Expecting the two equerries to immediately take off after me, I braced for a run. I thought, annoyed with myself. But the equerries both turned and walked swiftly back in the direction they’d come, a...
Except, what is normal at any given time? We change just as the seasons change, and each spring brings new growth. So nothing is ever quite the same. I realize now that what I wanted was comfort, but...
Dun came to realize that a man whose entire purpose for living is to command a war will not want to spend his life waiting for its possibility. He was going to have one, and he was going to see to it—...
Curse it, Bran said the next morning, standing before the fire in shirt and trousers with his shoulder stiffy bandaged. You think this necessary?He pointed at the mail coats lying on the table, their...
Can you second-guess this Shevraeth? Branaric asked. He seems to be driving us back into our hills--to what purpose? Why hasn’t he taken over any of our villages? He knows where they lie--and he has t...
But I'll still be betrothed. Some fun if he's a snob, and most of those court boys are snobs. And what if Uncle says I have to live with the boy's family? At least if he joins ours, I can stick him in...
Beyond those to another hall, with four doors--not woven doors, but real colorwood ones--redwood, bluewood, goldwood, greenwood--beautifully carved and obviously ancient.The servants opened one and bo...
Beyond the doors, the street and the gates were empty. The Hill Folk had vanished as mysteriously as they had come.A shuddering sigh of relief, not my own, brought my attention home and heartward. I s...
As I emerged onto a lovely brick-patterned street some of the noise I heard resolved into music. My steps turned automatically that way, and I saw an inn, its windows bright with golden light, its doo...
Are you Countless of Tlanth? she asked as I dismounted.I nodded, and she bustled over to a friend, handed off the horse, then beckoned me inside. I’m to show you to the south parlor, my lady.Muddy to...
Ah, my dear, Princess Elestra said to me in her fluting voice--that very same voice I remembered so well from my escape from Athanarel the year before. How delighted we are to have you join us here. D...
AFTERWORDAnd so I come to the end of my tale. I look through my window at the early buds of spring and think of placing this little book on the shelf here with all the other memoirs of queens and king...
A faint movement distracted me as Oria elbow-crawled up to my side. Her profile was outlined by the light from those faraway torches as she looked down on the castle below.I’m sorry, Oria, I breathed....
The one that whupped Galdran Merindar?Unbidden, Shevraeth’s voice spoke inside my head: You have never lied to me… I thought desperately, And for a brief moment I envisioned myself snarling Except i...
You’ll be in the race tomorrow?Of course, I said, lifting my hands. I have to prove whether my wins last time were luck, skill--or the kindness of well-wishers.Tamara smiled a little. And once you’ve...
You will like Court life, I promise, she said, smiling sweetly as we went out of the parlor.I took care to walk behind her so she could not see my face.
You know what I miss? The practice sessions we had when we were riding cross-country last year. I did some practice at home…but there doesn’t seem to be opportunity anymore.We have open practice each...
Why hadn’t he told me? Because I’d called him a liar and untrustworthy, and had made it plain I wasn’t going to change my opinion, no matter what. Then why hadn’t he told my brother, who did trust him...
Why d’you think Vidanric sent the escort?Vidanric?His name, Branaric said, still staring at me with that odd gaze. You could try to use it--only polite. After all, Shevraeth is just a title, and he do...
Who is it from? Savona asked.I looked up at him, trying to divine whether the secret knowledge lay behind his expression of interest.Of course she cannot tell, Tamara said, her tone mock chiding--a ma...