Read Online Wedding Bells, Magic Spells by Lisa Shearin - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Lisa Shearin
Ads: Link
brought on the Silvanus name. Like most noble families, they take a great deal of pride in their honor, actual or perceived. The Silvanus family is ruined—financially, politically, and socially.”
“And I was the one who dug up the dirt,” I said. “I would do it again, I don’t care who it would bring down on my head. Though if I hadn’t kept trying to ‘do the right thing’ and save his hide every time someone or something tried to kill him, half our problems would’ve solved themselves.” I thought for a moment. “Would a Silvanus be too proud to ally with the Khrynsani? Though Carnades wasn’t too proud to buddy up to Sarad Nukpana.”
“They wouldn’t like it,” Mychael said, “but they’d do it. Carnades came way too close to securing the ultimate power for himself, and by association, his family. Everything a Silvanus does is for the advancement of the family. You may have found the ledger that put the final nail in Carnades’s coffin, but it was Markus who used it to bring him down.”
“And I gave it to him.”
“You did the right thing—the only thing. Exposing Carnades’s treason was Markus’s job, and I know for a fact that bringing down Carnades and his allies was the most enjoyable act of Markus’s entire career.”
“And it almost killed him.”
“How much do we know about specific Silvanus family members?” Imala asked. “In terms of mirror talent.”
“Carnades has a younger brother and an older sister,” Mychael said. “He had a younger sister who died nearly twenty years ago—was killed, actually. Rumor has it the family did it themselves. An honor killing.”
I blinked. “Honor?”
“She refused to marry the husband that had been chosen for her. She was in love with another.”
“And they killed her?”
Mychael nodded once. “Carnades’s older sister is said to be the best mirror mage in the family. However, they also believe in keeping their actual levels of talent secret, so their true powers are essentially unknown.”
“So any of them could be capable of shoving a Rak’kari into a mirror.”
“Now that we know it’s possible, a Silvanus would be a viable suspect.”
“We can safely assume that the Khrynsani were responsible for conjuring the Rak’kari,” Imala told us. “I think it would be in our best interests to keep that information to ourselves. I could see the Khrynsani wanting to disrupt the peace talks, and killing Markus Sevelien and making it look like goblin work would be an effective first step. To many of the delegates, there’s not any difference between a Khrynsani and the goblin government—they see them as one and the same. During his reign, Sathrik did all that he could to encourage that view. It intimidated his people, his enemies, and the other races. We want and need trust now, not intimidation and fear.”
“Who is protecting Chigaru and Mirabai while the two of you are here?” Mychael asked.
“Kesyn Badru and my grandmother are with them,” Imala said. “And between me and Tam, we’ve provided enough qualified guards.”
“They’re as safe as they can be,” Tam added. “Their food tasters have tasters.”
“What about Talon?” I asked him.
“Safe with Kesyn, and considering what may be happening here, I want him to stay there.”
“I take it that Markus will fully recover?” Imala asked.
Mychael nodded. “Once he wakes up, he could be back on his feet within three or four days. I’d prefer longer.”
Imala’s mouth curved in a bemused smile. “I imagine he’ll let you know what he thinks about your bed rest prescription.”
“I’m sure he will.”
“If you hadn’t been there…” She didn’t finish. She didn’t need to. We all knew that the peace talks would have suffered irreparable damage before they’d even started. Markus Sevelien was respected throughout the kingdoms as a man of integrity. But Imala had meant more than that. We all not only admired Markus, but considered him a
“And I was the one who dug up the dirt,” I said. “I would do it again, I don’t care who it would bring down on my head. Though if I hadn’t kept trying to ‘do the right thing’ and save his hide every time someone or something tried to kill him, half our problems would’ve solved themselves.” I thought for a moment. “Would a Silvanus be too proud to ally with the Khrynsani? Though Carnades wasn’t too proud to buddy up to Sarad Nukpana.”
“They wouldn’t like it,” Mychael said, “but they’d do it. Carnades came way too close to securing the ultimate power for himself, and by association, his family. Everything a Silvanus does is for the advancement of the family. You may have found the ledger that put the final nail in Carnades’s coffin, but it was Markus who used it to bring him down.”
“And I gave it to him.”
“You did the right thing—the only thing. Exposing Carnades’s treason was Markus’s job, and I know for a fact that bringing down Carnades and his allies was the most enjoyable act of Markus’s entire career.”
“And it almost killed him.”
“How much do we know about specific Silvanus family members?” Imala asked. “In terms of mirror talent.”
“Carnades has a younger brother and an older sister,” Mychael said. “He had a younger sister who died nearly twenty years ago—was killed, actually. Rumor has it the family did it themselves. An honor killing.”
I blinked. “Honor?”
“She refused to marry the husband that had been chosen for her. She was in love with another.”
“And they killed her?”
Mychael nodded once. “Carnades’s older sister is said to be the best mirror mage in the family. However, they also believe in keeping their actual levels of talent secret, so their true powers are essentially unknown.”
“So any of them could be capable of shoving a Rak’kari into a mirror.”
“Now that we know it’s possible, a Silvanus would be a viable suspect.”
“We can safely assume that the Khrynsani were responsible for conjuring the Rak’kari,” Imala told us. “I think it would be in our best interests to keep that information to ourselves. I could see the Khrynsani wanting to disrupt the peace talks, and killing Markus Sevelien and making it look like goblin work would be an effective first step. To many of the delegates, there’s not any difference between a Khrynsani and the goblin government—they see them as one and the same. During his reign, Sathrik did all that he could to encourage that view. It intimidated his people, his enemies, and the other races. We want and need trust now, not intimidation and fear.”
“Who is protecting Chigaru and Mirabai while the two of you are here?” Mychael asked.
“Kesyn Badru and my grandmother are with them,” Imala said. “And between me and Tam, we’ve provided enough qualified guards.”
“They’re as safe as they can be,” Tam added. “Their food tasters have tasters.”
“What about Talon?” I asked him.
“Safe with Kesyn, and considering what may be happening here, I want him to stay there.”
“I take it that Markus will fully recover?” Imala asked.
Mychael nodded. “Once he wakes up, he could be back on his feet within three or four days. I’d prefer longer.”
Imala’s mouth curved in a bemused smile. “I imagine he’ll let you know what he thinks about your bed rest prescription.”
“I’m sure he will.”
“If you hadn’t been there…” She didn’t finish. She didn’t need to. We all knew that the peace talks would have suffered irreparable damage before they’d even started. Markus Sevelien was respected throughout the kingdoms as a man of integrity. But Imala had meant more than that. We all not only admired Markus, but considered him a
Similar Books
