Enchanter by Sara Douglass Read Free Book Online Page A

afternoon. Many of his other skills could be waved off with the explanation that he had absorbed them from StarDrifter when he had sung to his son in Rivkah s womb as they sat on die sunny rooftop of Sigholt.
    But StarDrifter just could not have taught Axis the skills associated with the water music — his own abilities in that area were too poor.
    Natural ability, then, on Axis' part? Perhaps. But MorningStar did not think that natural ability explained everydiing. She shook herself and stood up. She did not want to think just yet about why Axis was so good at learning the Songs when other Icarii Enchanters had so much difficulty.
    Perhaps he was not learning them for die first time.
    "Stars, woman!" MorningStar muttered to herself. "Don't even think it!"
    The Rebel Army
    Belial's hazel eyes restlessly scanned the leaden-grey sky. Either side of him reared the barren walls of Hold-Hard Pass, their starkness relieved only by the occasional stunted bush or tree. It was eleven days since they had entered the eastern end of the Pass, and five since Belial had ordered they set up camp and sent Arne, the most experienced unit commander Belial still had with him, and a small number of men to scout Sigholt and its environs.
    Belial hardly dared hope Sigholt would provide them with a base. He desperately wished that he'd some of those Icarii farflight scouts with him.
    Instead he had been forced to send men on what might well be a dangerous and fruitless mission.
    That any of them were alive at all was due principally to Magariz — and the foresight of Borneheld, of all people. Beside him Lord Magariz sat a fidgeting Belaguez. The two men took turns to exercise Axis' war horse. Belaguez had already thrown Magariz twice today, and Belial had his own fair share of bruises from the cursed grey stallion. We should just let the horse run wild, Belial thought, before he kills one of us. I can ill afford to lose Magariz.
    Lord Magariz had been Duke Borneheld's most senior and trusted commander, responsible during the past twelve years for commanding the garrison at Gorkenfort. Yet Magariz had deserted Borneheld to follow Axis, even though his disloyaltywould almost certainly result in his death should the Duke ever catch him. Magariz's choice had undoubtedly saved the lives of fielial and those of the three thousand men he led. After they'd watched the Icarii claim Axis at the foot of the Icescarp Alps, they had ridden into the dreadful territories of die Icescarp Barren and the northern WildDog Plains. Only Magariz's familiarity with the area, and his knowledge of the reserves of food, fuel and hay that lay secreted across northern Ichtar, had saved them from starvation during the five weeks it took diem to reach die southern Plains.
    In the months leading up to the siege of Gorkenfort, Borneheld and Magariz had planned for every eventuality. Among die less palatable had been a retreat from Gorkenfort. But neidier had been sure of which direction diey'd be able to retreat in — south through central Ichtar to Jervois Landing or east across die Icescarp Barren and through the WildDog Plains to Skarabost? In the end, Borneheld had ordered that supplies be secreted across both lines of retreat. And while Borneheld and his command had undoubtedly made effective use of the reserves in central Ichtar, so Belial and his command had benefited from the supply route across the Icescarp Barren and the WildDog Plains.
    Borneheld would be horrified to realise that his planning had saved die lives of men openly allied with the Forbidden.
    Surprisingly, the Skraelings had hardly bothered Belial's force as they moved east and then south. Belial wished he knew what die Skraelings were up to. Had they hurt them so badly in the ice fields above Gorkenfort they'd gone to ground to lick their wounds? Or were they even now massing for a devastating assault on Achar through Ichtar? Belial irritably brushed his sandy hair off his forehead, the green thread