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. Prince Eiran, I am Pyrust, comefor my city.Open this door and no harm shall befall you. He heard no response and frowned.He spun, then waved his sword to clear the soldiers from the directline of the door. Do nothing for the moment. Turning back to the door, he got out of the way, sheathedhis sword, then nodded to the soldiers waiting there. Open, now. They tugged on the ropes they d attached to the handles, and the doors slowly opened like theatercurtains drawing back.A rattle of arrows skipped off the doors and floor.Pyrust stooped and picked upone of the arrows, then laughed.Holding it in his right hand, he stepped into the doorway and through.The audience chamber was too small to have ever been considered grand, but the marble and graniteinlaid in the floors and forming the dais at the far end had been imported.They had been fitted together inthe Helosundian dog crest, which Pyrust s father had left intact, since the artistry did give the room somemajesty.The murals on the walls had been repainted to depict glorious scenes from Desei history, and itamused Pyrust to see that the portrait of himself on the east wall had been defiled.His face had beenobliterated by repeated pounding with a dented brass urn.The sprawl of young and very drunk Helosundian nobles between the crest and the dais echoed thecorpse-strewn streets outside.Out there, bodies lay in pools of blood, urine, and excrement; inside, thenobles lay in spilled wine and their own vomit.Their armor none of it showing battle wear had beencast aside.Whatever robes they had worn beneath now gave thin shelter to cowering women wholooked up at Pyrust with haunted eyes.A half dozen of the nobles, including the new Prince, hadmanaged to stand and shoot, but none of them had nocked a fresh arrow, and only two fingered shafts intheir quivers.Pyrust lifted the arrow he d plucked from the ground. Care to try again? Bows clattered to the ground in reply.Archers soon followed, their ashen pallor deepening.Only Eiranremained on his feet, but he wavered and swallowed.Pyrust stared at him as he advanced, slowlyspinning the arrow between his fingers.With each step he took, the Helosundian s trembling increased.Pyrust looked past him to the woman sitting in the mayor s chair.She could have been a Keru, were shetaller and heavier, for she had the blonde hair and the icy eyes and the hardness that came with purehatred.He quickened his pace, sweeping past the Prince and up the three steps to the throne.He threwthe arrow aside and grabbed her by the throat, lifting her roughly, but she did not cry out.Blood from his glove streaked her neck.She swallowed, and he felt it.He felt her life in his hands, thethrumming of her heart.Only the shrinking of her pupils and the slight flair of delicate nostrils betrayed herfeelings.She spat in his face.Pyrust released her and wiped the spittle from his cheek, then flicked his hand out in a backhanded slap.It snapped her head around and rocked her back against the throne, but she did not go down.Risingredness marked her right cheek.She straightened and her eyes narrowed.Pyrust held his hand before her face. Don t spit again.I would be disappointed if you could think of nonew outrage. He turned, deliberately presenting his back to her, then stalked down the steps to where her brother stillstood.Pyrust let his hand fall heavily on the Prince s shoulder.With the slightest pressure, he could havedriven him to his knees.Instead, he tightened his grip and kept Eiran upright.He whispered in the Helosundian s ear. Your sister has bought your life.That is who she is, isn t it? Youcould never attract someone with that much spirit, no matter the crown you wore. And you, Jasai. Pyrust spun and looked back up at the girl. When they made your brother a prince,did they make you a princess? She glared at him. No. Then I shall. Eiran shook off his hand. No. Pyrust hooked his shield arm out and turned the young Prince around.He kept his voice low and cold. Understand something, Eiran.You are a fool and a coward.You say no, but you can do nothing toenforce it.In fact, if I chose to take your sister right now, right there, on that throne, you would hold herfor me.Look, she knows it. Eiran s head came up and his sister s stare impaled him.He sank to his knees and vomited over Pyrust sboots.The Desei Prince nudged him onto his side, less to move him from the puddle than to wipe his bootsclean.He again mounted the steps to the throne. You, Jasai duchess, countess, whatever they in theirfoolishness made you shall now be a Princess of Deseirion.You purchase one thing immediately: yourbrother s life.I ll have his court sobered, saddled, and escorted south to where they can reach Nalenyrwithout incident.A second thing you purchase when we wed: a truce in this province.No more raidingagainst