The Sage Seed Chronicles: The Unraveling by Holly Barbo Read Free Book Online Page B

then cuts and shapes the
stones for jewelry and other embellishments. We also have the
‘Luminescence Crystal’ miners that provide everybody with our
household ‘glow stones’. Most all of these activities take place in
the Khanlund Province which is the most mineral rich province of
all the realm. It’s where I’m from.”
    “That’s where the Great One lives, right?”,
asked Erin. “Have you ever seen him? Ever met him?”
    “I have lived there all my life, though I
have traveled around.” answered Lor, “Yes, I have met him. Believe
me, meeting one of the ‘Sages’ is always interesting.”
    Erin looked at him quizzically. “What do you
mean by that? I have heard that he is very wise but your wording
implies something more than that.”
    Lor returned the look. “There is more to the
word. Every two or three generations an extraordinarily rare person
is born. It is sort of a throwback from an ancient race that we
came from. The person has an unusual set of qualities: wisdom,
intelligence, incorruptible ethics and usually an extra gift that,
seems to some, almost magical. They appear like a regular person
with great qualities but they are different. They can live for
hundreds of years. Our rulers have always been “sages” and we have
benefited from their wise leadership.”
    Erin contemplated that for a moment then
replied, “It has never been explained that way. I suppose my
parents knew but it didn’t occur to them to spell it out. Something
you take for granted like the wind and glow stone light. Hmm. You
said he was ‘one of the Sages’. There are others then, if they are
born every forty to sixty years.”
    “Yes, because of their long life there are
others but most live quite ordinary lives. They all have those
characteristics, though.”
    Erin sat in thought for a few minutes then
asked, “So you don’t know who is a sage unless they live beyond a
regular life span.”
    Lor gave the lad a long look and said
quietly, ‘Yes, that is probably true. They have a strong
constitution so usually don’t get sick. They can, I suppose, be
killed in an accident. It would be an “unpardonable crime” to cause
a Sage to die. They are so rare and revered. It is one of the
reasons that murder is such a great crime in our law
structure.”
    “We got away from your original question. The
Miners Guild. My part in the guild has been with the Glow Stone
mining. I have taken many of these journeys, though, particularly
the Autumn fairs and the last business circuit of the year. It is
an important run to make sure that all of our provinces have the
supplies they need before the winter sets in and travel gets
difficult. But it is also a great time to trade and barter.
Sometimes someone has developed something really beautiful or
innovative. It’s at the fairs where we exchange ideas or news.
“
    Lor continued, “By nightfall we will be at
the fair grounds by Wellyn. We will set up our booths at dawn
tomorrow. If you are agreeable, I would like you to stay with me
during this fall circuit and care for the animals. I’ll do the
selling and working with the customer but you could help me by
fetching things from the wagon, setting up and tearing down. You
could look for your Uncle Cron in the towns we will be visiting.
Though your appearance is a little dirty,” Lor gave Terran a grin,
“you look like a bright lad and could keep your eyes and ears open
for information that might be useful. I will feed, shelter and give
you two guild marks to spend at each gather. What say you? Do we
have a bargain?”
    Erin opened the door in her mind just a
little bit further to “read” Lor. She had done that a time or two
before but if she was going to commit to working for him she wanted
to check him again. What she sensed was friendliness and concern
for the “lad”. She put out her hand and grinned, “That’s a deal!”
and shook his hand.
    In early afternoon, Erin got down from the
wagon and woke Tempo. She told