The web of wizardry by Juanita Coulson Read Free Book Online

and paleness of the nortliern people, the Irico. Age had made him gaunt and whitened the more his flesh and beard until he had taken on a living cadaver's form, shrouded in his rough brown robe. He was a man who touched matters no mortal should, daring death and the divine ones' jealousy.
    "Jlandla Hill has fallen, my Lord General." Ulodovol brought with his words the frigid winds of his homeland. "He of our Web who dwelt in Clarique —Wizard Orlait—is dead. With him have gone tens upon tens upon tens of Clarique soldiers and seamen, broken and slain by the weapons of the invader, they who call themselves Markuand."
    Danaer had felt the touch of the goddess, and he did not shrink from such holy prophecies, for that was what must be. There was no piety in Ulodovol, however. He spoke not out of sacred visions but with the arts of magic.
    "When? When has this happened?" Yistar demanded, the first among the others to find his voice.
    "Orlait died but moments ago. Captain. But the battle has gone ill for the Clarique for many candle-marks. All hope has now vanished for the beaten Clarique. Sorkra Orlait did not die quickly, I fear. There is wizardry among these Markuand, a most potent wizardry. It sought to draw all the knowledge of

    our Web from Orlait. He resisted them courageously to the very end. A most vaHant sorkra. I regret his loss to the Web."
    Nothing in Ulodovol's lean face confirmed that he felt that loss or grieved for his dead comrade in sorcery. He spoke of the defeat of arms and the hideous death of a fellow wizard with no more inflection than a merchant might use to assess broken pots. Danaer's respect for the man's calling was becoming mingled with profound distaste.
    In the same emotionless tone, Ulodovol told Nurdanth, "The Markuand have quite overrun the isle of Tor-Nali. On the morrow, they will plan to launch further attacks. The Clarique will not yield easily, of course. But the main portion of their soldiery is shattered. The invaders have captured many Clarique ships, many horses and woolbacks and weapons—and they do not encumber themselves with male prisoners overlong."
    General Nurdanth covered his eyes for a heartbeat, badly shaken. "This afternoon, when . . . when you touched your Web, the situation in Clarique was said to be most grave. But this ... !"
    "The Clarique might have suffered less loss, or even held the island, if they had not been abandoned by their leader at the height of the battle."
    "Thaerl?" Yistar's florid complexion darkened alarmingly. "Are you saying Lord General Thaerl of the Clarique deserted his soldiers? It is unthinkable! Why, the man has been the terror of the island pirates for seasons. And in the civil war against his queen he ... he is no coward!"
    "Not cowardice, Captain," Ulodovol said mysteriously. He held out a hand to Lira Nalu, commanding her to join him. She choked back her tears and blended her powers with those of her master, visibly bracing herself for some ordeal. "We will show you," Ulodovol announced.
    The tapers dimmed, though no one had snuffed them. The room was swept with an unnatural darkness. Images swam in the air above the table and Danaer beheld a defensive position, thick with sol-

    diers, standing upon the slope of an island peak. Stout warships patrolled the harbor below the citadel.
    Danaer had never seen such an expanse of water but had listened to minstrels' tales concerning the sea. He knew he was gazing upon a part of the land of Clarique, a thousand king's-measures or more away from Krantin.
    It was day, and Peluva's golden burden shone upon a mighty army and fleet. The Clarique were mighty warriors, the seed of ancient Traecheus. Strong-limbed and yellow-haired, they were proud of their heritage and fierce in defense of their island.
    Time sped in blinks of an eye, clouds shifting across the sun as fast as birds. The battle came upon the Clarique as Danaer and the others watched. By tradition, a descendant of Ryerdon, he should have