Dragonlord of the Savage Empire

The problem weighed heavily. It might be months before he could go home, and by then Masters Portia and Clement, who had sent him on his mission into the savage lands, might not be willing or able to help him. He had been sent to take Galen from the enemy. With Galen dead, he ought to go directly back to the Aventine Empire. Portia, the Master of Masters among Readers, would then reveal to the Emperor the plan known only to herself, Master Clement, and Torio, the brilliant young Reader who had been Lenardo's student and to whom he had chosen to confide the plan of Readers, by Readers, to stop Galen.

As the Aventine government did not know of their plan, though, it had gone ahead with its own, removing the Academy from the dangerous border town of Adigia to the safety of the capital at Tiberium. Master Clement had had to go but had left Torio in Adigia to wait for Lenardo to contact him. The news of Galen's death had been sad to report, but at the time he had told Torio to expect him back soon. Two days later, Lenardo had had to make a new report: Aradia had made him a lord.

With the shock of the event still ringing in his mind, he had closed the door of his room at Castle Nerius, hoping that Torio had not yet left Adigia. His Reading abilities were limited by distance; only by leaving his body could he contact the boy from so far away.

He smoothed the bedclothes lay down, and relaxed his body. Easily, his consciousness drifted upward as he concentrated on Adigia. Instantly he was "there," in the room at the inn where he had found Torio two nights before.

But the room was empty. "Looking" around, he was relieved to see Tone's clothes still hung on pegs, his books scattered across the chest by the bed. The boy should have been at his studies until suppertime, but as the only Reader in Adigia, he could have been called to help someone.

The town was familiar; Lenardo had grown up there, had no fear of losing his conscious self among the streets and byways. But he hadn't far to search. Torio's disciplined mind stood out like a beacon from those of nonReaders. Blind from birth, Torio rarely stopped Reading, for if he did, the world disappeared.

Right now, however, he was engaged in a most un-Readerlike activity: playing at dice with the stableboy and the smith's apprentice and proving beyond doubt that he had neither precognitive powers nor the ability to influence objects in motion.

//Torio!// Lenardo could not control his indignation.

The boy jumped and blushed hotly, but there was anger beneath his embarrassment until he realized who was contacting him. //Master Lenardo! I didn't think you would contact me again. Are you coming home?// Aloud, he said, "You've won enough for one day. Perhaps tomorrow my luck will be better."

Despite the protests of the other boys, Torio left them and headed across the innyard and up to his room.

//What are you doing gambling with servants instead of studying? Master Clement thought you could be left to work by yourself.//

//That's what I thought, too,// Torio told Lenardo in frustration. //Then this morning, he told me my testing has been postponed because of the time I've lost here. And I can't be a tutor, after all. He didn't test me, Master Lenardo, he just decided I hadn't kept up with my work-//

//And so you decided you might as well prove him right?//

//It was just today. I'd already decided to get back to work tomorrow morning. I'll show Master Clement! I'll be ready for examination as soon as I get to Tiberium.//

//You won't be eighteen until autumn, no matter what you do. But I'm not worried about you, Torio-you'll pass.//

By this time Torio had reached his room, where he sprawled on the bed in the time-honored manner of schoolboys. //Of course I'll pass. But Master Lenardo, what's wrong? Why have you contacted me?//

Ill won't be home as soon as I thought.//

//You said it might be weeks. Portia was angry, Master Clement said. She wants you back at once, to report to the Emperor that the leader of the savages is dead. Then while they're disorganized, we'll attack. You'll be a great hero.//

//Torio, I want to prevent war, not start it. Haven't we lost enough?"

//What can you do?//

Lenardo suddenly realized that if Portia intended to urge the Emperor to regain former empire territory, the news that Lenardo now claimed that territory as a savage Lord of the Land would make him a target rather than a hero. Ill… cannot tell you, Torio. I must ask you to trust me.//

He felt the boy's throat tighten. Ill do trust you. //I thought you trusted me, Master.//

//Were you a Master Reader, I would tell you all, but until you reach your full powers, there will always be those who can Read what you know, whether you wish it or not.//

//But Masters Clement and Portia-//