Read Online Sworn To Secrecy: Courtlight #4 by Terah Edun - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Terah Edun
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to stutter, “Not of you . Of my masters.”
“Your masters?” said Ciardis lightly.
“They told me they wanted the frost giant accused of murder. I was ordered to make her insane. And then I was to disappear,” he said miserably. “They’ll be furious that I was caught.”
“Why were you caught?” asked Thanar curiously. “You didn’t even attempt to hide your magic.”
Thomas hunched his shoulders further. “I didn’t know the Weathervane was here.”
A derisive snort came from Vana at that moment.
“Meaning what?” asked Ciardis.
“Meaning,” said Vana, “that he forgot that you can read power signals in auras. Most mages can’t or don’t look for it. Drives us nuts.”
“Oh,” said Ciardis. “And why target us? Who are your masters?”
Thomas looked up at her and over at Vana. The ever-present blade in her hand probably convinced him to give them the truth. He swallowed heavily and spoke. “I know they are members of the Shadow Council. But I don’t know who they are. They send me letters with instructions by messenger. Not often. Just occasionally.”
Caemon asked. “Who are the Shadow Council?”
“A dark and unsanctioned group that mete out justice throughout the empire on their own terms,” Ciardis said. “I only knew one member.”
“And who was that?” demanded Lillian from where she reclined on a chaise lounge.
Both twins turned to her as Ciardis responded hollowly, “The Head of the Companions’ Guild and Council, Maree Amber.”
Lillian narrowed her eyes thoughtfully. “My, my. Lady Amber certainly was a busybody when she was alive.”
Ciardis’s eye twitched at her mother’s tone. “As you may recall, Mother, that busybody gave her life for me. And in the little time we had together, she did her best to train me so that my gifts were of use to me and those around me.”
“Yes,” said Lillian as she waved her hand dismissively. “But what I want to know is why . The Shadow Council has always had an ulterior motive. They are not in the habit of giving out charity and certainly not allowing their leaders to train orphaned waifs on a whim.”
Ciardis stiffened perceptibly. It was a conversation she would expect to have with Lady Serena, her former mentor who was her mother in disguise, but to hear her own mother describe her as an “orphaned waif” felt like a slap to the face.
Caemon quickly reached over and squeezed her wrist as if to reassure her. Sometimes Ciardis felt that he understood her much more than their mother ever could. Even though they’d only known of each other’s existence for less than a month.
“What are you saying, Mother?” Caemon asked quietly as Thomas looked back and forth anxiously between the faces of the three Weathervanes.
“I’m saying,” Lillian said as she rose from her reclining position leisurely, “that Lady Maree Amber wanted something. Something from Ciardis. Enough to take her under wing, enough to train her and perhaps to attempt to mold her.”
Uncomfortably Ciardis was reminded of the conversation between Lord Crassius and Lady Maree Amber just after the Companions’ Guild had convened a council in order to deride her actions at court and punish her for the sanctions placed on the guild by the emperor.
She had stood before the five heads of the Companions’ Council, awaiting their verdict less than half a year before. The guild head had been ready to pronounce a verdict when the bejeweled buffoon with golden hair had stirred from his leisurely sprawl when he had heard her tirade against the imperial court, calling the nobles, as she recalled, “useless creatures who are arrogant, spineless, and think they know everything.”
Ciardis remembered quite clearly what Crassius had said, because it had taken her from hot water to a boiling pot quicker than she could bat an eyelash: “Untested power such as hers could be the spark that flames the court.”
She hadn’t been sure what the two scheming
“Your masters?” said Ciardis lightly.
“They told me they wanted the frost giant accused of murder. I was ordered to make her insane. And then I was to disappear,” he said miserably. “They’ll be furious that I was caught.”
“Why were you caught?” asked Thanar curiously. “You didn’t even attempt to hide your magic.”
Thomas hunched his shoulders further. “I didn’t know the Weathervane was here.”
A derisive snort came from Vana at that moment.
“Meaning what?” asked Ciardis.
“Meaning,” said Vana, “that he forgot that you can read power signals in auras. Most mages can’t or don’t look for it. Drives us nuts.”
“Oh,” said Ciardis. “And why target us? Who are your masters?”
Thomas looked up at her and over at Vana. The ever-present blade in her hand probably convinced him to give them the truth. He swallowed heavily and spoke. “I know they are members of the Shadow Council. But I don’t know who they are. They send me letters with instructions by messenger. Not often. Just occasionally.”
Caemon asked. “Who are the Shadow Council?”
“A dark and unsanctioned group that mete out justice throughout the empire on their own terms,” Ciardis said. “I only knew one member.”
“And who was that?” demanded Lillian from where she reclined on a chaise lounge.
Both twins turned to her as Ciardis responded hollowly, “The Head of the Companions’ Guild and Council, Maree Amber.”
Lillian narrowed her eyes thoughtfully. “My, my. Lady Amber certainly was a busybody when she was alive.”
Ciardis’s eye twitched at her mother’s tone. “As you may recall, Mother, that busybody gave her life for me. And in the little time we had together, she did her best to train me so that my gifts were of use to me and those around me.”
“Yes,” said Lillian as she waved her hand dismissively. “But what I want to know is why . The Shadow Council has always had an ulterior motive. They are not in the habit of giving out charity and certainly not allowing their leaders to train orphaned waifs on a whim.”
Ciardis stiffened perceptibly. It was a conversation she would expect to have with Lady Serena, her former mentor who was her mother in disguise, but to hear her own mother describe her as an “orphaned waif” felt like a slap to the face.
Caemon quickly reached over and squeezed her wrist as if to reassure her. Sometimes Ciardis felt that he understood her much more than their mother ever could. Even though they’d only known of each other’s existence for less than a month.
“What are you saying, Mother?” Caemon asked quietly as Thomas looked back and forth anxiously between the faces of the three Weathervanes.
“I’m saying,” Lillian said as she rose from her reclining position leisurely, “that Lady Maree Amber wanted something. Something from Ciardis. Enough to take her under wing, enough to train her and perhaps to attempt to mold her.”
Uncomfortably Ciardis was reminded of the conversation between Lord Crassius and Lady Maree Amber just after the Companions’ Guild had convened a council in order to deride her actions at court and punish her for the sanctions placed on the guild by the emperor.
She had stood before the five heads of the Companions’ Council, awaiting their verdict less than half a year before. The guild head had been ready to pronounce a verdict when the bejeweled buffoon with golden hair had stirred from his leisurely sprawl when he had heard her tirade against the imperial court, calling the nobles, as she recalled, “useless creatures who are arrogant, spineless, and think they know everything.”
Ciardis remembered quite clearly what Crassius had said, because it had taken her from hot water to a boiling pot quicker than she could bat an eyelash: “Untested power such as hers could be the spark that flames the court.”
She hadn’t been sure what the two scheming
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