as
objective as I can.”
Sacred Iris help me
, the exasperated
thought came into my head from the sibyl, unused to finding herself
on the defensive. Her usual candidates grew up in the Eclipsian
culture; she had no other method but the traditional one by which
to evaluate me.
By now I was near to collapsing from
exhaustion. Nobody had warned me how draining it is to actively
use
crypta
, as opposed to simply receiving
thoughts. The prisms I had manipulated amplify the gift, but the
necessary energy comes from the body. Physical training helps; my
sedentary Terran lifestyle only made things worse. A neophyte
should build up endurance gradually, like an athlete, but I had
just run a marathon while still learning to walk.
In truth, nobody, not even Dominic, had been
certain how much
crypta
I possessed. The communion Dominic
and I shared was so natural for us that I think we overlooked its
significance. Lady Ertegun, her phlegmatic exterior disguising her
excitement at my abilities, had led me to overreach.
Not caring any longer what people thought, I
staggered over to Dominic and slumped off-center into his lap
before he had time to make room.
By Hecate’s tits, Amalie! Be
careful
! he swore into my mind as he shifted me gently onto
the seat beside him. I felt the sudden flare of communion like a
stab of pleasure, the beginning of erection I had set off with my
hasty landing. He gave me a quick smile to show he was not angry,
merely, at last, embarrassed, as his warmth and strength seeped
into me. His hand clasped mine, hidden between our bodies, and the
swirling buffer of communion blocked whatever reaction my
awkwardness might have caused in the keen-eyed spectators.
Viceroy Zichmni came to my rescue before I
dared look up. “Perhaps we should recess for dinner,” he decided.
My stomach growled hopefully at the suggestion. It was, indeed,
well past time for the midday meal. Just as it had absorbed a
surprising amount of energy, the
crypta
work had consumed
a great chunk of time, while it seemed as if only a few minutes had
gone by.
The ‘Graven conferred and discussed noisily.
The Eclipsian tradition of hospitality is ingrained and bound by
many rules. Where I should eat and with whom was evidently
something that philosophers could happily debate for a week. “Lord
Zichmni,” Dominic’s voice cut through the babble of thoughts and
raised voices, “the lady will faint from hunger while everyone puts
forward his claim. Since I maintain my residence here while
Assembly is in session, it seems logical to take Ms. Herzog where
she will be able to get some ready food.”
Without waiting for the Viceroy’s reply,
Dominic stepped into the corridor and sent a message recalling the
guards who had escorted me here.
Shall I carry you,
beloved?
he asked on his return.
Dominic’s offer was most attractive until I
thought of how undignified it would be, how much legitimate scope
it would give the already mocking audience, and regretfully
declined.
You must not let those insensitive
assholes control your life
, Dominic scolded me affectionately
in my own Terran idiom, but acquiesced in my decision. I was led on
another circuitous route, arriving at last in a large apartment,
Dominic’s private living quarters. The rooms were dark, with an
elegant martial decorative motif, much like their occupant.
Dominic showed me to a bathroom, waited for
me to emerge, then led me to a straight chair and a small table in
a side room. “I will order dinner for you,” he said, “but I regret
that I may not share the meal.” It would be seen as undue influence
for him to spend time alone with me, and he would do nothing more
to prejudice the Assembly.
A tall, gruff-looking man entered the room.
“Ranulf,” Dominic greeted him with an unusually sweet smile, “Ms.
Herzog will take dinner alone, by order of ‘Graven Assembly.” The
man was almost as tall as his master, older and with a hard, craggy
face. His instinctive distaste at
objective as I can.”
Sacred Iris help me
, the exasperated
thought came into my head from the sibyl, unused to finding herself
on the defensive. Her usual candidates grew up in the Eclipsian
culture; she had no other method but the traditional one by which
to evaluate me.
By now I was near to collapsing from
exhaustion. Nobody had warned me how draining it is to actively
use
crypta
, as opposed to simply receiving
thoughts. The prisms I had manipulated amplify the gift, but the
necessary energy comes from the body. Physical training helps; my
sedentary Terran lifestyle only made things worse. A neophyte
should build up endurance gradually, like an athlete, but I had
just run a marathon while still learning to walk.
In truth, nobody, not even Dominic, had been
certain how much
crypta
I possessed. The communion Dominic
and I shared was so natural for us that I think we overlooked its
significance. Lady Ertegun, her phlegmatic exterior disguising her
excitement at my abilities, had led me to overreach.
Not caring any longer what people thought, I
staggered over to Dominic and slumped off-center into his lap
before he had time to make room.
By Hecate’s tits, Amalie! Be
careful
! he swore into my mind as he shifted me gently onto
the seat beside him. I felt the sudden flare of communion like a
stab of pleasure, the beginning of erection I had set off with my
hasty landing. He gave me a quick smile to show he was not angry,
merely, at last, embarrassed, as his warmth and strength seeped
into me. His hand clasped mine, hidden between our bodies, and the
swirling buffer of communion blocked whatever reaction my
awkwardness might have caused in the keen-eyed spectators.
Viceroy Zichmni came to my rescue before I
dared look up. “Perhaps we should recess for dinner,” he decided.
My stomach growled hopefully at the suggestion. It was, indeed,
well past time for the midday meal. Just as it had absorbed a
surprising amount of energy, the
crypta
work had consumed
a great chunk of time, while it seemed as if only a few minutes had
gone by.
The ‘Graven conferred and discussed noisily.
The Eclipsian tradition of hospitality is ingrained and bound by
many rules. Where I should eat and with whom was evidently
something that philosophers could happily debate for a week. “Lord
Zichmni,” Dominic’s voice cut through the babble of thoughts and
raised voices, “the lady will faint from hunger while everyone puts
forward his claim. Since I maintain my residence here while
Assembly is in session, it seems logical to take Ms. Herzog where
she will be able to get some ready food.”
Without waiting for the Viceroy’s reply,
Dominic stepped into the corridor and sent a message recalling the
guards who had escorted me here.
Shall I carry you,
beloved?
he asked on his return.
Dominic’s offer was most attractive until I
thought of how undignified it would be, how much legitimate scope
it would give the already mocking audience, and regretfully
declined.
You must not let those insensitive
assholes control your life
, Dominic scolded me affectionately
in my own Terran idiom, but acquiesced in my decision. I was led on
another circuitous route, arriving at last in a large apartment,
Dominic’s private living quarters. The rooms were dark, with an
elegant martial decorative motif, much like their occupant.
Dominic showed me to a bathroom, waited for
me to emerge, then led me to a straight chair and a small table in
a side room. “I will order dinner for you,” he said, “but I regret
that I may not share the meal.” It would be seen as undue influence
for him to spend time alone with me, and he would do nothing more
to prejudice the Assembly.
A tall, gruff-looking man entered the room.
“Ranulf,” Dominic greeted him with an unusually sweet smile, “Ms.
Herzog will take dinner alone, by order of ‘Graven Assembly.” The
man was almost as tall as his master, older and with a hard, craggy
face. His instinctive distaste at
Similar Books
