Stalking Darkness Read Free Page B

he’d visited the Street of Lights underscored the general disruption of his life.
    Oh well. Winter’s here. There’ll always be work enough to keep us occupied, but plenty of leisure too for the pleasures of the town. All in all, I’d say we earned a bit of a respite.
    Imagining quiet, snowy months stretching out before them, Seregil drifted contentedly off to sleep—only to lurch up sometime soon after from a nightmare of plummeting into darkness, Alec’s terrified cry ringing in his ears as they fell down, down, past the walls of Kassarie’s keep into the gorge below.
    Opening his eyes with a gasp, Seregil was at once relieved and annoyed to find himself slumped naked in one of Nysander’s sitting-room armchairs.
    There was no need to ask how he’d gotten there; the green nausea of a translocation spell cramped his belly. Pushing his long, dark hair back from his face, he scowled wretchedly up at the wizard.
    “Forgive me for bringing you here so abruptly, dear boy,” said Nysander, handing him a robe and a steaming mug of tea.
    “I assume there’s a good reason for this,” Seregil muttered, knowing very well that there must be for Nysander to subject him to magic so soon after the shape-changing incident.
    “But of course. I tried to bring you earlier, but you two were busy burgling someone.” Pouring himself a mug of tea, Nysander settled into his usual chair on the other side of the hearth. “I just looked in for a moment. were you successful?”
    “More or less.”
    Nysander appeared in no hurry to elucidate, but it was obvious he’d been working on something. His short grey beard was smudged with ink near his mouth, and he wore one of the threadbare old robes he favored for his frequent all-night work sessions. Surrounded by the room’s magnificent collection of books and oddities, he looked like some down-at-the-heels scholar who’d wandered in by mistake.
    “Alec is looking better, I noticed,” Nysander remarked.
    “He’s healing. It’s his hair I’m concerned about. I’ve got to get him presentable in time for the Festival of Sakor.”
    “Be thankful he came away no worse off then he did. From what Klia and Micum told me, he’s lucky to be alive at all. Ah, and before I forget, I have something for the two of you from Klia and the Queen.” He handed Seregil two velvet pouches. “A public acknowledgment is impossible, of course, but they wished to express their gratitude nonetheless. That green one there is yours.”
    Seregil had received such rewards before. Expecting another trinket or bit of jewelry, he opened the little bag. What he found inside reduced him to stunned silence.
    It was a ring, a very familiar ring. The great, smooth ruby glowed like wine in its heavy setting of Aurenfaie silver when he held it closer to the fire.
    “Illior’s Light, Nysander, this is one of the rings I took from Corruth i Glamien’s corpse,” he gasped, finding his voice at last.
    Nysander leaned forward and clasped his hand. “He was your kinsman and Idrilain’s, Seregil. She thought it a fitting reward for solving the mystery of his disappearance. She hopes you shall wear it with honor among your own people one day.”
    “Give her my thanks.” Seregil tucked it reverently away in its bag. “But you didn’t magick me out of bed just for this?”
    Nysander sat back with a chuckle. “No. I have a task which may be of interest to you. However, there are conditions to be set forth before I explain. Agree to abide by them or I shall send you back now with all memory of this meeting expunged.”
    Seregil blinked in surprise. “It must be some job. Why didn’t you bring Alec?” “I shall come to that presently. I can say nothing until you agree to the conditions.” “Fine. I agree. What are they?” “First, you may ask no question unbidden.” “Why not?” “Starting now.”
    “Oh, all right. What else?”
    “Second, you must work in absolute secrecy. No one is to know of this,