The Safe-Keeper's Secret by Sharon Shinn Read Free Book Online Page B

palace.”
    Isadora gave an unladylike snort. “The man’s been through two wives and who knows how many companions,” she said. “And he’s only fathered the one child who lived to adulthood. That girl that he won’t allow to succeed him to the crown.”
    â€œAnd Reed,” Fiona piped up.
    Again, the women exchanged startled glances. “There’s no proof that Reed is the king’s son,” Damiana said gently.
    â€œYou don’t need proof,” Fiona said. “You
know.
”
    â€œWhat I know might not be good enough for the king,” her mother responded. “Anyway, I’m sure the king would insist upon a legitimate heir. And so far Princess Lirabel is the only one he’s got.”
    Just then, Reed burst through the door, covered in mud and holding a coiling snake between his hands. “Look what I found in the garden!” he exclaimed. “Do we have a box where I can keep him?”
    Isadora emitted a little shriek and fell back in her chair, fanning herself with her hand. Fiona hopped up to get a closer look at the sleek, sinuous body. Damiana smiled faintly.
    â€œWell, let me just look for a box, and then I’ll get dinner on the table,” she said. “Isadora, it looks like
Reed’s
dearest wish has come true. Now you won’t have to wonder why you came to Tambleham after all.”
    After dinner, Reed and Fiona did the dishes, though Fiona felt that she was doing more than her share. Reed kept dropping his drying cloth so he could go inspect his new pet and see if it had eaten its own dinner of crickets and ladybugs. Damiana moved between them, humming a little, preparing gallons of tea, loaves of fresh bread, and platters of cookies, as if she expected company.
    Sure enough, one by one, the neighbors started to arrive. Elminstra was first, her one-year-old granddaughter in her arms. “Isadora, I thought that was you!” she said, greeting the Dream-Maker with a kiss. “Tell me what you’ve seen in your travels.”
    â€œHello, Elminstra, how good to see you,” Isadora replied.
    They had only exchanged a few words before the farmer down the road arrived with his two teenaged daughters, shy and beautiful. Next itwas Dirk and his father; after that, the blacksmith, then the carter, then the money-changer. After that, Fiona lost track. She helped her mother bring out trays of food and gather up the used dishes, offering unobtrusive hospitality. Though all of these people had, at some point, come to this very house to seek Damiana’s services, none of them were here tonight to confer with the Safe-Keeper. They were here with sincere expressions of goodwill and well-being, but they had an agenda that was nobody’s secret—they hoped some of the Dream-Maker’s magic would rub off on them or those they loved. None of them said so, of course. They talked of the weather, the conditions of the road, last year’s harvest, next spring’s fair. Most of them brought some kind of small token to press into Isadora’s hand—a glittering crystal stone, a braided leather belt, a pair of embroidered slippers. Thoughtful remembrances that said in turn,
Keep
me
in your thoughts. When the power takes hold of you again, remember me
.
    It was past midnight before all the guests were gone, and Fiona was yawning over the sink. Reed, who was not about to go up to bed even if he didn’t feel like being useful, was shuffling and reshuffling a dog-eared card deck, trying to teach himself a trick. Damiana wiped down the kitchen table one last time and peered into the big main room.
    â€œI think they’re all gone, for the moment,” Isadora said.
    â€œThen let me fix up the bed for you,” Damiana said. “You two—go on upstairs. I’ll be there in a minute.”
    Reed, of course, protested, but without much credibility. Fiona washed her face and went upstairs without another