War of Shadows by Gail Z. Martin Read Free Book Online Page A

newcomer over to Blaine at sword’s point, with a guard trailing warily behind them. A slender man in patched brown robes strode toward him, his angular features pinched with annoyance, and a pair of wire-rimmed spectacles perched on his sharp nose.
    “Well, well, well,” Blaine said. “Treven Lowrey. I thought you were staying in Valshoa with Vigus Quintrel.” His sidelongglance to Kestel confirmed that she was as wary of the mage’s reappearance as Blaine.
    “Lord McFadden! Tell this lout to unhand me,” Lowrey demanded, glowering at Piran.
    Blaine caught Piran’s eye. With a sigh, Piran lowered his weapon but did not sheathe it.
    “What brings you back to civilization, Treven?” Blaine worked to keep his features unreadable and his tone light, but he felt the same mistrust of the mage that was clear in his friends’ expressions.
    “I came to beg for sanctuary,” Lowrey said, managing to look both defiant and desperate at the same time. “Quintrel sent a delegation of mages to rebuild the University in Lord Rostivan’s lands, and I asked to join them, figuring that I could make a break for it once I reached the city.”
    Kestel fingered one of her knives. “The last time we saw you, you’d decided to throw in your lot with Vigus Quintrel—right before he tried to keep us prisoner in Valshoa.”
    Lowrey’s eyes widened. “One of the biggest mistakes of my life,” he said, clutching at his chest dramatically. “Quintrel is a madman. That’s why I had to leave—and why I wanted to warn you.”
    “Why did you think you’d find us here?” Piran asked suspiciously. He still had his sword in hand, and Blaine suspected Piran would be just as happy to give Lowrey a poke.
    “I didn’t,” Lowrey said. “But I was desperate to get out of Valshoa. Once I got to the University—what’s left of it—I managed to sneak out for a pint at what passes for a pub these days,” he said with a sniff of derision. “That’s where I ran into one of the mages I knew from my days as a scholar. He told me he’d gone to ground after the Cataclysm, and wanted no part of organized magic anymore.” He gave a conspiratorial smile.“Seems my friend now sells good-luck tokens and love charms,” he said, “and makes enough to keep himself in ale.”
    “And your point is?” Piran prodded with an unfriendly look.
    Lowrey gave a long-suffering sigh. “My old friend told me that some of the other mages had come out of hiding. And I heard they joined up with you.”
    Out of the corner of his eye, Blaine could see that Dagur and the other mage were watching with a look of concern. Their expressions gave Blaine to believe they were about as thrilled as Piran was to see Lowrey.
    “With Reese in hiding and Pollard on the run, I’m not surprised mages have started trickling back,” Blaine replied, dodging Lowrey’s implied question. “But these days, nothing’s safe,” he added. He paused. “You said you wanted to warn us.”
    Lowrey nodded vigorously. “Two things you must know. First of all, Vigus is dangerous. He’s allied with warlord Rostivan, and he’s trying to gather any magical items he can find and to have the mages figure out how to use them in battle.” Lowrey leaned forward, and there was fear in his face that for once seemed utterly genuine. “He’s convinced the mages should emerge to rule the Continent,” Lowrey said. “And he’s mad enough to believe he should be the power behind the throne.”
    Kestel gave Lowrey a no-nonsense look. “We already knew Quintrel wasn’t to be trusted when he tried to keep us prisoner in Valshoa. Anyone who knew Quintrel before the Cataclysm knew he was always—only—out for himself. As for the other part, there are a number of delusional warlords who all think they should be king—why is this news?”
    Lowrey lifted his chin and pulled himself up to his full height. “All right, then. How’s this? Restoring the magic by himself put Blaine in grave danger,