Read Online Land of Night by Kirby Crow - Free Book Online Page A

dangerous, t'aishka. Will you not at least think about staying behind?"
    Scarlet's answer was to grin at him. “It's not my fault if you make promises in haste and regret them later.” He flopped back in the chair. “So, how long am I supposed to sit here?"
    * * * *
    The nightmare was unformed, all shadows and blood and faces drawn in fear or pain, like the half-thoughts that devil a person just before waking. Scarlet woke, knowing only that he had dreamed of horses and snow, and of seeing Liall racing ahead on his mount while Scarlet shouted for him to stop. Scarlet's heartbeat thundered and he sat up quickly, a cry echoing in his ears.
    "Liall?” he called. He pulled the bed-curtains aside, but Liall was not there.
    The outer door opened immediately and Nenos stood there. Gods, did the man never sleep? Nenos approached the bed anxiously.
    "Ser? Un huna hircenge'kaya th'hus?"
    "What? No, I'm ... it was a dream.” Nenos shook his head, and Scarlet made a formless motion in the air. “You understand? Dream?"
    He shook his head. "Cenge'kaya?"
    Scarlet dropped his hands. “Like talking to a badger, it is.” he sighed and imitated the motion he had seen Liall use, the one of dismissal. It worked like a charm, and Nenos bowed out of the room.
    Rising, Scarlet found his robe and went to curl up in the chair beside the fire to wait out the rest of the night. He did not want to risk going back to sleep and dreaming again, not like that, and there was a heaviness all around his heart, as if the dream were a warning.
    After an hour or so, he heard the door open again and turned to see Nenos. Nenos seemed surprised to see him still awake, and approached and bowed before speaking softly in Sinha. Scarlet understood very little more Sinha than he had before they landed, but he was getting to know Nenos's intonations. He shook his head. No, he didn't want anything.
    Nenos studied his face for a moment and withdrew. He returned in a short time with a tray that held che and some cold biscuits with poppy seeds sprinkled on them. Scarlet sighed inwardly, but thanked Nenos and told him to go away again. Scarlet sat there under the window and let the che get cold, brooding and thinking.
    Nenos left him alone, but came in a while later. Seeing the untouched tray, he frowned, and spoke to Scarlet softly, questioningly. Scarlet shook his head and waved him away impatiently. Nenos left again, but Scarlet could tell he was not happy about it.
    Only a few minutes later, the outer door opened and he heard Nenos let someone in. The lamplight from the hall flooded the room, and Jochi, rumpled and obviously just roused from his bed, stood there bowing to Scarlet. “Can I be of service, ser?"
    Scarlet sighed, exasperated and near anger.
    Jochi frowned. “What's amiss, ser?” he persisted.
    "Nothing. I'm fine, honestly. I don't know why they bothered you. I just had a foul dream."
    Jochi smiled again and took the chair opposite Scarlet's. Nenos closed the door softly. “It is never a bother to serve a member of the royal family. Nenos knows that Prince Nazheradei cannot be disturbed at the moment, so he sent for me."
    Scarlet snorted and looked at the fire. Cannot be disturbed? Why? “I'm not a member of the royal family."
    "Strictly speaking, no, but in Rshan, appearances can matter almost as much as reality. You are a foreigner, yet you enjoy a protected status from Prince Nazheradei and you were accepted by our Queen."
    "What does that mean, protected status?"
    "Of course, a Hilurin would need to be protected in Rshan. You know we do not allow foreigners here."
    "What would happen to me if I didn't have this status from the prince?"
    Jochi looked vastly unhappy. “You would be killed, ser.” He looked away, seeming embarrassed. “I am sorry, but that is our law. No lenilyn may set foot on Rshani soil without permission from the reigning monarch. Even then, the people do not like it."
    "Why the hell not?” Scarlet was getting a little