City of Sorcerers by Mary H. Herbert Read Free Book Online

introduce the Reidhar boy, Bennon, to some of the other children in her care.
    Lord Fiergan hated arguing with her, and Sayyed knew full well the Reidhar chief was taking advantage of Gabria's absence to expound on his complaint of
    'kidnapping.'
    It is a good thing, Sayyed thought to himself, that weapons are not allowed in the council tent during meetings. Half a day of arguing with Fiergan would drive any man to bloodlust.
    "I will forgive you this time for accusing Lady Gabria of kidnapping," Athlone said with deceptive mildness. "All the children she has found with the talent to wield magic have been given the choice to remain with their families or foster with us. All have come to our clan willingly to learn under Gabria's tutelage with their parents'
    permission."
    Lord Fiergan slapped his words aside with a jerk of his hand. "You cannot take a child---or any member of a clan---without the chieftain's permission!" he said in a loud, distinctive voice that reached every ear in the tent.
    "We have had the chieftain's agreement in every case. . .but yours."
    "Yet you still took Bennon!" Fiergan thundered.
    Athlone set down his cup, his eyes never leaving Fiergan's face. The burly Reidhar chieftain was red-faced and sweating from the heat, yet he showed no sign of backing down.
    Sayyed sighed. It was going to be a long, tense meeting if Lord Ryne didn't exercise his authority as council leader and step in to end this. He had hoped this first day of council meetings would be calm and short. The fifty-three people---chieftains, sons, wer-tains, elders, priests, and priestesses---from every clan had met in the tent early in the day when the air was cool and the day fresh. They had dealt with a few minor problems at first, such as the theft of some of Clan Dangari's valuable breeding stallions by a small band of Turic raiders, the settlement of a dispute over pasture rights between the Shadedron and Ferganan clans, and the final acceptance of the betrothal contract for young Lord Terod of the Amnok clan and the sister of Lord Hendric of Clan Geldring.
    All had seemed well until Lord Fiergan brought up the subject of teaching young magic-wielders. It was afternoon by that time and even with the walls rolled up to allow a breeze, the big tent was uncomfortably hot and full of flies. The men were sweating and tempers were short.
    "He is visiting us for only a few days to make up his mind," Athlone was saying.
    "Of course, if you insist, he will be returned immediately."
    Fiergan glanced at the other men crowded around the tent. "I am only trying to protect my people. How can we be certain that the children you take away really are magic-wielders? We have only Lady Gabria's word for it."
    "And the Hunnulis? Do you call them and my wife deceitful liars?" Athlone asked, his voice cold.
    Fiergan's red face paled slightly. An affirmative answer to a question like that could lead to a duel of honor, and Fiergan was not willing to face a warrior like Athlone over swords. "Perhaps not," he said sharply. "Yet we--"
    Before he could go on, Lord Koshyn put up a hand to interrupt him. "Lord Fiergan does bring up a good point," he said in a conciliatory tone. "There have been several children who have shown no signs to us that they can wield magic, yet Lady Gabria says they have the power and that they must learn to control it. I suggest that we devise some sort of test or find a way to prove to everyone's satisfaction that a certain individual can use magic."
    "And even if a person passes such a test, why is it necessary for that person to leave the clan and go to the Khulinin?" asked Lord Dormar of Clan Ferganan.
    Athlone replied, "Eventually we hope it won't be. But there are too few magic-wielders in the clans. Right now, Gabria, Sayyed, Tam, and I are the only ones with enough experience to teach. You must remember, the stay is only temporary. We are teaching these young magic-wielders how to use their talent to the best of their