don’t touch him!”
Calmly, Lillian explained, “If he has the ability to cloud actions and change perceptions, he could change you without you even knowing it.”
Caemon frowned over his shoulder but slowly lowered his hands to his sides.
Softly, as if they were the only two figures in the room, he spoke to Thomas. “Calm down. Deep breaths, lad. We’re not here to hurt you.”
Thomas looked up with his eyes partially hidden by bangs as he shook his head slightly.
“What?” asked Caemon in light surprise, speaking to him as if they were alone in the room, two friends playing a game. “You think we’d hurt such a fine lad like yourself?”
Thomas stayed silent.
Ciardis bit her lip and walked forward until she stood at Caemon’s side. She put a hand on her twin’s right shoulder and smiled at Thomas. “You were quite chatty at the ball, Thomas.”
He looked up at her and his lip twitched. In a grimace or a smile, she’d couldn’t quite say.
Looking from one twin to the other, he hesitantly opened his mouth and spoke. Well, he tried to speak. What came out was more of a croak than intelligible conversation.
“Could we have some water please, Mother?” Ciardis said over her shoulder. She would be nice as pie to Thomas if that would get him to calm down and cure Inga of her ailment.
“Of course,” Lillian said as she quickly went over the teacart and poured from the crystal pitcher.
“Thanar, could you untie him?” asked Caemon calmly. The daemoni came over without a word and cut the thick curtain ropes.
Walking over to her son and daughter, Lillian smoothly held out the glass to the boy. This presented a conundrum. Thomas was still trembling so harshly that grabbing the glass seemed impossible. But being faced with the simple choice actually seemed to calm him. He stopped shuddering and reached out a tentative hand for the glass.
“There,” said Lillian with a smile. Thomas flinched.
Ciardis watched him carefully. Lillian was on her very best behavior, but even that seemed to frighten the young man.
“Thank you, Mother,” she said firmly.
Lillian backed away to stand next to Kane.
“Now,” said Caemon, his eyes fixed on Thomas with curiosity. “Why don’t you tell us why you’re so frightened?”
Between sips of water, Thomas managed
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