Warlock and Son by Christopher Stasheff Read Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Christopher Stasheff
moving toward the forest path. Cordelia stepped aside to catch up her broomstick before she came along-not quite quickly enough to escape hearing the hag scream with terror, a scream that was cut off in the middle. Cordelia shuddered and hurried on under the shelter of the bare branches. "Father..."
"They're merciful, in their way," Rod said firmly. "You can be sure she won't have even a fraction of the pain she's given others."
"Yet without trial . . ." Magnus said.
Rod looked up, startled. "Don't tell me you think she could be innocent!"
"Why, certes not!"
"Well, then." Rod nodded. "Don't worry-the elves have their own form of due process. They won't even need you two as witnesses. And, son-the Wee Folk don't generally spread gossip. At least, not to mortal people."
Magnus nodded, relaxing a little more. "Thou wilt say naught of this to my brothers?"
"Of course not-nor to your mother, either."
"Unless she doth ask," Magnus qualified.
"Well, yes. But don't worry-she can keep a secret, too."
Page 24
Generated by ABC Amber LIT Conv erter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html
"As to that--" Cordelia frowned. "Wherefore didst thou summon me, and not Mama?" Rod shook his head. "I don't `summon' your mother, Cordelia. I call for help, maybe, but I don't
`summon.' And this is probably the last time I'll be able to call you that way." Cordelia studied him, pensive. "And 'tis therefore thou didst summon me, not her?"
"Why, no." Rod looked up, surprised. "I called you because you're the best at healing, daughter. Your mother has trained you very well, and even though she may have more experience, you have so much talent that you've surpassed her-in that one area at least. Or so she says. Didn't you know?"
4
Cordelia flew off into the mists of false dawn after once more promising to tell no one of the night's adventures. Rod and Magnus managed to retrace the young man's trail and find his horse and clothing. Now, once more dressed and mounted, Magnus was recovering his self-confidence. They came down out of the trees as the sun was risingand the other son was remembering that he was supposed to be feeling aggrieved. "Thou didst follow me, didst thou not?" Rod started to answer, then caught himself with the denial still on his tongue. He had tried never to lie to his children, though there were times when he'd felt he'd had to. This wasn't one of them, however. "Yes, son, I did."
"Why? Didst thou fear I was not equal to whate'er might rise against me? Dost thou think me yet a child?"
"No," Rod said, relieved that it had been a double question. Answering the one of his choice, he said, "I know quite well that you're a man grown."
"How, then, didst thou hap upon me when I was in such dire need?"
"Because the peasants asked me." Rod gestured at the village. "Ask them, if you don't believe me." But there was no need to. The peasant men were coming out to their fields; they saw Rod and froze. Then they dropped their hoes and ran forward with glad cries.
"'Tis the stranger-knight returned!"
"He doth live! He hath prevailed!"
"Praise Heaven thou art well, sir knight!"
"I do." Rod smiled down at them. "I assure you, I do." The men cast apprehensive looks at Magnus, but turned back to Rod.
"Didst thou escape the witch, then?"
"Didst thou not find her?"
Page 25
Generated by ABC Amber LIT Conv erter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html
"I found her," Rod said quietly. "Oh, yes, I found herdidn't we, son?" Magnus clamped his jaw shut, and managed a grim nod. The men looked up, startled, glancing covertly from father to son and back again, realizing that there was a resemblance after all. "And thy son?"
"I couldn't have defeated her without his strength," Rod assured them.
"Then thou hast triumphed!"
"The witch is dead?"
"The Wee Folk have taken her," Rod replied.
"They did not seem overly fond of her," Magnus added. "I doubt me not that if she is not dead, she doth wish she were."
The peasants muttered to one
"They're merciful, in their way," Rod said firmly. "You can be sure she won't have even a fraction of the pain she's given others."
"Yet without trial . . ." Magnus said.
Rod looked up, startled. "Don't tell me you think she could be innocent!"
"Why, certes not!"
"Well, then." Rod nodded. "Don't worry-the elves have their own form of due process. They won't even need you two as witnesses. And, son-the Wee Folk don't generally spread gossip. At least, not to mortal people."
Magnus nodded, relaxing a little more. "Thou wilt say naught of this to my brothers?"
"Of course not-nor to your mother, either."
"Unless she doth ask," Magnus qualified.
"Well, yes. But don't worry-she can keep a secret, too."
Page 24
Generated by ABC Amber LIT Conv erter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html
"As to that--" Cordelia frowned. "Wherefore didst thou summon me, and not Mama?" Rod shook his head. "I don't `summon' your mother, Cordelia. I call for help, maybe, but I don't
`summon.' And this is probably the last time I'll be able to call you that way." Cordelia studied him, pensive. "And 'tis therefore thou didst summon me, not her?"
"Why, no." Rod looked up, surprised. "I called you because you're the best at healing, daughter. Your mother has trained you very well, and even though she may have more experience, you have so much talent that you've surpassed her-in that one area at least. Or so she says. Didn't you know?"
4
Cordelia flew off into the mists of false dawn after once more promising to tell no one of the night's adventures. Rod and Magnus managed to retrace the young man's trail and find his horse and clothing. Now, once more dressed and mounted, Magnus was recovering his self-confidence. They came down out of the trees as the sun was risingand the other son was remembering that he was supposed to be feeling aggrieved. "Thou didst follow me, didst thou not?" Rod started to answer, then caught himself with the denial still on his tongue. He had tried never to lie to his children, though there were times when he'd felt he'd had to. This wasn't one of them, however. "Yes, son, I did."
"Why? Didst thou fear I was not equal to whate'er might rise against me? Dost thou think me yet a child?"
"No," Rod said, relieved that it had been a double question. Answering the one of his choice, he said, "I know quite well that you're a man grown."
"How, then, didst thou hap upon me when I was in such dire need?"
"Because the peasants asked me." Rod gestured at the village. "Ask them, if you don't believe me." But there was no need to. The peasant men were coming out to their fields; they saw Rod and froze. Then they dropped their hoes and ran forward with glad cries.
"'Tis the stranger-knight returned!"
"He doth live! He hath prevailed!"
"Praise Heaven thou art well, sir knight!"
"I do." Rod smiled down at them. "I assure you, I do." The men cast apprehensive looks at Magnus, but turned back to Rod.
"Didst thou escape the witch, then?"
"Didst thou not find her?"
Page 25
Generated by ABC Amber LIT Conv erter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html
"I found her," Rod said quietly. "Oh, yes, I found herdidn't we, son?" Magnus clamped his jaw shut, and managed a grim nod. The men looked up, startled, glancing covertly from father to son and back again, realizing that there was a resemblance after all. "And thy son?"
"I couldn't have defeated her without his strength," Rod assured them.
"Then thou hast triumphed!"
"The witch is dead?"
"The Wee Folk have taken her," Rod replied.
"They did not seem overly fond of her," Magnus added. "I doubt me not that if she is not dead, she doth wish she were."
The peasants muttered to one
Similar Books
Rosalia's Bittersweet Pastry Shop
Rosanna Chiofalo
I’m Losing You
Bruce Wagner
Glass Ceilings
A. M. Madden
Wife for Hire
Christine Bell
Mischief
Amanda Quick
Stevr (The Mating Games Book 5)
Catty Diva
Revealing Revelations
Ric Nero
Natalie Wants a Puppy
Dandi Daley Mackall
Resurrection
Kevin Collins
Alternate Gerrolds
David Gerrold