The Runes of the Earth: The Last Chronicles of Thomas Covenant - Book One by Stephen R. Donaldson Read Free Book Online

is unconscionable.”
    â€œI reached her,” he objected. “That’s more than you can do.”
    â€œOh, you reached her, all right,” Linden returned. “That’s pretty damn obvious. It’s the results I object to.”
    Roger frowned uncertainly. “You think she’s better off the way she is.” He appeared genuinely confused by Linden’s reaction.
    â€œ I think—” Linden began, then stopped herself. He was beyond argument. More quietly, she stated, “I think that until you bring me a court order to the contrary, she stays here. End of discussion.
    â€œThe front door”—she pointed along the hall—“is that way.”
    For an instant, anger seemed to flicker in his dissociated eyes. But then he shrugged, and the glimpse vanished.
    â€œWe’ll resolve this later, Dr. Avery,” he said as if he were sure. “There’s just one more thing.
    â€œCan you tell me what happened to my father’s wedding ring?”
    Without transition, Linden went cold. In the Land, Covenant’s white gold ring was the symbol and instrument of his power. With it, he had wielded wild magic against the Despiser.
    Roger wanted more than a chance to take his mother’s place. He wanted his father’s theurgy as well.
    â€œI understand he always wore it,” he went on, “but it wasn’t found on his body. I’ve asked Megan Roman and Sheriff Lytton, but they don’t know where it is. It’s mine now. I want it.”
    Old habit caused her to raise her hand to the irrefusable circle of the ring under her blouse. Roger meant to bear white gold to the Land so that he could tear down the Arch of Time, set Lord Foul free. The Despiser had already renewed his assault on the beauty of the Earth, and an ordeal that had nearly destroyed Linden once before was about to begin again—
    No. No. It was impossible. Such things had exhausted their reality for her ten years ago.
    Nevertheless she believed it. Or she believed that Roger Covenant believed it.
    And if he believed it—
    He smiled his vacant smile at her.
    â€”then she could not afford to let him know that she had guessed his intent. If herealized that his plans were endangered, he might do something she would be unable to prevent.
    Already she might have given away too much. He could have seen the ingrained movement of her hand.
    People were going to die—
    A heartbeat later, however, she recovered her courage. “I have it,” she answered. She did not mean to diminish herself with lies. And she would not disavow her loyalty to his father. “I’ve had it ever since he died.”
    Roger nodded. “That’s why Sheriff Lytton didn’t find it.”
    â€œYour father left it to me,” Linden stated flatly. “I intend to keep it.”
    â€œIt belongs to me,” he countered. “His will left everything to my mother. I inherited it yesterday.”
    She shook her head. “No, you didn’t. It came to me before he died. It isn’t part of his estate.”
    In fact, Covenant had not handed her the ring directly: she had retrieved it when the Despiser had slain him with its argent fire. Nevertheless she considered it hers as much as if he had wedded her with it.
    â€œI see.” Roger frowned again. “That’s a problem, Dr. Avery. I need it. I can’t take her place without it. Not entirely. And if I don’t take her place, she’ll never be completely free.”
    He seemed unconcerned that he had revealed so much. Perhaps he did not consider Linden discerning enough to understand him.
    â€œBut it’s not my problem,” she said precisely. “We’re done here. Good-bye, Mr. Covenant. The door is—”
    â€œI know,” he interrupted. “The door is that way.
    â€œ Doctor Avery”—now he sneered her title—“you have no idea what you’re interfering