Free The Flame Priest (The Silk & Steel Saga) by Karen Azinger Page B

eyes hiding as much as they revealed. “Power begets power…the saying is true for magic as well as for politics.”
    Kath sighed; the day’s lesson always began with a riddle. Easing back on the bench, she considered the master’s words. Daring a sideways glance, she searched his face for clues, but he gave nothing away. The masters of the Kiralynn Order were sparing with their explanations, forcing their apprentices to puzzle out the full truth from mere kernels of wisdom. Master Rizel had explained it as a type of sword play of the mind, but sometimes Kath found it slow and frustrating…especially since the sands of time were slipping away.
    The master raised an eyebrow, drawing her back to the lesson at hand.
    Tumbling his words within her mind, Kath thought out loud, “Power begets power…magic begets more magic. So you’re saying that because I have the ability to unleash the power of my gargoyle, I may be able to do other types of magic?”
    “Just so. Magic is an innate gift, born to only a few mortals. For each person, the gift takes different forms but most magics can only be unlocked with the enhancing powers of a focus.”
    Kath smiled with victory…but her triumph was short lived.
    “And?” The word held a challenge.
    She shook her head in frustration. One layer of understanding was never enough.   The monks offered riddles wrapped in endless layers of logic. It was the student’s task to peel back the layers, exposing the wisdom hidden within. She fondled her gargoyle and searched her mind for the next step in the lesson. “Power…magic…focuses. So, if I find another focus, besides my gargoyle, I might be able to use it?”
    “It’s possible, yes, but first you will have to establish a bond, like the one you have with your gargoyle. Without that affinity, you will never be able to unlock the magic within.”
    More magic? The possibility stunned Kath. How much magic was in the world? Nightmares of the magic-sniffing goblin-man invaded her mind. Kidnapped by the captain…all because of my gargoyle. Connecting the ideas, Kath’s eyes widened. “That’s why the Mordant is so powerful, isn’t it? He’s spent the ages collecting focuses?”
    “Yes, but magical focuses are the least of his powers. The Mordant has the divine favor of the Dark God. It is rumored that the Dark Lord endows his dedicates with powers and special favors. Favors that do not require the use of a focus.”
    Kath made the hand sign against evil, her voice a hesitant whisper. “What powers does he have?”
    “Rumors shrouded in history…none have ever lived to tell the truth of the tales.”
    An icy touch feathered down Kath’s back.
    “Even more dangerous than his magics, you must never forget what you are dealing with. As the oldest Harlequin, the Mordant has served the Dark Lord for more than a thousand years.” His voice became heavy with thought. “It is hard for any of us to imagine a thousand years of memories, a thousand years of evil.”
    Hearing the unexpected catch in the master’s voice, Kath asked, “Do you wish for it? Do you yearn for a thousand years of life?”
    Rocking back on the bench the master gave her a shrewd look offset by a light laugh. “Who is the master and who is the apprentice?” Shaking his head, Master Rizel said, “Such a span of years is not natural. I would never trade my soul for more life. But, to have the wisdom of thousands years, that is tempting…to any monk of the Order.” His voice sank to a whisper. “For you see, the Kiralynn Order seeks that kind of wisdom, but we do it within the Light, always within the Light. We collect, preserve, and study the histories and learnings of those who have gone before us. By standing on the shoulders of others, we dare to reach for a wisdom that is far beyond our years.”
    The clouds shifted in the afternoon sky, flooding the garden with sunlight like a blessing from the gods. Smiling into the warmth, Master Rizel said, “But