When she was done, I said, Thanks, Ria. That’s as good as an afternoon nap in the summer.A shame you have to put it up again, she said, smiling. It’s so pretty--the color of autumn leaves. Promise you...
When at last Deric and I settled into his carriage, he dropped back with a sigh of relief. Well, that’s over. Good food and good company, but none of it worth sitting mum while Fialma glared daggers a...
When I reached the end of the patch of forest I was ready to run out into the bright sunshine--but before I’d passed the last tree I saw a line of riders racing across a distant field.Ducking instinct...
When I reached my rooms, I saw a letter lying on my table.Hastily stripping off my gloves, I sank down onto my pillows, heedless of the costly fabric of my court gown crinkling and billowing about me,...
What have you to say now, my little hero? the Baron gloated.That you are a fool, the son of a fool, and the servant of the biggest
We’re to have no communication with anyone outside of our own people, she said.My first reaction was disbelief. Then I thought of that letter of thanks I’d planned on writing, and even though I had no...
Well, I had no answer to make to that; thinking about Elenet, or Shevraeth, or that carved throne, caused a cold ache inside, as if I had lost something I had not hitherto valued.So I didn’t write bac...
We worked for the four days of that blizzard, loosening the mortar in the lower stones of Castle Munth. The wind and storm did the rest; after the walls fell, we melted snow from uphill with our combi...
War is a convenient fix for government problems if it happens somewhere else. To other people.
To resume--and we’d better hurry, or they’ll be down here clamoring for our company before their supper goes cold--Lord Vidanric has been working very hard ever since the end of the war. Too hard, som...
The throne was empty, and above it hung only the ancient flag of Remalna, tattered in places from age. Galdran’s banners were, of course, gone. No one was on the dais. Just below it, side by side in f...
The morning of the ball dawned.When I reached the ballroom for my last inspection and saw the faces awaiting me, I realized I had fully as many people working for me as there would be guests. I could...
The man came around, set a cup down by my hand. Are you very uncomfortable?Does it matter? I said, and wrapped my chilled hands around the cup--which was not of the battered metal I’d expected, but ve...
That afternoon we rode into an armed camp. I glanced about at the orderly tents, the soldiers in battle tunics of green and gold mixing freely with those in the blue with the three white stars above t...
Tell me where you got your information, he said.Azmus. Our old spy. My lips were numb, and I started to shiver. Hugging my arms against my stomach, I said, My reasons were partly stupid and partly wel...
So you want to know if I’ll pay for it?He shook his head. I want to know, my lady, what you will do with the information.My first thought was that the Marquise would probably make any servant disappea...
So the Marquise is a prisoner somewhere? I asked, enjoying the idea.He grimaced. No. She took poison. A constitutional inability to suffer reverses, apparently. We didn’t find out until too late. Fial...
She won’t rat out on us. Let me talk to her, and she’ll see reason.I’d give her some time before you attempt it, came the wry answer.She usually doesn’t stay mad long, Bran said carelessly.Again habit...
Savona escorted me back to the Residence. For most of our journey the talk was in our usual pattern--he made outrageous compliments, which I turned into jokes. Once he said, May I count on you to grac...
Oria and I walked into the kitchen to find Julen staring at a handsome young man with curly black hair and fine new livery in Astiar colors.His chin was up, and he swept a cool glance over us all as h...