Green Rider by Kristen Britain Page A

province that was destined to become even greater once they rid Sacoridia of King Zachary, took more than simple retaliation and meanness of spirit.
    The girl's name was G'ladheon, a name of the old days, but not an original Sacor Clan, and certainly the name of a lesser clan. A merchant clan… He had heard of it before, he thought, but it was one that did not frequent Mirwell Province.
    He rang the bell at his side and presently his aide, Major Beryl Spencer, joined him. Her bow was crisp, but elegant. Ah, if he were only twenty years younger, maybe the two of them could have bred a robust, intelligent son. But he had grown too crusty, and another heir now would not only ruin all his hard work with Timas, but would complicate things inordinately.
    "My lord?" Beryl perched on the edge of a chair and held a quill and paper ready to record his command, or to script a letter.
    "I've an assignment for you, Spence," he said, using his pet nickname for her. "My son has gotten into trouble with a girl of a lesser clan."
    "Shall I offer the clan reparation on your behalf, or shall we acknowledge the child?"
    "Child? What? Oh, no, not that kind of trouble." It was an amusing thought that made him chuckle, and almost erupt into a belly laugh. Beryl's perplexed expression prolonged it. "No, I doubt the runt is capable of siring a child. I'd like you to find out about a merchant clan called G'ladheon. Find out who they are and what their home province is. I want to know how powerful they are should they seek retaliation."
    "Yes, my lord. Anything else?"
    "Send word to Dean Geyer that I need dates , not just names. I thought the man to be intelligent, as scholars are supposed to be."
    Beryl's eyes were questioning. "In regard to… ?"
    "He'll know what it's about, and tell our messenger he must reply immediately. Dismissed, Major."
    "Yes, my lord."
    Beryl bowed and left him. An efficient woman, that Beryl. Mirwell liked to surround himself with efficiency. Efficiency meant competence, and competence meant that his goals would be achieved. He had but to command. He glanced at Dean Geyer's letter again. There was a natural history class full of high-blooded children at Selium, some of them the sons and daughters of clan chiefs. Interesting that the G'ladheon girl's name should be on the class list. In an odd way, Timas had saved her life by causing her to run away.
    The field trip sanctioned by the dean would insure that none of the aristocratic children would pose a threat to Prince Amilton's ascension to the throne. Oh, there were others out there, thick-blooded aristocrats ready to take the throne, but they would be dealt with individually if necessary. Children were but a small sacrifice for a greater cause.
    Mirwell wadded up the letter and tossed it into the fire. He watched the paper ignite and blacken around the edges, seeming to fold into itself until it was no longer there. This plan of his had to be thought through, and he had been thinking about it for decades. Only with the help of the Gray One had it seemed possible for it to become reality.
    Beside his chair, a little table held an Intrigue board set with blue, green, and red pieces. Few were moved from their starting positions on the edges of the board, for only one man played this game.
    Mirwell removed a green messenger from the perimeter of the red court. The pieces were ancient, at least very old, and made of enameled lead. The features on the pieces had been blurred by the fingers of generations of his family.
    He laid the green messenger on its side. "You are dead," he said.
    Then he moved another green messenger into the fray. He positioned three red soldiers, two red knights, and a blue assassin behind it.
    SPAWN OF KANMORHAN VANE

    Several days passed, punctuated only by the occasional spring shower. Karigan and The Horse drifted between the North Road and the cover of the endless forest, backtracking several times in hopes of confusing Immerez and his men should