Fallen Magician (The Magician Rebellion) Read Free Page A

more deeply. “Chance, take your remaining men and head back to Everec. Tell Lady Lightfoot what you have told me so that she may prepare her men to march to battle. The city’s guards and the militia will be pressed to handle a force of that size and the smaller towns will have no choice except to retreat to Everec, so it will be paramount that she is ready for the refugees that are sure to come to Everec.
    “ Donovan, return to your men positioned to the west and take them back to Everec as well. I will head east in search of the remaining scouts and will return with them.”
    “ Yes, ma’am,” both squad leaders answered in near unison. Donovan looked as if he wished to add something, but instead began heading west as commanded.
    Chance and his remaining men were about to do the same, but Sari stopped them. “Chance, is it possible that Handy and Dagson could have eluded their pursuers?”
    “ We did not see them cut down, Captain, but I think it unlikely that they survived,” Chance admitted, “Still they were headed east-”
    “ Then I will watch for them as I travel east myself,” Sari concluded. The elf worked her way down the mountainside on an eastern path. It was as Marian feared; a small army of orcs was headed towards Everec, but why? If their goal were to raze the mountainside, then the humans would be unable to stop them without reinforcements, but if the orcs marched on Everec, then the city’s military stood a fair chance at victory. Deep down Sari had a feeling gnawing at her that something was very wrong about what was happening.

Chapter 2
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    “ My deepest regrets, sir, but Sir Lightfoot has not been seen in three days,” the house butler apologized profusely. He was a young man with a full head of dark brown hair that made Sane more than a little jealous at his own bald scalp. The butler was dressed in fine clothes that denoted him as living in a more refined environment than the typical commoner, but not so nice as to outshine whatever garments his masters might wear. “No one knows where he has gone. Lady Marian has been beside herself with worry. She has barely left her manor since Byrn’s disappearance. The city’s council has been forced to act on her behalf to answer city concerns and Lady Marian… she acts like a woman in mourning.” The butler wrung his hands nervously and shifted his feet. His head hung low as if he was expecting a beating at the distressing news.
    Instead the sorcerer put his hand reassuringly on the butler’s shoulder and told him, “Be calm. You are too young for such heavy worry. If you cannot take me to Byrn Lightfoot, then can you at least take me to see Lady Marian? It is of the utmost importance that I find her son.”
    “ Very good,” the butler nodded and ventured a slight smile that barely held from lips that were much more accustomed to grimaces, “Please follow me, sir.” The butler led Sane away from Byrn’s tower and across the grounds to the main manor where Marian, Sari, and most of the house servants and guests resided. This man was Byrn’s personal servant assigned to his tower to take care of the mundane tasks involved with the upkeep of his master’s home and as such most likely lived in the tower.
    “ It must be unnerving working for a magician. How are you holding up?” Sane asked casually as they walked.
    The butler looked at Sane’s dark green cloak and his short staff underneath that doubled as a cane. It was clear that he guessed something of Sane’s true nature, but had the good sense not to say anything. “Master Byrn is… distant. He is not unkind or even uncaring, but he is distrustful around most people.”
    “ He is paranoid?” Sane asked in surprise stopping in his tracks about halfway between the tower and the main house.
    “ No, sir,” the butler had that worried look on his face again and he began to unconsciously wring his hands once more, “My former master was a paranoid