Hemlock And The Dead God's Legacy (Book 2) Read Online Free

that she meet with Tored and his Tanna Varran delegation first.
    And if we meet now, I’ll be able to go to Mercuria sooner.
    “ Enough of this.  Don’t reschedule.  We’ll meet in one hour.  I just need to eat and see to myself.”
    “Hemlock, no.  You should rest for a few hours at least,” cautioned Miara.
    “Really, Miara, it’s OK.  I was sleeping all of that time.  I don’t need to rest anymore, and all we’re going to do is talk.”
    Everyone agreed to hold the meeting as Hemlock suggested, and they left her alone in her chamber to prepare.
    Hemlock had Grubbins fetch her breakfast. Before Falignus’ fall, he had been in charge of training new wizard recruits; now he had been reduced to chief cook. She enjoyed ordering him to do menial tasks, for he still treated her with thinly veiled contempt.
    She ate quickly, bathed, and then the hour was up.  S he descended down the inner stair to the audience chamber.  She arrived through the side door and took her place in the foremost chair: Falignus’ chair—at least that’s how she felt about it whenever she sat in it.
    The members of the wizard council were in attendance for the meeting, as were Samberlin, Tored, Merit, and eighteen Tanna Varran warriors, who were distinctive in their blue chalk and comparatively simple attire.  There was also an audience of approximately fifty senators and influential people from the Elite district.  Hemlock was sorry that there were no representatives present from the Warrens, but her project to create a governing body for the district had not yet been started.
    As the leader of the wizards, Hemlock was responsible for opening the meeting.
    “Gr eetings from the City, Tored, and welcome to you and your men.  I’m sorry that I was unable to greet you when you first arrived.”
    “Greetings to the w izards from the land of the Tanna Varrans,” stated Tored flatly.
    “What news do you bring from the past months?”
    “We have hunted the witches and toppled their Ziggurats with our battle magic.  The sister of the one you slew fell in battle some weeks ago.  There is still another witch who fled before us.  But she has abandoned her Ziggurat, which was her source of power, and will therefore be weak.  Our campaign, while not over, is advancing well.”
    “I’m glad to hear it, Tored.  I’m sure your people rest easier now , knowing that the threat of the witches is almost ended.”
    “Surely it is so, Hemlock.”
    “Good.  Our preparations for returning your land to its original realm beyond the veil are progressing.  It will be a difficult transition for us, but we are preparing.”
    “This is well.  We have news related to this.  As you suggested, we have been looking for information on where the Wand that binds our land to the City may be located.  A scroll has been found in our archives.  It documents the journeys of a lone wizard through our land.  We believe this to refer to the wizard Julius, who history says was responsible for bringing our land to the City.”
    Tored paused, waiting for acknowledgment from Hemlock. “This lone wizard was spotted journeying to the western part of our land, where there is a vale surrounded by impassable mountains.  This vale is legendary amongst our people.  Tales passed down for generations say that entry to this vale is certain death.  Yet it was written that this wizard was seen entering it, and later returning.  We believe that he might have used the Wand somewhere within that accursed place.”
    Hemlock felt a thrill of excitement.
    Here is the excuse I’ve been waiting for.  Gwineval will be forced to agree to allow me to accompany Tored to recover the Wand, and release the Witch Crags from the City.
    “Tored, this is an important discovery.  I would like to lead an expedition of wizards to journey to this vale and determine whether the Wand is there or not.”
    The room was silent for a few moments before Tored responded.
    “We agree to