Athyra by Steven Brust Read Free Book Online Page A

his manor house, which happens to be just outside the village I’m passing through. Would you believe that this could happen by accident?”
    The implications of everything Vlad was saying were too many and far-reaching, but Savn was able to understand enough to say, “No.”
    “I wouldn’t, either. And I don’t.”
    “But what does it mean?”
    “I’m not certain,” Vlad said. “Perhaps it was foolish of me to come this way, but I didn’t realize exactly where I was, and, in any case, I thought Loraan was ... I thought it would be safe. Speaking of safe, I guess what it means is that I’m not, very.”
    Savn said, “You’re leaving, then?” He was surprised to discover how disappointed he was at the thought.
    “Leaving? No. It’s probably too late for that. And besides, this fellow, Reins, helped me, and if that had anything to do with his death, that means I have matters to attend to.”
    Savn struggled with this, and at last said, “What matters?”
    But Vlad had fallen silent again; he stared off into space, as if taken by a sudden thought. He sat that way for nearly a minute, and from time to time his lips seemed to move. At last he grunted and nodded faintly.
    Savn repeated his question. “What matters will you have to attend to?”
    “Eh?” said Vlad. “Oh. Nothing important.”
    Savn waited. Vlad leaned back in his chair, his eyes open but focused on the ceiling. Twice the corner of his mouth twitched as if he were smiling; once he shuddered as if something frightened him. Savn wondered what he was thinking about. He was about to ask, when Vlad’s head suddenly snapped down and he was looking directly at Savn.
    “The other day, you started to ask me about witchcraft.”
    “Well, yes,” said Savn. “Why—”
    “How would you like to learn?”
    “Learn? You mean, how to, uh-—”
    “We call it casting spells, just like sorcerers do. Are you interested?”
    “I’d never thought about it before.”
    “Well, think about it.”
    “Why would you want to teach me?”
    “There are reasons.”
    “I don’t know.”
    “Frankly, I’m surprised at your hesitation. It would be useful to me if someone knew certain spells. It doesn’t have to be you; I just thought you’d want to. I could find someone else. Perhaps one of those young men—”
    “All right.”
    Vlad didn’t smile; he just nodded slightly and said, “Good.”
    “When should we begin?”
    “Now would be fine,” said the Easterner, and rose to his feet. “Come with me.”
    She flew above and ahead of her mate, in long, wide, overlapping circles just below the overcast. He was content to follow, because her eyesight was keener. In fact, she knew exactly what she was looking for, and could have gone directly there, but it was a fine, warm day for this late in the year, and she was in no hurry to carry out the Provider’s wishes. There was time for that; there had been no sense of urgency in the dim echo she had picked up, so why not enjoy the day? Above her, a lazy falcon broke through the overcast, saw her, and haughtily ignored her. She didn’t mind; they had nothing to argue about until the falcon made a strike; then they could play the old game of You’re-quicker-going-down-but-I’mfaster-going-up. She’d played that game several times, and usually won. She had lost once to a cagey old goshawk, and she still carried the scar above her right wing, but it no longer bothered her.
    She came into sight of a large structure of man, and her mate, who saw it at the same time, joined her, and they circled it once together. She thought that, in perhaps a few days, she’d be ready to mate again, but it was so hard to find a nest while traveling all the time.
    Her mate sent her messages of impatience. She gave the psychic equivalent of a sigh and circled down to attend to business.

Chapter Four
    I will not marry a magic seer,
    I will not marry a magic seer.
    know how to keep me here.
    Hi-dee hi-dee ho-la!
    Step on out