Enchanter by Sara Douglass Read Free Book Online

easing her aching chest and back muscles.
    "The Wolven is an enchanted weapon?" Axis frowned at his uncle, although he smiled inwardly at RavenCrest's anger.
    Azhure had won her gift fairly, displaying remarkable skill indoing so.
    "Yes, enchanted," StarDrifter cut in, "but we have lost the key to use it.
    Whatever Song it requires has been lost. It died with," he hesitated, "WolfStar SunSoar, the Enchanter-Talon who originally crafted the weapon."
    MorningStar s mouth thinned at the mention of WolfStar, but Axis did not notice. "Is there is no way of remembering the Song of the Worven?" he asked.
    "Or of any other of theSongs of War?"
    "We rely on you to save us!" RavenCrest hissed, his anger fully apparent as he strode across the room. He was vividly coloured, far more so than his mother or brother, with violet eyes, raven-black hair and wingbacks, and gorgeous speckled blue underwings. Yet his vivid anger made him menacing, and Axis had to fight from taking a pace back as RavenCrest stepped up to him. "Seek not legends from our past to lead us to victory, Axis! Rely on what skills you have inside you!" He paused, then dropped his voice to a harsh whisper. "And remember, Axis SunSoar, that you will have to win the loyalty and trust of the Icarii nation if you are to succeed against Gorgrael, and enchanted weapons will not win for you our trust."
    Axis fully understood RavenCrest's anger. With the death of FreeFall SunSoar, RavenCrest had lost his only son and heir. Not only did RavenCrest daily have to live with the grief of losing his beloved son, he also had to battle with the fact that the heir to the Talon throne would be Axis — StarDrifter might be a powerful Enchanter, but he would be a hopeless leader of the Icarii nation.
    Axis knew that RavenCrest was also deeply resentful that his heir was not only of Icarii—human parentage, but also a former BatdeAxe of the loathed Seneschal.
    Nothing had been said, but everyone knew the situation — and Axis intended to fight for his right to be namedRavenCrest's heir. He knew he had to weld the Icarii, Acharite and Avar races together in order to fight Gorgrael, and if he could control the thrones of both Icarii and Acharite nations then he'd have a much better chance of success. Through his mother, Rivkah, once Princess of Achar, Axis was second in line to the Acharite throne behind Borneheld. And Axis did not intend to let Borneheld live.
    He turned his mind away from his half-brother and considered the implications of what RavenCrest had said. Axis would have to win the trust of the Icarii nation if he wanted to not only be accepted as heir, but also use the Icarii Strike Force in his battle against Gorgrael. Axis knew the Icarii trust would be hard to win, and as yet he had not even made a start. In the five weeks he'd been in Talon Spike he hadn't met any Icarii beyond his immediate family.
    "RavenCrest," he said. "It is time I met with your Crest-Leaders. It is time I took control of the Strikejorce." Axis assumed a great deal with that statement.
    As die Icarii Talon, RavenCrest was in overall command of the Strike Force. Now Axis demanded that he assume overall control.
    RavenCrest may have been angry, and resentful of this man who stood so calmly before him asking for control of the Strike Force, but he was no fool. He knew that Axis alone had the skills and the experience to transform the Strike Force into an effective command — and he would need total leadership to do so.
    He nodded. "I'll arrange a meeting for three days' time," he said, then turned on his heel and walked out of the room.
    StarDrifter and Axis made their excuses and left MomingStar alone in the small training chamber. She waited until the door closed behind them, then sat down heavily and rested her head in her hands.
    Training Axis was physically demanding work and MomingStar was tired. But she was also sorely troubled. Axislearned well. Too well. That point had been driven home forcibly this