Read Online Rift in the Races by John Daulton - Free Book Online
Authors: John Daulton
Tags: Fantasy
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Altin’s arm tightly as she returned Thadius’ smile with a pleasant one of her own. “No naps for this old man today,” she said. “He’s promised the lovely creature an evening’s amusement. Hasn’t he?” She squeezed Altin’s arm and lent him a supportive smile that expressed how happy she was to be next to him.
Altin nodded. He would have spat something back at Thadius, but word wars were not his forte. Worse, he couldn’t help feeling that at least some of that last bit had been true. Orli was mesmerizing, and she did put him out of sorts. But that didn’t change the fact that Thadius was obviously trying to be a cancer on the evening he had in mind.
“Have you a chaperone?” asked Thadius as he rose to his full height, several inches taller than even Altin’s six-foot frame. “We are not without conventions and propriety here on this world, Miss Pewter.”
Orli tipped her pretty face up to him and said, “I’m not from around here.” The Southern belle accent she affected was lost on both of them, but she sent Thadius back a wink that was as loaded as any of his own had been.
Thadius didn’t miss a step, however. “Well, perhaps you’ll allow me to amuse you some evening after you’re done working in the mines.” He put an emphasis on the last word and gave the barest twist of his features, a hint of disgust meant to suggest there were alternatives not only for a day’s amusements but for her day-to-day circumstances as well.
Orli laughed it off. “Oh, thank you for the offer, Lord Thoroughgood, but I can’t imagine anything more fun than scandalizing Altin everywhere we go. Besides, you’re far too worldly for a down-to-earth girl like me.”
“I see,” said Thadius as irritation seeped through hairline cracks in his imperial façade. He did his best to shore it up.
“Come on,” said Altin, tugging on her with the arm she held so faithfully. “We have fallen fairly far behind. Let’s be done with this.” He looked at her meaningfully and added, “Is there any chance you feel up to chasing sunsets when we are finished?”
“I’ve been waiting weeks for you to ask.”
They walked off, leaving Thadius to fume privately to himself.
Chapter 5
T he climb to the spire was a long one, several minutes working up a very steep set of winding stairs which ended, eventually, by emerging through the floor in a circular space barely fifteen paces across. Most of the group were out of breath by the time they arrived. Only Orli, Thadius, the lieutenant and the Queen were not winded to some degree as they finally crested the precipitous ascent. This was a reality that had the marchioness glaring furiously at Aderbury and Her Majesty. The only reason Aderbury was not berated for his “ridiculously lofty design,” as the marchioness would later refer to it, was that she was wheezing beyond the capacity for speech. Otherwise, she would have demanded that he install magic carpets—the sort of thing that could be found in any civilized construction in Crown City, no less—or at the very least the reduction of the tower’s altitude by at least half.
Altin was winded as well, though not nearly to the degree of the marchioness and certainly not that of the ponderous Vorvington—the portly earl was so belabored by the ascent that he bent, hands on his knees, with his ever-florid face glowing like a rose-tinted lampshade and his mouth carping for breath as one might after a day-long battle with demons. Altin regretted having not thought of providing a Feather Climb spell for them at least. He should have brought hummingbird feathers. The thought had simply not crossed his mind. However, even if he had brought them, he wouldn’t have suggested using them, not after the incident with Thadius back there.
So he panted far more than he would have liked, hating the fact that Thadius stood at his comfortable ease next to the powerful general and strapping young lieutenant exchanging laughs with
Altin nodded. He would have spat something back at Thadius, but word wars were not his forte. Worse, he couldn’t help feeling that at least some of that last bit had been true. Orli was mesmerizing, and she did put him out of sorts. But that didn’t change the fact that Thadius was obviously trying to be a cancer on the evening he had in mind.
“Have you a chaperone?” asked Thadius as he rose to his full height, several inches taller than even Altin’s six-foot frame. “We are not without conventions and propriety here on this world, Miss Pewter.”
Orli tipped her pretty face up to him and said, “I’m not from around here.” The Southern belle accent she affected was lost on both of them, but she sent Thadius back a wink that was as loaded as any of his own had been.
Thadius didn’t miss a step, however. “Well, perhaps you’ll allow me to amuse you some evening after you’re done working in the mines.” He put an emphasis on the last word and gave the barest twist of his features, a hint of disgust meant to suggest there were alternatives not only for a day’s amusements but for her day-to-day circumstances as well.
Orli laughed it off. “Oh, thank you for the offer, Lord Thoroughgood, but I can’t imagine anything more fun than scandalizing Altin everywhere we go. Besides, you’re far too worldly for a down-to-earth girl like me.”
“I see,” said Thadius as irritation seeped through hairline cracks in his imperial façade. He did his best to shore it up.
“Come on,” said Altin, tugging on her with the arm she held so faithfully. “We have fallen fairly far behind. Let’s be done with this.” He looked at her meaningfully and added, “Is there any chance you feel up to chasing sunsets when we are finished?”
“I’ve been waiting weeks for you to ask.”
They walked off, leaving Thadius to fume privately to himself.
Chapter 5
T he climb to the spire was a long one, several minutes working up a very steep set of winding stairs which ended, eventually, by emerging through the floor in a circular space barely fifteen paces across. Most of the group were out of breath by the time they arrived. Only Orli, Thadius, the lieutenant and the Queen were not winded to some degree as they finally crested the precipitous ascent. This was a reality that had the marchioness glaring furiously at Aderbury and Her Majesty. The only reason Aderbury was not berated for his “ridiculously lofty design,” as the marchioness would later refer to it, was that she was wheezing beyond the capacity for speech. Otherwise, she would have demanded that he install magic carpets—the sort of thing that could be found in any civilized construction in Crown City, no less—or at the very least the reduction of the tower’s altitude by at least half.
Altin was winded as well, though not nearly to the degree of the marchioness and certainly not that of the ponderous Vorvington—the portly earl was so belabored by the ascent that he bent, hands on his knees, with his ever-florid face glowing like a rose-tinted lampshade and his mouth carping for breath as one might after a day-long battle with demons. Altin regretted having not thought of providing a Feather Climb spell for them at least. He should have brought hummingbird feathers. The thought had simply not crossed his mind. However, even if he had brought them, he wouldn’t have suggested using them, not after the incident with Thadius back there.
So he panted far more than he would have liked, hating the fact that Thadius stood at his comfortable ease next to the powerful general and strapping young lieutenant exchanging laughs with
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