Read Online King of Swords (The Starfolk) by Dave Duncan - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Dave Duncan
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word that imp says.”
Maybe. “I could tell you weren’t his greatmother just by looking at you.”
“No you couldn’t.” She pressed close to him and her free hand stroked his back. “Would you like to kiss me?”
No one had ever asked him that before. There had to be a first time for anything, but under the present circumstances he found the question so inappropriate and alarming that his hair would have tried to stand on end if it hadn’t already been doing so.
“Very much. But do you want me to?”
She sighed and released him. “I might if I knew you a little better. You smell nice. Nashira bet me that you would try if I encouraged you.”
“And what would have happened then?”
“I would be branded a promiscuous hussy and spurned by all my friends. If it came out in court, it would ruin your chances of gaining status. Shall we go?”
“Lead on.” It was hard to
think
.
She led him along the paved path flanked by phosphorescent flowers, whose scent hung heavy in the air. The many-colored twinkling lights in the trees were presumably Starlands fireflies. A full moon shone low in the sky, illuminating filmy clouds that perfectly complimented Alniyat’s silver hair. Even allowing for the dim light, this place seemed much more real than anywhere he had yet seen in the Starlands. A great white shape swept past overhead, silent as an owl, which it might or might not have been.
“This is the celebrated Moon Garden?”
“One part of it. It’s huge, famous. Ancestral. One of Dubhe’s greatfathers imagined it centuries ago.”
“Greatfather?”
“Father, grandfather, then greatfather. It works the same way with greatmothers. As soon as the moon sets on one side, it rises again on the other.”
“And Muphrid stole this place?”
“He flew a portal of his own in a couple of years ago, which is trespassing. Then he closed Dubhe’s portals, which made it grand larceny.” Alniyat sighed. “But Fomalhaut was bluffing when he threatened him. Dubhe is a Talitha supporter, so the prince will do little to help her. And the regent does whatever the prince tells him to.”
The night was very dark, in more ways than one. “Um? Prince?”
“Vildiar. This is where I’m staying.”
It seemed more like a cave than a room to Rigel, being a small hollow hill, but it had several entrances, either doors or windows as one pleased, plus its own pool and waterfall. The floor was cushioned by moss and trees grew on the roof. If you had unlimited magic to throw around, as the starfolk seemed to, why not build a nice cool, damp cave?
Alniyat sat on a couch-shaped rock, sinking into the moss. “There’s a mirror behind those ferns.”
Rigel found the mirror where moonlight conveniently shone on his face. It was an unfamiliar face, with its funny little human ears exposed. With Alniyat’s help, the little starling had given him a buzz cut that looked a little like elfin fur, but his eyes didn’t sparkle as the starfolk’s did. Nashira had called them “dead.”
Sprawled back against mossy cushions, Alniyat was staring absently at the roof. “This gathering is a crushing bore. There isn’t one interesting male among the lot of them.” Her pose was as blatantly provocative as her words.
Beauty too rich for use
. Rigel had quoted the words Romeo had used upon his first glimpse of Juliet, which now felt like a serious indiscretion. “I thought I had already passed the seduction test?”
“Yes, you did.” She sighed and sat up. “Time to go. We’ll be late for dinner. If you are given status, I may let you kiss me, just once, to celebrate. But you must promise faithfully not to tell anyone.”
“They wouldn’t believe I could ever be so lucky.”
“No, they wouldn’t.” She smiled.
Her teeth were two ivory saws and her ears as big as her hands, but she was unbelievably gorgeous in spite of that.
“Do we have to change our clothes for dinner?”
“No. Just rinse off in a fountain.” She
Maybe. “I could tell you weren’t his greatmother just by looking at you.”
“No you couldn’t.” She pressed close to him and her free hand stroked his back. “Would you like to kiss me?”
No one had ever asked him that before. There had to be a first time for anything, but under the present circumstances he found the question so inappropriate and alarming that his hair would have tried to stand on end if it hadn’t already been doing so.
“Very much. But do you want me to?”
She sighed and released him. “I might if I knew you a little better. You smell nice. Nashira bet me that you would try if I encouraged you.”
“And what would have happened then?”
“I would be branded a promiscuous hussy and spurned by all my friends. If it came out in court, it would ruin your chances of gaining status. Shall we go?”
“Lead on.” It was hard to
think
.
She led him along the paved path flanked by phosphorescent flowers, whose scent hung heavy in the air. The many-colored twinkling lights in the trees were presumably Starlands fireflies. A full moon shone low in the sky, illuminating filmy clouds that perfectly complimented Alniyat’s silver hair. Even allowing for the dim light, this place seemed much more real than anywhere he had yet seen in the Starlands. A great white shape swept past overhead, silent as an owl, which it might or might not have been.
“This is the celebrated Moon Garden?”
“One part of it. It’s huge, famous. Ancestral. One of Dubhe’s greatfathers imagined it centuries ago.”
“Greatfather?”
“Father, grandfather, then greatfather. It works the same way with greatmothers. As soon as the moon sets on one side, it rises again on the other.”
“And Muphrid stole this place?”
“He flew a portal of his own in a couple of years ago, which is trespassing. Then he closed Dubhe’s portals, which made it grand larceny.” Alniyat sighed. “But Fomalhaut was bluffing when he threatened him. Dubhe is a Talitha supporter, so the prince will do little to help her. And the regent does whatever the prince tells him to.”
The night was very dark, in more ways than one. “Um? Prince?”
“Vildiar. This is where I’m staying.”
It seemed more like a cave than a room to Rigel, being a small hollow hill, but it had several entrances, either doors or windows as one pleased, plus its own pool and waterfall. The floor was cushioned by moss and trees grew on the roof. If you had unlimited magic to throw around, as the starfolk seemed to, why not build a nice cool, damp cave?
Alniyat sat on a couch-shaped rock, sinking into the moss. “There’s a mirror behind those ferns.”
Rigel found the mirror where moonlight conveniently shone on his face. It was an unfamiliar face, with its funny little human ears exposed. With Alniyat’s help, the little starling had given him a buzz cut that looked a little like elfin fur, but his eyes didn’t sparkle as the starfolk’s did. Nashira had called them “dead.”
Sprawled back against mossy cushions, Alniyat was staring absently at the roof. “This gathering is a crushing bore. There isn’t one interesting male among the lot of them.” Her pose was as blatantly provocative as her words.
Beauty too rich for use
. Rigel had quoted the words Romeo had used upon his first glimpse of Juliet, which now felt like a serious indiscretion. “I thought I had already passed the seduction test?”
“Yes, you did.” She sighed and sat up. “Time to go. We’ll be late for dinner. If you are given status, I may let you kiss me, just once, to celebrate. But you must promise faithfully not to tell anyone.”
“They wouldn’t believe I could ever be so lucky.”
“No, they wouldn’t.” She smiled.
Her teeth were two ivory saws and her ears as big as her hands, but she was unbelievably gorgeous in spite of that.
“Do we have to change our clothes for dinner?”
“No. Just rinse off in a fountain.” She
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