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Authors: Steve Miller, Sharon Lee
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accomplishment calls for the best dinner the Emerald can provide.” He glanced at Villy, and added, “As host, the honor of paying the bill falls to me.”
Villy’s face relaxed.
“I am hungry,” he admitted.
“Then we must not delay a moment longer! Please, take a moment to order yourself, while Quin and I review the security system.”
“Thanks,” Villy said, and headed for the back room.
* * * * *
The walkway was crowded, and they were obliged to walk in a staggered line, Luken somewhat to the fore, Quin and Villy following.
“Port’s jumping tonight,” Villy said. “Summer’s got everybody feeling spry.”
Quin, who had turned the collar of his jacket up, for warmth, and tucked his hands into his pockets, sighed.
“I thought summer was a warm season.”
“It is warm!” Villy said smartly. “We don’t hardly ever get snowstorms in summer!”
“At—on Liad, we never got snow at all,” Quin said ruefully, “except on the mountains.”
“I dunno I’d like that,” Villy countered. “By the end of winter, I usually figure I can do with less of it, but getting rid of all the winter—that just doesn’t seem right.”
“It is one of the many things that I find myself enjoying about our new home,” Luken said, addressing them over his shoulder. “The weather is so interest—Ah!”
“Grandfather!”
Quin leapt forward, knocking the stranger who had slammed into Luken back with a hard shoulder. He raised his fists, braced and ready to take an attack.
The man staggered, in no wise steady, blinked blearily, and seemed to register Quin’s attitude. He raised his hands to shoulder height, showing palms and spread fingers.
“Hey, hey, no worries, kid. Jus’ a little…” He shook his head and raised his voice a little. “Sorry, Pops. Sorry! Not so steady right now. Ain’t hurt, is he?” This last apparently addressed to Quin.
Drunk, Quin told himself. He’s only drunk; and he fell. It had been an accident, not an attack. He took a deep breath, that failed to bring inner calm, and managed to lower his fists, though he kept to his station between Luken and the stranger.
“I am quite unharmed, Quin,” Grandfather said from behind him. “You may stand down.”
“Go!” Quin snarled, and the stranger backed up, his steps tangling together. He fell to one knee, leapt up.
“I’m gone!” he said, and was.
“Sleet, you’re scary when you’re mad,” Villy said, slipping his arm through Quin’s. “Just a drunk, s’all. Mr. Luken, he’s fine.”
“Indeed, I am,” Grandfather said calmly, taking Quin’s other arm.
Quin tried another deep breath to cool the burning need for action.
“Hey, it’s OK…” Villy said, softly, pressing against his gently. “Easy…that’s it, just breathe deep, right?”
In fact, the third breath seemed more calming. Quin sighed it out, feeling his muscles begin to relax.
“That’s the ticket,” Villy murmured. “No sense bein’ all mad.”
“There,” Luken said. “That is more in the mode. Shall we proceed? I believe we have all earned a glass of wine.”
Chapter Six
Jelaza Kazone
Surebleak
Dinner done, they two repaired to his brother’s office. Val Con poured a glass of the jade for each.
Rys sipped—and sighed, as much for the finish as the vintage.
“Will you start a vineyard?” Val Con murmured, so softly it could have been his own thought.
Rys moved the glass, and watched the wine swirl.
“As it happens, one of my sisters—an avid gardener—has brought me into an endeavor with grapes. It is very much in the nature of an experiment, and I do not entertain…very high hopes of the outcome. Still, the subject interests her, and it would be unbrotherly, to refuse what aid I can give.”
He raised his eyes and met Val Con’s gaze.
“Truly, I never thought to work among the vines again.”
“And I had never thought to remove Korval to Surebleak. You may yet discover a grape hardy enough for the climate,
Villy’s face relaxed.
“I am hungry,” he admitted.
“Then we must not delay a moment longer! Please, take a moment to order yourself, while Quin and I review the security system.”
“Thanks,” Villy said, and headed for the back room.
* * * * *
The walkway was crowded, and they were obliged to walk in a staggered line, Luken somewhat to the fore, Quin and Villy following.
“Port’s jumping tonight,” Villy said. “Summer’s got everybody feeling spry.”
Quin, who had turned the collar of his jacket up, for warmth, and tucked his hands into his pockets, sighed.
“I thought summer was a warm season.”
“It is warm!” Villy said smartly. “We don’t hardly ever get snowstorms in summer!”
“At—on Liad, we never got snow at all,” Quin said ruefully, “except on the mountains.”
“I dunno I’d like that,” Villy countered. “By the end of winter, I usually figure I can do with less of it, but getting rid of all the winter—that just doesn’t seem right.”
“It is one of the many things that I find myself enjoying about our new home,” Luken said, addressing them over his shoulder. “The weather is so interest—Ah!”
“Grandfather!”
Quin leapt forward, knocking the stranger who had slammed into Luken back with a hard shoulder. He raised his fists, braced and ready to take an attack.
The man staggered, in no wise steady, blinked blearily, and seemed to register Quin’s attitude. He raised his hands to shoulder height, showing palms and spread fingers.
“Hey, hey, no worries, kid. Jus’ a little…” He shook his head and raised his voice a little. “Sorry, Pops. Sorry! Not so steady right now. Ain’t hurt, is he?” This last apparently addressed to Quin.
Drunk, Quin told himself. He’s only drunk; and he fell. It had been an accident, not an attack. He took a deep breath, that failed to bring inner calm, and managed to lower his fists, though he kept to his station between Luken and the stranger.
“I am quite unharmed, Quin,” Grandfather said from behind him. “You may stand down.”
“Go!” Quin snarled, and the stranger backed up, his steps tangling together. He fell to one knee, leapt up.
“I’m gone!” he said, and was.
“Sleet, you’re scary when you’re mad,” Villy said, slipping his arm through Quin’s. “Just a drunk, s’all. Mr. Luken, he’s fine.”
“Indeed, I am,” Grandfather said calmly, taking Quin’s other arm.
Quin tried another deep breath to cool the burning need for action.
“Hey, it’s OK…” Villy said, softly, pressing against his gently. “Easy…that’s it, just breathe deep, right?”
In fact, the third breath seemed more calming. Quin sighed it out, feeling his muscles begin to relax.
“That’s the ticket,” Villy murmured. “No sense bein’ all mad.”
“There,” Luken said. “That is more in the mode. Shall we proceed? I believe we have all earned a glass of wine.”
Chapter Six
Jelaza Kazone
Surebleak
Dinner done, they two repaired to his brother’s office. Val Con poured a glass of the jade for each.
Rys sipped—and sighed, as much for the finish as the vintage.
“Will you start a vineyard?” Val Con murmured, so softly it could have been his own thought.
Rys moved the glass, and watched the wine swirl.
“As it happens, one of my sisters—an avid gardener—has brought me into an endeavor with grapes. It is very much in the nature of an experiment, and I do not entertain…very high hopes of the outcome. Still, the subject interests her, and it would be unbrotherly, to refuse what aid I can give.”
He raised his eyes and met Val Con’s gaze.
“Truly, I never thought to work among the vines again.”
“And I had never thought to remove Korval to Surebleak. You may yet discover a grape hardy enough for the climate,
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