Daughter of Regals by Stephen R. Donaldson Read Free Book Online Page A

much.
    But the
sheer intensity of my outrage served as self-command. “In that case,” I said,
my heart pounding, “perhaps you will be so kind as to summon a servant.” I
indicated a bell-pull near him.
    A
slight faltering exposed him. Behind the veil of his gaze, I felt him study me
closely. But I offered him no reason, and my countenance told him nothing.
Perhaps now he sensed his peril, yet he had come too far to retreat.
    After a
moment, he shrugged slightly and gave a condescending tug to the bell.
    When a
servant answered, I said clearly, but without inflection, “Request the Mage
Cashon to attend us.”
    I was
pleased to see that Thone now found he could not speak again, in protest or in
warning, without appearing foolish. To keep himself still, he chewed upon his
lower lip.
    Cashon
came to the chamber promptly. As he entered, his bearing was wary. Now that I
knew his plight, his pain and his fear were unmistakable. Beneath its flesh,
the courage which sustained his face was being eaten away. In his life, he had
given up much which a Mage might find desirable for simple love of his wife—and
it was plain that he had never regretted the loss. But now she and their
daughters were threatened, and fear for them consumed him. It ruled him. He did
not look at me; the suffering in his eyes was fixed on King Thone. His hands at
his sides closed and unclosed uselessly.
    For his
sake, I spoke as soon as the door had been closed behind him.
    “Mage,”
I said evenly, “this unscrupulous king has told me of the means by which he
thinks to make himself monarch of the Three Kingdoms. You are the sword, which
he thinks to hold at my throat. But my word is otherwise: I say to you that you
need not fear for your loved ones.” At that, Cashon’s attention wrenched toward
me.
    Thone
opened his mouth to speak, and then closed it again, waiting to hear what I
would say.
    “You
are reputed a master of Fire, Mage” I continued. “Therefore King Thone seeks to
compel you to his use. And therefore you are able to defy him. Turn your Fire
upon him, Mage”—now at last I allowed my ire to rasp in my voice—”upon
this heartless fop who threatens thousands of innocent lives merely to serve
his own ambition. Should you simply surround him with flame and let him feel its
heat, he will reveal where your family is held to save himself pain. And he
will go further. He will give you his written command for their release, so
that you may free them this night.”
    That
was my gambit for the protection of the realm.
    But I
saw no hope leap up in Cashon’s eyes; dread had dissolved all his strength. And
the lord of Canna did not falter. His gaze did not shift from the Mage as he addressed
me softly.
    “You
are a fool. Do you conceive that Cashon has not considered such threats for himself?
But he knows that my men have been given command to first rape and then slay
his wife and daughters, should harm of any kind come to me. If they hear any
report that I have been hurt or defied, they will act. And I will never command
any release.
    “Look
upon him.” Cashon appeared to wither under Thone’s scorn, so acid was the Mage’s
fear. “He counts himself fortunate that I will permit him to save his family by
obeying me.” Then Thone turned to me. “And I will achieve the same fate for you”—the
calm of his demeanour broke into a shout—”if you do not submit to me now!”
    My
heart went out to Cashon in pity; but the safety of the realm hinged on him,
and I could not afford to spare him. He had once been stronger. I gambled that
he had not forgotten.
    For the
second time this night, I mustered a laugh. Smoothly, I rose from my chair. As
I moved toward the door, I said, “Cashon, I leave him to you. You are a master.
I trust you will, do no harm to the manor. His command against your family will
not be obeyed.
    “Canna
has not forgotten that he came to kingship through the suspected murder of his
uncle—and that from the first