Stealing Sorcery Read Online Free

and philosophy in every possible format – letters, books, and even public gatherings. While Theas was primarily famous for defensive sorcery, Hartigan was the city’s foremost expert on flame sorcery – one of the deadliest dominions for attack spells.
    Like Edrick, Hartigan was one of the few sorcerers who had discovered a method of prolonging his lifespan. Aside from flame sorcery, Hartigan was well-respected for his mastery of alchemy – and it was broadly speculated that he had discovered some sort of potion or elixir to stop his aging process.
    Alchemy, of course, was also famous for producing deadly poisons.
    “Hartigan hasn’t been in the city for years,” Aladir offered, breaking into a fit of coughing a moment later.
    “You think that he couldn’t hire a travel sorcerer to move him from place to place? Please, Aladir, don’t be foolish.” Nakane waved a hand at the Rethri dismissively. Her expression softened a moment later, even as she folded her arms across her chest. “You should stop following us. You’re clearly too weak to continue.”
    Aladir raised a hand in a gesture for them to wait, finishing his fit of coughing before he spoke again. “Doesn’t matter. Kae was my friend.”
    That’s news to me. I didn’t realize they knew each other – although I suppose it shouldn’t be that surprising. Edrick himself is a life sorcerer, and Aladir is the best of our generation. Maybe Aladir was one of Edrick’s students.
    Lydia rubbed her temples in frustration. Murder was never an easy thing to trace, especially when sorcery was involved. As potent as her information gathering spells were, a competent enemy sorcerer often had concealment abilities that were on-par or superior to them. She had spells designed to counter nearly every type of direct obfuscation, but certain types of sorcery could inhibit an investigation without involving direct concealment. Levitation spells, for example, were an easy way to hide tracks – and they left too small of a trace for her own spells to discern.
    “We can speculate about the culprit later. There’s still a trail to follow, and it’s fading. I need to gather as much information as I can before that happens.”
    Nakane nodded in agreement. “Proceed, paladin.”
    She could call me by my name...except that I never offered it.
    “It’s Lydia, by the way. Lydia Hastings,” she added awkwardly. “May Lissari give your family comfort.”
    “Yes. Now, go ahead with the detection spell.”
    Lydia turned back toward the window, and then repeated the spell that had detected the trail. “Dominion of Knowledge, illuminate your sources.”
    The footprints reappeared, leading out the window. She moved to the window, looked outward, and discovered a sheer three-story fall to the ground below. The glow of additional footprints was faintly visible outdoors.
    “We’re going to follow the path the other way,” Lydia declared, turning to move along the trail in the opposite direction. She continued after reaching the point where they had started, tracing the footsteps as they headed to another door – which led outside.
    “He pricked his finger not far from here.” Nakane’s voice was quiet, barely above a whisper. “And then he collapsed in the fountain.”
    “Show me.”
    Nakane led Lydia to – and then past – a large series of hedges. They might have been at the entrance to a maze, but Nakane did not lead her inside. Instead, she took the paladin to a simple rose bush, pointing at a spot where a drop of blood highlighted one of the thorns.
    “No additional sorcery here,” Lydia explained. “The thorn was not the cause.”
    Nakane nodded somberly. “The glow – is it over here?”
    Lydia shook her head. “No, it was back near the door.”
    “Let’s head back that way, then.”
    They returned to the doorway, and then followed the path further, finding that it led around the side of the house – and intersected with the path that led out from the