Empress of Wolves Read Free Page A

of Lukas, looking much more presentable than he had outside.
    The former Praetor was dressed in a Guard uniform sans the surcoat. A shortsword hung at his side, balanced by a bullet pouch on the other side. One of the rifles rested against his back. Lukas bowed to them, his movements deadly grace.
    “Lord kyl'Malkador, Your Grace,” Lukas said. He bowed deeply, fist to chest in the Argosian way. Eyes the color of evergreen pines assessed the four Dashmari. His voice held the easy drawl that characterized most Argosian speech. Quick as foxes in their thinking, yet most of Argoth's citizenry drawled their words in a lazy tone, hiding just how cunning and clever they could be. Kalla hid a smile. It had been a long time since she had heard an Argosian with such a pronounced accent as Lukas'. If she had to wager a guess, she'd say he was from northern Argoth.
    “Well met, Magister Aricsson,” Vander replied. The man winced, a mere tightening of the skin around his eyes, but Kalla caught it. He was still trying to figure out how he felt about his new situation.
    “Sir Lukas, you will be traveling to the Evergreen Palace with us. Is that going to be a problem for you?” Vander asked. Lukas winced again, but shook his head.
    “No, Your Grace. Emperor Sykes will likely not be pleased, but I have been fairly claimed as a magister of the Kanlon. I am grateful for a chance to maybe put things right.
    “I will warn you though, Your Grace, that there is another mage here already, interfering where the magi are forbidden to interfere,” Lukas said, voice tight with anger and tension.
    “Yes, Lord kyl'Malkador has shared that with me. Perhaps we will be able to do something about that, in the end,” Vander replied.
    “I would be in your debt,” Lukas said with a bow. Now that Lukas was done, the Guards lead them back to the waiting dignitaries.
    “I think we are finished here. Please, do lead on,” Vander said. They scowled at him, giving Lukas an even more unfriendly look. Kalla guessed that news of Manny's new magister would precede them to the Palace and Sykes would be fully aware of the situation long before they arrived. She hadn't missed the Guard that had spoken to their guides, then took off at a trot.
    As they filed out of the prison and started up the wide avenue that would lead them to the Evergreen Palace, the three magisters spread out to surround Kalla, 'Kartoff' and Manny. Lukas easily and instinctively worked with the two soldiers, not realizing that they were magisters as well. Kasai took the point of the protective triangle, Aleister the left and Lukas the right. A phalanx of the Guard surrounded them, ostensibly as an escort.
    The group rounded the corner, turning onto another broad avenue. The Evergreen Palace dominated the street's end. Carved from a dark green granite, the Palace rose in elegant tree towers, Trinity Crown banners snapping and fluttering from the tops.
    Columns before the Imperial Palace were carved with images of green thriving trees and depictions of King Oak, the deity of spring and summer, the seasons of life's exultation. Two rows of Royal Pines lined the sides of the avenue, while a single row of giant Regal Oaks ran up the center. The street was broad enough for columns of soldiers to pass up or down either side. Nearby a small river burbled, an offshoot of the great Algassey River.
    More of the Praetorian Guard stood at attention before the Palace. They bowed as the procession approached them. A tall man stepped forward. He was dressed in pants and tunic of a hunter green. The collar and sleeves were embroidered with gold thread in a tiny leaf pattern. Over this he wore a black tabard with the Trinity Claw on the back.
    “Greetings, Emperor Kartoff, and welcome to Imperia Argosia. My name is Owyn Jacobsson, Castellan of the Evergreen. If you will please follow me, the Emperor is waiting to meet you.” Owyn paused. His eyes narrowed as his gaze settled on Lukas.
    “I must,