Lord of the Shadows by Jennifer Fallon Read Free Book Online

never let that murderous whore profit from what she's done! I'm certainly not going to bow to the smug little slut and offer her my loyalty. If anyone should succeed Belagren, then it should be me.” Her eyes narrowed suspiciously. “Or are
you
planning to step into her shoes now that you've removed me from my position as the right hand of the High Priestess?”
    Dirk shook his head. “I don't want the job, Madalan. I never did. I wanted to be Belagren's right hand to protect myselffrom Antonov, that's all. Anyway, you mustn't become High Priestess. The Lord of the Suns named you his successor. When Paige Halyn dies, you're to become the Lady of the Suns. Then you will outrank Marqel and we will have some hope of controlling her.”
    “How do you know about that?”
    “Belagren told me.”
    Madalan was still doubtful, but everything Dirk had told her fitted in with the way Belagren did things. His story was
plausible
and it was always easier to believe a plausible lie than go digging for the truth, especially when you stood to profit from it.
    “Paige Halyn may live for years yet,” Madalan pointed out. “How do we control Marqel in the meantime?”
    “Keep her away from Antonov, for one thing,” Dirk suggested. “Take her back to the Hall of Shadows and bury her in paperwork. She's going to need training, even Antonov will accept that, and it's perfectly reasonable you assume the duties of the High Priestess, and the role of training her successor, until the Lord of the Suns can get to Avacas to appoint Belagren's replacement formally. Between the two of us, I'm sure we can find any number of ways to delay Paige's decision to appoint Marqel until it suits our plans. You will effectively be High Priestess until then, anyway. Paige Halyn is dying, so Belagren informed me. If we manage it right, there'll be little time for Marqel to do any real damage before you succeed him and then you can curb her excesses all you want and not even Antonov will be able to stop you.”
    Madalan was still not convinced. “It feels wrong, letting Marqel commit murder and receive nothing for it but a slap on the wrist.”
    “If it's any consolation, she's had a slap on the face.”
    “I do not appreciate your attempts at levity, Dirk Provin. Have you told Antonov you believe Marqel's vision is accurate?”
    “Not yet. I thought it would sound better if you were there to back me up.”
    Madalan shook her head doubtfully. “This is fraught with danger …”
    “Then as an added precaution, might I suggest you start looking for a replacement for Marqel?”
    “Why?”
    “The Goddess has just chosen a different voice, my lady. If she can do it once, she can do it again. Let's find another Shadowdancer we can groom for the role of Voice of the Goddess. That way, if Marqel proves too much trouble, we can simply announce the Goddess has found a more worthy vessel and the Goddess can take Marqel to her bosom anytime we decide she's no longer useful to us.”
    Madalan nodded slowly, apparently not in the least bothered by the suggestion they might have to kill Marqel. “That may work.”
    Dirk watched her closely for any sign she doubted him. But Madalan had followed Belagren for years. He was counting on that habit surviving her death.
    “You knew the High Priestess better than I, my lady,” he pointed out, with a touch of convincing humility. “This is her plan, not mine. Despite the alteration Marqel took upon herself to make to it, I feel we should be guided by Belagren's wisdom and follow it through.”
    “Has the Lord of the Suns been informed of the High Priestess's death yet?”
    “I thought you should do that,” he replied. “In your role as acting High Priestess.”
    Madalan thought about it for a moment and then nodded slowly. “Does anyone else know what really happened?”
    “Yuri knows. We talked about it. He understands the wisdom of not revealing the true circumstances of Belagren's death.”
    “Yuri would,”