Sovereign of the Seven Isles 7: Reishi Adept by David A. Wells Read Free Book Online

doorframe and stepped out onto the plateau high in the Andalian mountains that had been home for the past few days. He offered his friends a smile before closing them inside, then he mounted up behind Kiera, double-checking his straps. Kiera signaled her wing rider and the two wyverns leapt off the mountaintop into the sky. Alexander felt the increasingly familiar thrill of falling and then the crush of gravity as the wyvern’s powerful wings thrust against the air, propelling them higher. He silently gave thanks that the weather was fair and warm.
    It wasn’t long before the thrill of flight gave way to monotony. Kiera flew high enough to be safe from any conceivable attack from the ground. While the world seemed to pass by slowly, the edge of the evergreen forest blanketing the Western Province passed beneath them soon enough. The sun was high in the sky when they landed in the makeshift aerie set a fair distance from the hastily constructed shipyard and the town that was rapidly growing up around it.
    Handlers went to work unbuckling the saddles and feeding the wyverns as Alexander and Kiera dismounted.
    “It’ll be a couple of hours before we’re ready to fly again,” Kiera said.
    “All right . I think I’ll go have a look at the shipyard.”
    Alexander opened the door to his Wizard’s Den and his friends filed out into the afternoon sun.
    “I have to say, that’s a remarkably relaxing way to travel,” Jack said, taking in his new surroundings.
    A few moments later, two Rangers arrived and reined in their horses. Recognition spread through the lead man’s colors.
    “LaChance, right?” Alexander said. “You were Kevin’s lieutenant.”
    “ I was indeed, Lord Reishi. Regent Alaric sent me to assist General Talia. He promoted me to commander and assigned me to lead the incursion into Andalia.”
    “Outstanding , Commander. Why don’t you tell us about your progress over lunch.”
    LaChance summoned a wagon and Alexander and his friends piled in for the short ride into town. The place looked like it had been built yesterday. The main road was dirt with shrubs and grass still clinging to the space between the wagon ruts. The buildings, many of them still under construction, were built with freshly cut timbers. Tents picked up where the buildings left off, sprawling haphazardly off into fields littered with stumps.
    The people were busy, bustling this way and that ; hauling wood to the paddlewheel-powered sawmill that straddled a nearby stream; clearing trees, both to create more space for the expanding population and to feed the shipyard’s insatiable demand for lumber; and working in every conceivable type of shop, from smithies to bakeries.
    LaChance led them into one of the larger buildings and motioned to the table in the center of the main room.
    “Welcome to my headquarters,” he said with an unabashed smile. “I know it doesn’t look like much, but a week ago this was nothing but a patch of dirt.”
    “Sounds like you’re making good progress,” Alexander said.
    “We are, and I expect that to accelerate now that you’ve given General Talia the order to move on Andalia.”
    “That was quick,” Alexander said. “I just talked to him yesterday.”
    “We received a message rider this morning,” LaChance said. “One of the things I’ve learned from working for General Talia is that he plans for just about every conceivable situation. I’m sure the moment you gave the order, he set his plan into motion. I’m expecting a fleet to arrive within the week loaded with soldiers, weapons, food, and gold.”
    “Outstanding,” Alexander said. “How are things on the ground here?”
    “I suspect it’s like most everywhere else … we have too much to do and not enough to do it with. I’ve put most of my resources into the shipyard, so the town is coming along more slowly than most people would like. Fortunately, the weather has been mild so the tents are adequate for now, but that won’t