Modesitt, L.E. - Spellsong 4 - The Shadow Sorceress

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THE

SHADOW

SORCERESS

BOOK FOUR OFTHESPELLSONG CYCLE

L. E. MODESITT, JR.

A TOM DOHERTY ASSOCIATES BOOK

NEW YORK

For Susan, Kacy, and Ava

NOTE: If you purchased this book without a cover you should be aware that this book is stolen

property. It was reported as “unsold and de-stroyed” to the publisher, and neither the author nor the

publisher has received any payment for the “stripped book.”

This is a work of fiction. All the characters and events portrayed In this book are either products of the

author’s imagination or are used ficti-tiously.

THE SHADOW SORCERESS

Edited by David G. Hartwell

A Tor Book

Published by Tom Doherty Associates, LLC.

175 Fifth Avenue

New York, NY 10010

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www.tor.com

Tor is a registered trademark of Tom Doherty Associates, LLC.

ISBN: 0-765-34013-5

Library of Congress Catalog Card Number 2001027048

First edition: June 2001

First mass market edition May 2002

Printed in the United States of America

0 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

CHARACTERS

AnnaFormer Regent of Defalk; Sorceress and Lady of Lojseau (Mencha)

SeccaLady of Flossbend (Synope) and sorceress; sor-ceress heir to Loiseau.

RoberoLord of Defalk and Lord of Elheld Falcor, and Synfal (Cheor)

AlyssaConsort of Robero

DythyaCounselor of Finance

JirsitArms-commander of Defa1k

LORDS OF DEFALK: THE THIRTY-THREE:

BirkeLord of Abenfel; consort is Reylana; mother is Fylena

CataryznaLady of Sudwei; consort is Skent; heir is Skansor

ChelshayLady of Wendel; consort is Nerylt, son of Clethner

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ClethnerLord of Nordland; son and heir is Lythner

DinfanLady of Suhl; consort is Wasle, brother of Birke

DostalLord of Aroch; consort is Ruetha

EbraakLord of Nordfels

FalarWarder of Uslyn, heir to Fussen; also consort to

Herene, lady of Pamr

FustarLord of Issl; son and sole heir is Kylar

GylaronLord of Lerona; consort is Reylan; heir is Gy-lan; father of Reylana

HereneLady of Pamr; consort is Falar; heir is Kysar

KinorLord of Westfort [Denguic] and Lord of the Western Marches

MietchelLord of Morra, brother of Lady Wendella of Stromwer

SelberLord of Silberfels; heir is Helbar; sister is Bel-vera

TiersenLord of Dubaria; consort is Lysara: eldest son and heir is Lystar

UslynLord heir of Fussen; father was Ustal, mother Yelean

YtrudeLady of Mossbach, sister of Tiersen; consort is Cens

WendellaLady of Stromwer, heir is Condell Zybar Lord of Arien

SORCERERS AND SORCERESSES:

AnandraSorceress assistant to Clayre

ClayreSorceress of Defalk

JolynAssistant Sorceress of Defalk

FOSTERLINGS, APPRENTICES, AND PAGES:

JeagynFosterling/sorceress apprentice at Loiseau

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KeriselFosrerling/sorceress apprentice at Loiseau

RichinaApprentice sorceress to Secca; daughter of Dinfan

DEFALKAN ARMSMEN:

ElfensChief Archer, Loiseau

DryselCaptain, Loiseau

QuebarCaptain, Loiseau

RickelLord’s Guard-Captain, Falcor

WiltenOvercaptain, Loiseau

DEFALKAN PLAYERS:

BretnayViolino, Loiseau

DelvorChief of second players, Loiseau

DuraltFalk-horn, Ioiseau

PalianChief Player, Loiseau

RowalWoodwind Loiseau

YuarlChief Player, Faicor

OTHERS OUTSIDE DEFALK:

AlyaMatriarch of Ranuak; consort is Aetlen

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AlcarenCousin to the Matriarch

AshtaarLeader, Council of Wei, Nordwei

AyselinHolder of Netzla, Neserea

BelmarHolder of Worlan. Neserea

CleharLord High Counselor of Dumar; without con-sort

HadrennLord High Counselor of Ebra; Lord of Synek, Ebra; consort is Belvera; heir is Haddev;

younger son is Verad.

