Read Online Wielder: Apprentice: Book 1 of Lady Shey's Story (The Wielder Cycle) by Mark E Tyson - Free Book Online Page A

very carefully.”
    Sheyna shifted in her chair. A button sewn in the center of the backrest pinched her back.
    “This preliminary meeting today is for us to get to know each of you a little better. That said, some of the questions may seem a bit strange to your ears. Remember, we have our reasoning.”
    Toborne stood and strolled around the room for a moment before ending up standing directly in front of Sheyna. His piercing gaze made her writhe uncomfortably. His eyes narrowed with each word he spoke. “We know you. We have seen you in our visions; we have heard you in our thoughts. We know you.” He backed away and sat in his chair, never taking his eyes off Sheyna.
    Sheyna often involuntarily replaced her nervousness with a sarcastic grin and a witty tongue. “Well, I’m confident I don’t know you, but so far you do seem a bit cracked!”
    Toborne arched up on the edge of his seat like a scolded cat. Dicarion waved for him to relax and settle down into his chair.
    “Scare the poor child to tears, Toborne,” Dicarion said. “Do not fret, Mistress Namear. All Toborne is attempting to say is we have ways of knowing who might be good candidates for apprentices, and we act accordingly.”
    Sheyna felt a little better at Dicarion’s explanation, but was still a bit shaken from being under the gaze of Toborne’s cruel, piercing eyes.
    “Aye,” Morgoran said, “and we know you will make a fine wielder.”
    Enowene cleared her throat. “Dicarion, Morgoran, Toborne, are there any more questions for Mistress Marella?”
    Toborne leered. “I have a question.” Morgoran groaned audibly. “Could you serve a king of Arasyth if Trigothia should go to civil war and break up into kingdoms?”
    Marella cocked an eyebrow. ‘The three ruling families of Trigothia will never go to war with each other as you outsiders speculate, and the Arasyth family is still weak and corrupt. They would never stand strong enough to form a kingdom even if there was such a war. No, I would not serve an Arasyth king because there never will be an Arasyth king.”
    Toborne judged Marella curiously. “Are you certain?”
    “Aye, quite certain.”
    “What of Ishrak, then? If Dicarion should apprentice you and betroth you to Ishrak’s emperor, would you serve Ishrak?”
    “I would do my duty, Master Toborne.”
    “That is enough, Toborne,” Ianthill said. “Must you always act the fool?”
    “I am not acting foolish, brother, my questions are legitimate.”
    “I believe we have gathered all of the information we need, Mistress Enowene. We will deliberate on our choices now,” Dicarion said.
    Enowene picked up a small silver bell and rang it. Mavis came through the chamber door. “Take the girls back to their chamber.” Mavis bowed in acknowledgement.
    “Come along, girls,” Mavis said.
    Marella bowed to the wielders. “Pleased to meet all of you.” The wielders all bowed their heads. Sheyna knew she was probably expected to follow Marella’s example, but she did not. Instead she just smirked awkwardly at Toborne in mock defiance.
    Once the two girls were back in their rooms, Sheyna sat at the table in the common room. Marella was all smiles as she twirled around in front of the table. “I hope I apprentice to Ianthill. Mistress Enowene was Ianthill’s first apprentice.”
    “Who is Dicarion? You didn’t mention him before,” Sheyna asked.
    “He is the advisor to Emperor Roshac of Ishrak. I’m not sure exactly where he came from, but I know he is good friends with Ianthill.”
    “What did you think of Toborne?”
    “He is so handsome and brilliantly mad all at the same time,” Marella said.
    “Aye, he is that. I think something else is also wrong with him.”
    “Oh, what do you mean?”
    “I don’t think the others like him much. They are all so mysterious and they don’t want to tell us too much, but Toborne is different. He speaks his mind for ill or good.”
    “If you are correct, such a man could be dangerous,