Read Online Caught in Crystal: A Lyra Novel by Patricia Collins Wrede - Free Book Online
Authors: Patricia Collins Wrede
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happen.” He regarded her with a complacent smile, but his eyes were cold and hard. “And there are laws about such travelers, you know.”
“I know the Prefect’s laws,” Kayl said even more waspishly than before. “And you may be sure that if a Shee had come to my inn I would have reported it as the Prefect requires. Along with my opinion of such foolish laws as that one.” From the corner of one eye, she saw a movement at one of the upper windows of the inn. Corrana, perhaps? Well, let her listen if she chose. Inquisitive woman.
“I am sure Prefect Islorran will be delighted to hear that, Mistress Kayl. Simply delighted.” Utrilo’s smile widened into a toothy shark’s grin. “But are you quite certain you have seen no Shee? You realize that failure to notify the Prefect could result in the confiscation of your property.”
“I am well aware of that, Utrilo,” Kayl said between her teeth. Islorran and his previous secretaries had never taken much interest in Copeham’s inn, except to make sure the taxes were paid promptly. Utrilo, however, was another matter. In the few weeks that he had been in Copeham, there had hardly been two days running in which he had not found some excuse to visit the inn and criticize its management or make increasingly open threats regarding fines, penalties, and confiscation. Kayl had concluded that he was trying to demonstrate his competence and dedication to Islorran. She wished very strongly that he would find some other way of doing so.
Utrilo’s smile did not waver. “And you still maintain that no Shee arrived here yesterday?”
“I have never seen a Shee with black hair or black eyes, and the only person who arrived yesterday has both.”
“There are dyes…” Utrilo said with less confidence.
“A Shee, dye his hair to avoid notice by humans? Don’t be ridiculous. No Shee would bother.”
“As you clearly know so well, Mistress Kayl.”
“As anyone who’s ever met a Shee knows, including the Prefect. They’ve never thought much of humans, and I doubt that all these regulations have improved their opinions any. Not that I blame them.”
“That is precisely the point,” Utrilo said pompously. “Prefect Islorran knows how unwise it is to allow a few people to flaunt their disregard for the law.”
“How nice for the Prefect,” said a new voice from behind Utrilo. “Presumably that is why his son was not even fined when he got drunk last month and broke half the pottery in Pesek’s shop.”
Utrilo jumped and whirled with a speed that was amazing in one of his bulk. Behind him, showing pointed teeth in a fierce smile, stood Bryn, woodworker, handywoman, and one of the few Wyrds still remaining in Copeham.
CHAPTER
FOUR
U TRILO RECOVERED HIMSELF QUICKLY and his eyes contracted to slits. “Ah, Mistress Bryn,” he said with a false heartiness. “What an unexpected surprise! Oh, but a pleasant one, I do assure you.” For a moment Kayl was afraid he was going to reach out and pat Bryn’s head as though she were a child or the cat she resembled.
“I’m glad you find it so,” Bryn said. “Good afternoon, Kayl. Mark said you had a job for me?”
“One of the benches inside has a cracked leg. It’s hanging on by a splinter; I’m lucky no one heavy sat on it last night.” Kayl glanced at Utrilo.
“Yes, I heard you had quite a crowd,” Bryn said. “It’s just inside?”
“Leaning up against the wall on the right,” Kayl said. “I didn’t want to chance someone sitting on it.”
“Good. It shouldn’t take long,” Bryn said, and started for the door.
“Just a moment, Mistress Wyrd,” Utrilo said.
One of Bryn’s large, foxlike ears twitched. Unhurriedly, she turned back to face Utrilo. They made an interesting contrast, the fat, red-faced man in a loose robe of dusty linen and the small, brown-furred Wyrd in her plain leather tunic. Bryn looked less than half Utrilo’s size, though she was not too much shorter than he was, but
“I know the Prefect’s laws,” Kayl said even more waspishly than before. “And you may be sure that if a Shee had come to my inn I would have reported it as the Prefect requires. Along with my opinion of such foolish laws as that one.” From the corner of one eye, she saw a movement at one of the upper windows of the inn. Corrana, perhaps? Well, let her listen if she chose. Inquisitive woman.
“I am sure Prefect Islorran will be delighted to hear that, Mistress Kayl. Simply delighted.” Utrilo’s smile widened into a toothy shark’s grin. “But are you quite certain you have seen no Shee? You realize that failure to notify the Prefect could result in the confiscation of your property.”
“I am well aware of that, Utrilo,” Kayl said between her teeth. Islorran and his previous secretaries had never taken much interest in Copeham’s inn, except to make sure the taxes were paid promptly. Utrilo, however, was another matter. In the few weeks that he had been in Copeham, there had hardly been two days running in which he had not found some excuse to visit the inn and criticize its management or make increasingly open threats regarding fines, penalties, and confiscation. Kayl had concluded that he was trying to demonstrate his competence and dedication to Islorran. She wished very strongly that he would find some other way of doing so.
Utrilo’s smile did not waver. “And you still maintain that no Shee arrived here yesterday?”
“I have never seen a Shee with black hair or black eyes, and the only person who arrived yesterday has both.”
“There are dyes…” Utrilo said with less confidence.
“A Shee, dye his hair to avoid notice by humans? Don’t be ridiculous. No Shee would bother.”
“As you clearly know so well, Mistress Kayl.”
“As anyone who’s ever met a Shee knows, including the Prefect. They’ve never thought much of humans, and I doubt that all these regulations have improved their opinions any. Not that I blame them.”
“That is precisely the point,” Utrilo said pompously. “Prefect Islorran knows how unwise it is to allow a few people to flaunt their disregard for the law.”
“How nice for the Prefect,” said a new voice from behind Utrilo. “Presumably that is why his son was not even fined when he got drunk last month and broke half the pottery in Pesek’s shop.”
Utrilo jumped and whirled with a speed that was amazing in one of his bulk. Behind him, showing pointed teeth in a fierce smile, stood Bryn, woodworker, handywoman, and one of the few Wyrds still remaining in Copeham.
CHAPTER
FOUR
U TRILO RECOVERED HIMSELF QUICKLY and his eyes contracted to slits. “Ah, Mistress Bryn,” he said with a false heartiness. “What an unexpected surprise! Oh, but a pleasant one, I do assure you.” For a moment Kayl was afraid he was going to reach out and pat Bryn’s head as though she were a child or the cat she resembled.
“I’m glad you find it so,” Bryn said. “Good afternoon, Kayl. Mark said you had a job for me?”
“One of the benches inside has a cracked leg. It’s hanging on by a splinter; I’m lucky no one heavy sat on it last night.” Kayl glanced at Utrilo.
“Yes, I heard you had quite a crowd,” Bryn said. “It’s just inside?”
“Leaning up against the wall on the right,” Kayl said. “I didn’t want to chance someone sitting on it.”
“Good. It shouldn’t take long,” Bryn said, and started for the door.
“Just a moment, Mistress Wyrd,” Utrilo said.
One of Bryn’s large, foxlike ears twitched. Unhurriedly, she turned back to face Utrilo. They made an interesting contrast, the fat, red-faced man in a loose robe of dusty linen and the small, brown-furred Wyrd in her plain leather tunic. Bryn looked less than half Utrilo’s size, though she was not too much shorter than he was, but
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