your people.No more forced resettlement. Jasai shifted her incendiary gaze to him and he hesitated for a moment.There could be no mistaking thefury on her face, but flickers of ambition also flashed there.Her foolish brother had become drunk withhis success and the spoils of battle, but she d remained sober.She had positioned herself to rise topower. You don t think you can trust me.You re wise in that, but you will learn you can. Pyrust reached upand took her hand in his. You will buy one more thing.Give me a son, and he shall rule Helosunde asyour brother should have.You will be his regent. Her brow furrowed for a moment. Why would you offer me Helosunde? If I do not, you will hate me forever. I assure you, my lord, I will always hate you. But you will tolerate me to save your people.Life will be better for my people.It is not much of adowry, but I shall accept it. Jasai raised her chin. I think, my lord, you leave unnamed the greatest gift I will give you. Do tell me. My rule of Helosunde will free you to pursue other ambitions. She smiled. You make me a princess, you give me Helosunde, but I will make you an Emperor. Pyrust bit the inside of his cheek to kill his smile. In a Festival of new beginnings, this may be the bestbeginning of all.The new year will be full of portent, indeed. Chapter Forty3rd day, Month of the Tiger, Year of the Rat9th Year of Imperial Prince Cyron s Court163rd Year of the Komyr Dynasty737th year since the CataclysmStormwolf, in the South SeasSince finding the Moondragon and the odd creature aboard it, the expedition had known little joy.Inpart that could be blamed on their traveling further south with the prevailing current.The seas becamemore hostile and the weather significantly cooler.Shimik began to grow a thick coat in response, and thetreachery of ice on the decks added to the dangers of shipboard life.Though Captain Gryst was content to leave the sea devil to Jorim for study, he quickly brought thescholars on the Stormwolf in to study the thing.They all dissected it and preserved pieces in various jars.Drawings were rendered of its overall physiology from flesh in.The claws were tested and found tocontain a venom thought to be similar to a Viruk warrior s.It caused paralysis in small animals, and theinvestigators suggested that many of the crew had been felled by it before they had a chance to fight [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
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. Prince Eiran, I am Pyrust, comefor my city.Open this door and no harm shall befall you. He heard no response and frowned.He spun, then waved his sword to clear the soldiers from the directline of the door. Do nothing for the moment. Turning back to the door, he got out of the way, sheathedhis sword, then nodded to the soldiers waiting there. Open, now. They tugged on the ropes they d attached to the handles, and the doors slowly opened like theatercurtains drawing back.A rattle of arrows skipped off the doors and floor.Pyrust stooped and picked upone of the arrows, then laughed.Holding it in his right hand, he stepped into the doorway and through.The audience chamber was too small to have ever been considered grand, but the marble and graniteinlaid in the floors and forming the dais at the far end had been imported.They had been fitted together inthe Helosundian dog crest, which Pyrust s father had left intact, since the artistry did give the room somemajesty.The murals on the walls had been repainted to depict glorious scenes from Desei history, and itamused Pyrust to see that the portrait of himself on the east wall had been defiled.His face had beenobliterated by repeated pounding with a dented brass urn.The sprawl of young and very drunk Helosundian nobles between the crest and the dais echoed thecorpse-strewn streets outside.Out there, bodies lay in pools of blood, urine, and excrement; inside, thenobles lay in spilled wine and their own vomit.Their armor none of it showing battle wear had beencast aside.Whatever robes they had worn beneath now gave thin shelter to cowering women wholooked up at Pyrust with haunted eyes.A half dozen of the nobles, including the new Prince, hadmanaged to stand and shoot, but none of them had nocked a fresh arrow, and only two fingered shafts intheir quivers.Pyrust lifted the arrow he d plucked from the ground. Care to try again? Bows clattered to the ground in reply.Archers soon followed, their ashen pallor deepening.Only Eiranremained on his feet, but he wavered and swallowed.Pyrust stared at him as he advanced, slowlyspinning the arrow between his fingers.With each step he took, the Helosundian s trembling increased.Pyrust looked past him to the woman sitting in the mayor s chair.She could have been a Keru, were shetaller and heavier, for she had the blonde hair and the icy eyes and the hardness that came