HanforLord High Counselor of Neserea; consort is Aerlya; eldest daughter and heiress is Annayal

KestrinLiedfuhr of Mansuur; brother of AerlyaMaitre of SturinnLeader of Sturinn; master of the

Sea-Priests

MotollaHolder of Itzel Neserea; heir is Chyalar

MynntarLord of Dolov, Ebra

StepanArms-master of Synek

SvenmarHolder of Nesalia, Neserea

VeriaSecond Counselor, Freewomen of Elahwa

Two sorceresses stood beside the scrying pool in the domed outbuilding that lay to the south of the main

keep of Loiseau. The taller woman had fine white-blonde hair, hair that could have belonged to the young

woman of nineteen that her appearance conveyed. Her thin and finely drawn face was without blemish,

without lines, and her piercing blue eyes were clear. Only the fineness of Anna’s features attested to her

true age. Her figure was nearly as slender, and far more girlish than that of the smaller redhead who stood

next to her.

Anna eased into a straight-backed chair behind the small writing table, then looked at the redhead.

"Secca... our good Lord Rebero has requested that you visit him at El-held, preferably within the next

two weeks.”

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“Doubtless he has yet another heir or lord for me to meet, Lady Anna.” Secca's mouth offered a

sardonic smile as she perched on the tiled edge of the scrying pool. Part of her smile was because Anna

had never been able to say “Robero” without a twist to her lips. Then Secca had difficulty herself. When

Secca had been growing up in Falcor under Anna’s tutelege, Robero had been “Jimbob.” Only when

he’d became Lord of Defalk had he decided “Jimbob” was too undignified and changed his name to

Robero. “After all these years, he would still have me con-sorted.”

“You aren’t that old.” Anna added, “He doesn’t under-stand you, but he does care for you.”

‘That may be, for he understands women not at all. He understands but strength and power, and that is

why he respects you, lady.”

Anna sighed gently. "I wish it were otherwise. Certainly we tried."

Secca nodded sympathetically. While Anna almost never used Lord Jecks’ name. Anna often said “we”

when referring to what the two had accomplished for Defalk in the less than half score of years when

Anna had been re-gent and sole ruler of Defalk. The former regent spoke seldom of Lord Jecks, but

Secca had seen the lamps of Anna‘s rooms still lit late into many nights over the ten years since his death.

While Anna and Jecks had been friends and certainly lovers, consorting had been out of the question.

That Secca had understood ftom the beginning, when Anna had effectively adopted her after the deaths

of Secca’ s parents, for Jecks had been a powerful lord in his own right, and the grandsire of Lord

Robero, during the time when Anna had been Sorceress-Regent for the un-derage Robero.

“Despite his inclinations, Robero has learned much,” Anna continued, “and I am thankful for Alyssa.”

“So am I,” replied Secca.

“You know I never would have consorted you to him.”

“Alyssa made it that much easier.”

The two sorceresses laughed Then Anna cleared her throat.

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“You have something else I am to do?” asked Secca.

“Kylar...“ Anna said.

Secca winced. “The one who suffocated his consort and claimed she died of consumption?”Anna

nodded.

“You wish me to go to Issl as well?”

“I think you should go there first.” The older sorceress smiled. “You will be paying my respects to Lord

Fustar. He will be most happy to see your young and smiling face.” The smile vanished. ‘The pool shows

that Kylar does not understand what has happened in Defalk, and that he will abuse any woman he can.

He now seeks yet another consort.” Anna looked at Secca. “You understand how you must deal with

Kylar, and with Lord Fustar? Nothing must happen to Kylar while you are at Issl.”

“I understand, lady. Nothing will occur.” Secca inclined her head. “I could take the players, and we

could stop and add a dek to the road between Mencha and the River Chean on the south end, and then

add another dek or so on our return journey from Elheld.”

Anna shook her head. “You dislike Robero, and yet you would work to finish paving the road he

demands.”

“Why not? He is likely to be lord for many years to came, and it will speed our travel from Loiseau to

EIheld.” She laughed. “At times, I would that there were other ways to build his roads.”

“In Defalk, there are no other ways.” Anna shook her head. “Robero doesn’t have enough men or

engineers—or the golds to pay for them—and he cannot call on the Lords for anything other than their

liedgeld and their levies in battle.”

“So we must build roads and bridges.”

