Free Drogoya: Book 3 Circles of Light series by E.M. Sinclair Page A

can.’
    Ryla studied Lashek
with growing interest although Emla frowned a little.
    ‘Why don’t you go to
your room Emla – a most sensible suggestion. Speaker Lashek can
help us eat up all these very delicious pastries.’
    Emla regarded the
ancient Discipline Senior with suspicion but got to her feet anyway
as Jilla came down the stairs.
    ‘I trust Thryssa and
Elyssa will be comfortable? Come then Shan, we must find some
suitable leathers and a rest might be a good idea.’
    Following Emla to the
staircase, Shan grinned over her shoulder at Bagri.
    ‘Captain Soran will
have spare leathers for you, I am sure.’
    Bagri rose with
alacrity and hurried to find Soran, leaving Jilla and Lashek to an
inquisition by two very determined old ladies.
    Eventually Hani took
pity on Lashek and Jilla, firmly ordering Shar to escort the
Vagrantians out for a breath of evening air. They escaped to the
sound of Nolli and Ryla arguing fiercely with the pale green
Dragon.
    ‘Stars above,’ Lashek
groaned. ‘I am sure we must have missed our supper. Do they never
run out of questions?’
    Jilla laughed
heartlessly. ‘I haven’t noticed that they do.’
    ‘It is just that they
want to know everything,’ Shar tried to explain.
    Lashek stopped halfway
down the wide flight of steps outside the huge main
doors.
    ‘Of course they do, and
quite rightly so,’ he apologised. ‘But I will fade away without
regular meals do you see?’
    Shar’s eyes whirred in
alarm at the prospect of Lady Emla’s guest fading away. Jilla gave
Lashek a glare of annoyance and then tried to explain what the
earth mage meant. Shar refused to allow Lashek to wander the
gardens. Instead, she insisted he and Jilla return at once to the
house through a side entrance and search for food to keep Lashek
healthy. She sat outside the door to make sure the two Vagrantians
could not slip back out, and Jilla muttered beneath her
breath.
    ‘Really Lashek, that
dear Dragon is truly worried now that you will vanish. She is only
half a cycle old, it is quite unpleasant of you to upset her
so.’
    ‘I am sorry.’ Lashek
sounded genuinely contrite. ‘But I am also hungry.’
    ‘When are you not?’
Jilla snapped, pushing him into the small dining
chamber.
    A maid appeared almost
as soon as Jilla tugged the bell rope, and then rushed away to
fetch food for them. Soran’s head poked round the door when Jilla
had finished her meal and Lashek was, she judged, approximately
halfway through his. Jilla smiled at Soran. She had found him
pleasant company since she arrived here. He had not a scrap of
magic about him and Jilla found that fact very restful. She poured
him a mug of tea and waved him to a chair.
    ‘Have you picked the
men for tonight?’ she enquired.
    He nodded. ‘Some men
have gone into the City with word from Lady Emla to the Discipline
Seniors and Seniors who are in their own homes. She says they will
use power against the few of their colleagues who have chosen to
side with Fayet. The townsfolk have been warned to keep within
doors until instructed differently. The Seniors who are healers are
ordered to be ready at Lady Emla’s summons.’
    ‘Emla could have mind
spoken them, surely?’ Jilla frowned.
    ‘She fears that those
within the Asataria could overhear her should they have set a watch
for such things.’ Soran shrugged. ‘I know not how such matters
work, but if my Lady orders word taken personally to the City, so
shall it be.’
    An air of expectancy
pervaded the Lady’s great House as the night deepened. Students had
been told that something was to happen and they were to be ready
should they be called. The household staff were still busy: they
remembered the House filled with wounded Guards brought from the
mountains but a scant time before.
    Emla and Shan came down
to the hall, both wearing hardened leather jerkins over their
shirts. Swords hung from their belts and dagger hilts protruded
above. Suddenly Ryla seemed lost for words, as if she