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Authors: Lynn Flewelling
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face, she’d grown into a shapely young woman. Niryn circled her slender waist with one arm and ran a hand lovingly over the generous swell of her breasts as he kissed her. At night in their unlit bedchamber,she was as beautiful as any mistress he’d ever taken, and the most abjectly devoted.
Let Orun have his little stick figure prince for now. Without Duke Rhius’ power behind him—and Niryn had helped that demise along, too—the son of Ariani was just another male usurper to the throne, and a cursed one at that. He’d be easy enough to deal with when the time came.
Chapter 5
A warm wind from the south ended Tobin’s exile in early Cinrin. Midwinter rains melted the drifts like sugar loaves. The snow forts crumbled and their army of snowmen lay like scattered pockmarked corpses, felled by the plague of mild weather.
Two days later a royal courier arrived with a letter from Korin and another sharp summons from Lord Orun.
“That’s it, then,” said Ki after Tobin read it out to Tharin and the others around the hearth fire.
Bisir had grown ruddy and rather cheerful during his unintended stay, but he had that frightened rabbit look again now. “Does he say anything about me?”
“Don’t worry about Orun,” said Tobin. “It wasn’t your fault you got snowed in. He can’t hold the weather against you.”
Bisir shook his head. “But he will.”
“We’ll head back at first light tomorrow,” said Tharin, looking no more pleased than the valet did. “Nari, see that their things are packed.”
“Of course I will!” Nari snapped, offended, but Tobin saw her dab at her eyes with a corner of her apron as she went up the stairs.
C ook prepared a fine farewell supper that night, but no one was very hungry.
“You are still coming with me, aren’t you, Iya?” Tobin asked, pushing a bit of lamb around his bowl.
“Maybe you could be Tobin’s court wizard,” Ki offered.
“I doubt the king would approve of that,” Iya replied.
“But I’ll come for a little stay, just to see how the wind’s blowing.”
T obin’s heart was heavy as he and Ki dressed by candlelight the next morning. He had no appetite for breakfast; there was a lump in his throat, and another heavy as a stone in his belly. Ki was quieter than usual, and made his good-byes hastily when the time came to leave. Bisir looked downright grim.
The day dawned rainy and cold as they passed through Alestun. The roads were churned to thick, sucking mud and made for slow riding. The rain came in squalls as they descended through the wooded hills to the rolling open country beyond. Dusk came on early so late in the year. They spent the night in a wayside inn and came in sight of the coast at noon the next day. The sky was the color of iron, the sea and the distant river black against the winter brown fields. Even Ero looked like a city of ash on her high hill.
They kicked their horses into a gallop over the last few miles and the sharp tang of the sea blew in to greet them. That and the excitement of galloping with his own men at his back lifted Tobin’s spirits a little. By the time they reached the broad stone span of Beggar’s Bridge, he felt ready to face his guardian. Even the slums between the bridge and the city wall did not dampen his spirits. He emptied his purse of coppers and silver, tossing the coins to the beggars who lined the way. Tobin and his warriors saluted the crescent and flame carved on the great stone arch of the south gate, touching hearts and hilts to honor the city’s patron deities. Tharin announced Tobin’s arrival and the pike-men bowed to him as he rode by. Iya reined aside to show the silver badge she wore and one of the guards marked something down on a wax tally board. The wizard’s lips were pressed in a hard angry line as she caught up with Tobin. Tobin knew about the badges the Harriers made the free wizards wear, had seen the one Iya wore. Only now did he begin to understand what they really
Let Orun have his little stick figure prince for now. Without Duke Rhius’ power behind him—and Niryn had helped that demise along, too—the son of Ariani was just another male usurper to the throne, and a cursed one at that. He’d be easy enough to deal with when the time came.
Chapter 5
A warm wind from the south ended Tobin’s exile in early Cinrin. Midwinter rains melted the drifts like sugar loaves. The snow forts crumbled and their army of snowmen lay like scattered pockmarked corpses, felled by the plague of mild weather.
Two days later a royal courier arrived with a letter from Korin and another sharp summons from Lord Orun.
“That’s it, then,” said Ki after Tobin read it out to Tharin and the others around the hearth fire.
Bisir had grown ruddy and rather cheerful during his unintended stay, but he had that frightened rabbit look again now. “Does he say anything about me?”
“Don’t worry about Orun,” said Tobin. “It wasn’t your fault you got snowed in. He can’t hold the weather against you.”
Bisir shook his head. “But he will.”
“We’ll head back at first light tomorrow,” said Tharin, looking no more pleased than the valet did. “Nari, see that their things are packed.”
“Of course I will!” Nari snapped, offended, but Tobin saw her dab at her eyes with a corner of her apron as she went up the stairs.
C ook prepared a fine farewell supper that night, but no one was very hungry.
“You are still coming with me, aren’t you, Iya?” Tobin asked, pushing a bit of lamb around his bowl.
“Maybe you could be Tobin’s court wizard,” Ki offered.
“I doubt the king would approve of that,” Iya replied.
“But I’ll come for a little stay, just to see how the wind’s blowing.”
T obin’s heart was heavy as he and Ki dressed by candlelight the next morning. He had no appetite for breakfast; there was a lump in his throat, and another heavy as a stone in his belly. Ki was quieter than usual, and made his good-byes hastily when the time came to leave. Bisir looked downright grim.
The day dawned rainy and cold as they passed through Alestun. The roads were churned to thick, sucking mud and made for slow riding. The rain came in squalls as they descended through the wooded hills to the rolling open country beyond. Dusk came on early so late in the year. They spent the night in a wayside inn and came in sight of the coast at noon the next day. The sky was the color of iron, the sea and the distant river black against the winter brown fields. Even Ero looked like a city of ash on her high hill.
They kicked their horses into a gallop over the last few miles and the sharp tang of the sea blew in to greet them. That and the excitement of galloping with his own men at his back lifted Tobin’s spirits a little. By the time they reached the broad stone span of Beggar’s Bridge, he felt ready to face his guardian. Even the slums between the bridge and the city wall did not dampen his spirits. He emptied his purse of coppers and silver, tossing the coins to the beggars who lined the way. Tobin and his warriors saluted the crescent and flame carved on the great stone arch of the south gate, touching hearts and hilts to honor the city’s patron deities. Tharin announced Tobin’s arrival and the pike-men bowed to him as he rode by. Iya reined aside to show the silver badge she wore and one of the guards marked something down on a wax tally board. The wizard’s lips were pressed in a hard angry line as she caught up with Tobin. Tobin knew about the badges the Harriers made the free wizards wear, had seen the one Iya wore. Only now did he begin to understand what they really
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