with purehatred.He quickened his pace, sweeping past the Prince and up the three steps to the throne.He threwthe arrow aside and grabbed her by the throat, lifting her roughly, but she did not cry out.Blood from his glove streaked her neck.She swallowed, and he felt it.He felt her life in his hands, thethrumming of her heart.Only the shrinking of her pupils and the slight flair of delicate nostrils betrayed herfeelings.She spat in his face.Pyrust released her and wiped the spittle from his cheek, then flicked his hand out in a backhanded slap.It snapped her head around and rocked her back against the throne, but she did not go down.Risingredness marked her right cheek.She straightened and her eyes narrowed.Pyrust held his hand before her face. Don t spit again.I would be disappointed if you could think of nonew outrage. He turned, deliberately presenting his back to her, then stalked down the steps to where her brother stillstood.Pyrust let his hand fall heavily on the Prince s shoulder.With the slightest pressure, he could havedriven him to his knees.Instead, he tightened his grip and kept Eiran upright.He whispered in the Helosundian s ear. Your sister has bought your life.That is who she is, isn t it? Youcould never attract someone with that much spirit, no matter the crown you wore. And you, Jasai. Pyrust spun and looked back up at the girl. When they made your brother a prince,did they make you a princess? She glared at him. No. Then I shall. Eiran shook off his hand. No. Pyrust hooked his shield arm out and turned the young Prince around.He kept his voice low and cold. Understand something, Eiran.You are a fool and a coward.You say no, but you can do nothing toenforce it.In fact, if I chose to take your sister right now, right there, on that throne, you would hold herfor me.Look, she knows it. Eiran s head came up and his sister s stare impaled him.He sank to his knees and vomited over Pyrust sboots.The Desei Prince nudged him onto his side, less to move him from the puddle than to wipe his bootsclean.He again mounted the steps to the throne. You, Jasai duchess, countess, whatever they in theirfoolishness made you shall now be a Princess of Deseirion.You purchase one thing immediately: yourbrother s life.I ll have his court sobered, saddled, and escorted south to where they can reach Nalenyrwithout incident.A second thing you purchase when we wed: a truce in this province.No more raidingagainst your people.No more forced resettlement. Jasai shifted her incendiary gaze to him and he hesitated for a moment.There could be no mistaking thefury on her face, but flickers of ambition also flashed there.Her foolish brother had become drunk withhis success and the spoils of battle, but she d remained sober.She had positioned herself to rise topower. You don t think you can trust me.You re wise in that, but you will learn you can. Pyrust reached upand took her hand in his. You will buy one more thing.Give me a son, and he shall rule Helosunde asyour brother should have.You will be his regent. Her brow furrowed for a moment. Why would you offer me Helosunde? If I do not, you will hate me forever. I assure you, my lord, I will always hate you. But you will tolerate me to save your people.Life will be better for my people.It is not much of adowry, but I shall accept it. Jasai raised her chin. I think, my lord, you leave unnamed the greatest gift I will give you. Do tell me. My rule of Helosunde will free you to pursue other ambitions. She smiled. You make me a princess, you give me Helosunde, but I will make you an Emperor. Pyrust bit the inside of his cheek to kill his smile. In a Festival of new beginnings, this may be the bestbeginning of all.The new year will be full of portent, indeed. Chapter Forty3rd day, Month of the Tiger, Year of the Rat9th Year of Imperial Prince Cyron s Court163rd Year of the Komyr Dynasty737th year since the CataclysmStormwolf, in the South SeasSince finding the Moondragon and the odd creature aboard it, the expedition had known little joy.Inpart that could be blamed on their traveling further south with the prevailing current.The seas becamemore hostile and the weather significantly cooler.Shimik began to grow a thick coat in response, and thetreachery of ice on the decks added to the dangers of shipboard life.Though Captain Gryst was content to leave the sea devil to Jorim for study, he quickly brought thescholars on the Stormwolf in to study the thing.They all dissected it and preserved pieces in various jars.Drawings were rendered of its overall physiology from flesh in.The claws were tested and found tocontain a venom thought to be similar to a Viruk warrior s.It caused paralysis in small animals, and theinvestigators suggested that many of the crew had been felled by it before they had a chance to fight [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]