The Shadow Sorceress Read Free

such difficulties here.”
    â€œI am most certain you do not.” Secca gestured at the low line of earth and rock visible through the passlike opening between two low hills. “Is that the dam your sire mentioned?”
    â€œIt is.”
    Secca rode along the narrow lane, so close to the maples and oaks that she could almost reach out and touch them, before the lane turned uphill to the east and narrowed even more. Secca found herself riding single file, with Kylar behind her. As she neared the hilltop, she could see an expanse that had once been cleared, but now held low bushes, including blackberries that had long since been picked.
    Guiding the mare around the browning and thorny berry bushes, Secca made her way to an area that had been grazed relatively clear, just above a dried mud flat. She reined up and studied the earth-and-rock dam, noting the streaks of dampness on both rock and earth. Then her eyes went to the wooden planks that comprised the beginning of the crude aqueduct.
    â€œMy sire would have you repair the dam and the aqueduct to the keep,” said Kylar, reining up beside her.
    â€œI would have to be here longer than I can be for such,” Secca replied politely. “The dam appears to be failing. That I can replace, and perhaps the bridgework to the beginning of the aqueduct.”
    â€œI had understood that you were among the more powerful of sorceresses…” Another shade of condescension crept into Kylar’s voice.
    Secca looked evenly at the far taller man. “It would take scores of men more than a season to rip down and replace that dam. I will do so in less than a glass. I cannot do more, for I must leave within a few days, at the command of Lord Robero, and I must arrive at Elheld able to do whatever sorcery he may require.”
    Kylar looked from the failing dam to Secca and then back to the packed rock and earth. “I suppose any small aid you could provide would be helpful.”
    â€œI will certainly endeavor to be helpful.” Secca dismounted and handed the gray’s reins to Kylar. “If you would.”
    Kylar took the reins with another condescending smile.
    Secca turned and walked downhill to where the players had begun to form up on the slope to the east of the ancient structure, above the blue waters held in place by the dam. The sound oftuning began to issue from the strings, the falk-horn, and the woodwinds, and the lutars of the second players.
    Palian turned toward Secca. “Lady Secca.”
    â€œI’ve made some word changes to the second building spell, but the melody will be the same,” Secca told the chief player. “This will take as much as a long section of road. It could take more.”
    â€œWe will be ready shortly.” Palian smiled.
    â€œThank you.” Secca stood beside the chief player and waited, not wanting to go back anywhere near Kylar for the moment.
    Shortly, the sounds of tuning faded, and Palian turned to Secca. “We stand ready.”
    â€œAt your mark, then,” Secca said.
    â€œThe second building spell, at my mark,” Palian said, her voice firm. “Mark!”
    Secca waited for the opening bars, then launched into the spellsong itself.
    â€œâ€¦replicate with measured stones .
    Place them in their proper zones…
    Set all firm, and set all square ,
    weld them to their pattern there…
    â€¦lock each block in solid place
    so no water goes beyond its proper space…”
    Even before the spell was complete, gouts of steam flared upward, white against the blue-green of the clear sky. Rowal and several other players stutter-stepped backward, while the far older Delvor and Palian merely exchanged knowing glances.
    As her last notes faded into the afternoon, a wave of faintness and dizziness swept over Secca, and she knew she had pushed harder than she should have. For several moments, she stood facing the narrow gorge, watching as the clean lines of