Earth's Magic by Pamela F. Service Read Free Book Online Page B

batted at it. She shrugged, removed the second earring, and attempted to disentangle Red’s claws from her almost equally red hair.
    Trying to smile through the pain, she said, “Brendon, why don’t you start your tale from the beginning? You mustn’t let Merlin’s youth fool you. He’s really a cranky old man who knows a thing or two about wars and such. And his advice has proved annoyingly useful at times.”
    The young man blinked. “Sorry. It’s just that hearing stories is one thing but … Well, anyway, yes, after Duke Geoffrey defeated the forces of Manchester, with your very welcome and timely help, Your Majesties, the two dukedoms established a somewhat shaky truce. Duke Geoffrey—he’s my uncle—sent me to Manchester in an exchange, ostensibly to train in their guards, but also, frankly, to be a spy and keep an eye on an old enemy.”
    Arthur winced as Red, with two earrings now tucked undera wing, bounded across the table and leaped onto the King’s shoulder. Arthur plucked the dragonlet off and firmly placed him on the table. “Red, if you are going to be a royal dragon, you need to act with dignity. Sit still and look regal, will you?” To everyone’s surprise, the dragon promptly did that.
    “Sorry, Brendon,” the King said, turning back to the young man. “When I met with the Duke of Manchester last year, he pledged his allegiance and accepted me as High King. But he struck me as rather an opportunist who would willingly change allegiances if a better offer presented itself. Do you think it has?”
    “It may have. When my uncle heard my report, he sent me here to tell you directly. After I had been a while at Manchester, I began to notice dark, shadowy things skulking about the place. Not too alarming, perhaps, since there are always plenty of muties scuttling about on the fringes of towns. But these were different somehow. So I began to watch more closely, and then one night when I drew the detail of guarding the Duke’s chamber, I saw something more. Chancing to glance out the guard window, I saw shadowy things crossing the courtyard.”
    “Describe them,” Merlin said. “Were they creatures that cast shadows, or were they shadows themselves?”
    “They were dark but didn’t seem to have any solid form, and they didn’t so much walk as flow. Most of them were low, like dogs maybe, but in their midst was a person, wearing a cape and hood.”
    Merlin looked at the King, who nodded for him to continue his questioning. “Then what happened?”
    “The shadows disappeared from my view, but I could tell they had entered the tower I was in and were coming up the stairs. There weren’t footsteps so much as swishings. I also heard a sound as of someone in armor falling on the stone floor and realized it must be my fellow guard who had been assigned tothe lower door. I almost panicked then. The creatures were coming up! There was only one landing between the bottom floor and the one where I was, guarding the door to the Duke’s bedchamber. Then I heard a door open on the landing just below. That was where the Duke had his study. I was about to rush down to defend whoever was coming out of the room when I heard a voice. I had thought the Duke was asleep in the room behind me, but the harsh whispered voice was clearly his.”
    Brendon seemed to be enjoying the dramatic pause, but severely Merlin urged, “What did he say?”
    “He said, ‘Greetings, madam. There’s a guard upstairs too. Send one of your fellows up to put him to sleep as well.’ Clearly, I didn’t have to defend the Duke. I had to defend myself! I doubted my sword would do much against shadows. So quickly I sat on my chair, laid my head on the windowsill, and pretended to be asleep already. Soon I could hear something creeping closer, but my eyes were squeezed shut and I was snoring too loud to tell exactly what it was. A wave of coldness poked around me for a moment, then slipped away.”
    By now even Otto was paying rapt