Castien, an elf mage who cannot speak except with the aid of a magical dagger, has been captured while on a mission. He is freed by his companion, the warrior elf Daeron, and returns with him to Daeron’s homeland. There they will join forces to rid the land of a Lord bent on the destruction of the elves.<br><br>Theirn, a young half-elf thief, attempts to rob Castien during his stay at an inn and is caught by the mage. Much against Theirn’s will, he is enlisted into the group of rebel elves. But as Theirn's infatuation with Castien grows, he becomes more than eager to risk treachery, betrayal, and even death on dangerous missions just to be close to the man he is growing to love.

Mage of Silence

With that problem finally solved Castien was able to move on to the more pressing personal one he was facing, Theirn and what to do about the lad. He seemed to always be where Castien was. He would not have minded if he thought it was just that Theirn wanted to be around someone he knew and trusted. However he had the distinct feeling there was more to it and he was not at all certain how to handle it if it was.


The problem apparently was not just in his own mind, as he found out when Daeron took him aside late one evening to tell him he needed him to go on another mission.


“This is between the two of us,” Daeron told him. “I have need of a spy.”


Castien nodded. “For what purpose?”


“The prince of an island well to the west of us has set his sights on the daughter of a friend and ally of mine. The problem, before you ask, is this man is a human and reputedly a mage who controls his lands and his people with magic.”


“Reputedly? You don’t know it for a fact?”


Chapter 27