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“It’s not all drudgery without rewards, Secca,” Anna pointed out. “People know we build roads and

bridges, and it helps associate sorcery with good things. Given how this land has regarded sorceresses in

the past, that’s not all bad.”

“I know.” Secca grinned suddenly. “I could also use sorcery to repair a wall or bridge or something for

Lord Fustar... as a gesture from Loiseau.”

The older sorceress smiled. “That might help.”

“It is hard to see shadows in the light of a favor.”

“Sometimes,” Anna replied. “Sometimes. Other times, light makes the shadows more obvious. This time,

I think you’re right.”

“When should I leave? Tomorrow?”

“If you wish to spend time on the highway and several days being a charming guest at Issl.”

Secca nodded, then tilted her head. “Lady Anna?”

“Yes? You have that serious tone.”

“I would that you would wait until I return before you send your next scroll to your daughter in the Mist

Worlds.”

Anna nodded politely.

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“At least I could play for you and lessen the effort.”

“We will see,” replied the Sorceress and Lady of Men-cha. “I’m not ancient yet.”

“Lady...“ Secca tried not to plead, but to convey her concern.

“Secca...” Anna laughed. “Don’t turn me into a dod-dering old lady.”

“No one could do that.” The younger sorceress smiled at Anna’s tone, smiled in spite of her worries, for

she had seen the deepening darkness behind her foster-mother’s eyes, and sensed the ever-increasing

strain that even the lightest of Clearsong spells placed on Anna, for all that Anna looked little different

from what she had more than a score of years earlier when first she had arrived in Defalk from the Mist

Worlds.

In the midmorning light of early fall, before harvest, a half-score of players stood on the low rise to the

west of the dusty road. The majority held violinos or violas, but there were also two woodwinds and a

falk-horn in the group. Another half-score of players bearing lutars of var-ious sizes stood behind the first

group.

Secca, wearing a pale blue tunic, walked toward Palian, the gray-haired and gray-eyed woman who

held a violino, and who stood before the first group of players. “Chief player?”

“Yes, Lady Secca,” replied Palian. “We have almost fin-ished tuning.”

“Good.” Secca nodded, accepting as always the neces-sary formality of Palian’s address. “We will be

using the second building spell.” That too was a formality, since Secca and Lady Anna had always used

the second building spell for road-building, although it had been years since Anna had done heavy

building sorcery.

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Secca glanced out at the dusty road that stretched north-ward toward the River Chean from Mencha.

Behind her, nearly thirty deks of sorcery-laid stone paving extended back to Mencha. The gap between

where she stood and the paved section stretching south from the river bridge was less than ten deks, and

she hoped that she would be able to complete that section within the next few years, but that depended

on what other tasks Lady Anna and Lord Robero laid upon her. She looked toward the lank-haired

Delvor, catching his eye.

“Second players are ready, lady.”

Secca studied the image on the portable easel, an image with which she was all too familiar, and began

to bring up both the image of the road, and the spellsong itself, into her mind. “The second building spell,

chief player.”

“The secondbuilding spell, on my mark,” declared Pal-ian. “Mark!”

As the notes from the players and their instruments rose into the morning, the flint two bars merely to

stabilize the players, Secca waited, and then began the spell proper with the first note of the third

measure.

"... replicate the earth and stones.

Place them in their proper zones.

Set all firm and set all square,

weld them to their pattern there..."

Even before the notes of the players and Secca‘s voice died away, an intense bluish glow settled over

the dusty track, initially so bright that neither Secca nor the players could have looked at it, had they

wanted to, but all had seen the brightness over the years with each new section of road built.

Secca held herself erect against the faint dizziness that always came with heavy sorcery such as

road-building, then walked to her mount, a gray mare, and took out her water bottle for a long swallow,

before eating several biscuits from her provisions bag. After eating, she turned and looked at the newly

created sec-tion of paved road.

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摘要：

THESHADOWSORCERESSBOOKFOUROFTHESPELLSONGCYCLE L.E.MODESITT,JR. ATOMDOHERTYASSOCIATESBOOKNEWYORK ForSusan,Kacy,andAva NOTE:Ifyoupurchasedthisbookwithoutacoveryoushouldbeawarethatthisbookisstolenproperty.Itwasreportedas“unsoldanddestroyed”tothepublisher,andneithertheauthornorthepublisherhasreceivedan...

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