Read Online The Gantean (Tales of Blood & Light Book 1) by Emily June Street - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Emily June Street
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eye on her for me, won’t you, Lili? She worries me. She is too much her mother’s daughter.”
Costas’s chambers overlooked the sparring pitch from the Palace’s third floor. He had a large hanging garden full of exotic potted plants. I longed to look at them more closely, but instead I hovered in the doorway, hesitant to enter but unwilling to leave Ghilene alone with the two men.
“Sit, sit.” Costas noticed me in the doorway and gestured towards his table. “Come in, Miss Lili.”
After serving Ghilene, I nibbled at a slice of fruit and surveyed Costas’s table with its perfectly white spread, the gold-edged porcelain dishes, the easy food so distanced from its source. So unlike Gante. No wonder they think us barbarians.
I had not been following the conversation.
“Lucky, ha!” Costas snorted. “My parents wished to have it all settled before we even had begun. My father thinks it’s better that way, given the catastrophe of his own Brokering, but he promised that he would uphold the traditions and support my choice. That’s something, I guess.”
Ghilene shifted in her seat, frowning. “What happened at your father’s Brokering?”
Costas’s laughter contained no humor. “Don’t you know? It happened over twenty years ago, but I thought it must still be common gossip. Someone put a love hex on him. Caused all sorts of drama and embarrassment.”
As though to change the subject, he turned to me. I flushed beneath the searing attention of his gaze. “Lili, those things you’re wearing.” Costas pointed at my neck. I scrambled to cover my necklaces, too late. “They’re beautiful, so exotic. I’d love to purchase something like them for my mother. Especially the red one. What is that, a ruby? It’s huge.”
“I—I—” My gaze flashed from Costas to Ghilene and back again. She scowled but gave me no guidance. “I—I made them,” I lied desperately.
“With your own hands? Why, what a talent you have. You should remain here in Galantia after the Brokering with a skill like that! Come, what do you say? Wouldn’t you prefer running your own shop in the High City to service?”
I opened my mouth and closed it again, unable to think of anything to say that wouldn’t either expose my status as a slave, which was apparently not generally known, or my origins. “No,” I ventured.
Ghilene showed no inclination to rescue me from the awkward moment. Her cheeks flamed, but the snapping sparkle in her eyes conveyed anger rather than embarrassment.
Jaasir Amar had not spoken at all. He pushed his food about his plate sullenly, occasionally throwing a glower in Costas’s direction.
Costas rescued the stalled conversation by turning to his friend. “So, what do you think, Jaasir? Will you find a suitable bride from the pickings of the Ten Houses? Have anyone in mind?”
“Costas, you know I don’t.” Jaasir threw his cutlery down on the table and gave up the pretense of eating.
Costas leaned back in his chair, bringing the two front legs off the floor like a boy half his age. When he slammed the chair back down, I jumped in my seat, still upset from Costas’s blistering attention.
Costas’s gaze flashed at my flinch, but he spoke to Ghilene. “What about you, Ghilene? Any young men in your sights?”
Her answer surprised me. “I’d only wish to marry if I found the right husband. Otherwise I’d rather attend the Conservatoire.”
Costas raised his eyebrows. “You wish to be a magitrix, cousin? Have you been tested by the Conservatoire analyst? Do you have the talent?”
“My mother won’t permit me to be tested.
“Interesting,” Costas mused, tipping back his chair again. “And your father? Who is your father, again?”
Jaasir Amar choked on a laugh. Ghilene’s face went from blushing excitement to white horror in the space of a breath. She froze even as Jaasir attempted—half-heartedly, anyone could see—to repress his laughter.
“Lady Entila isn’t
Costas’s chambers overlooked the sparring pitch from the Palace’s third floor. He had a large hanging garden full of exotic potted plants. I longed to look at them more closely, but instead I hovered in the doorway, hesitant to enter but unwilling to leave Ghilene alone with the two men.
“Sit, sit.” Costas noticed me in the doorway and gestured towards his table. “Come in, Miss Lili.”
After serving Ghilene, I nibbled at a slice of fruit and surveyed Costas’s table with its perfectly white spread, the gold-edged porcelain dishes, the easy food so distanced from its source. So unlike Gante. No wonder they think us barbarians.
I had not been following the conversation.
“Lucky, ha!” Costas snorted. “My parents wished to have it all settled before we even had begun. My father thinks it’s better that way, given the catastrophe of his own Brokering, but he promised that he would uphold the traditions and support my choice. That’s something, I guess.”
Ghilene shifted in her seat, frowning. “What happened at your father’s Brokering?”
Costas’s laughter contained no humor. “Don’t you know? It happened over twenty years ago, but I thought it must still be common gossip. Someone put a love hex on him. Caused all sorts of drama and embarrassment.”
As though to change the subject, he turned to me. I flushed beneath the searing attention of his gaze. “Lili, those things you’re wearing.” Costas pointed at my neck. I scrambled to cover my necklaces, too late. “They’re beautiful, so exotic. I’d love to purchase something like them for my mother. Especially the red one. What is that, a ruby? It’s huge.”
“I—I—” My gaze flashed from Costas to Ghilene and back again. She scowled but gave me no guidance. “I—I made them,” I lied desperately.
“With your own hands? Why, what a talent you have. You should remain here in Galantia after the Brokering with a skill like that! Come, what do you say? Wouldn’t you prefer running your own shop in the High City to service?”
I opened my mouth and closed it again, unable to think of anything to say that wouldn’t either expose my status as a slave, which was apparently not generally known, or my origins. “No,” I ventured.
Ghilene showed no inclination to rescue me from the awkward moment. Her cheeks flamed, but the snapping sparkle in her eyes conveyed anger rather than embarrassment.
Jaasir Amar had not spoken at all. He pushed his food about his plate sullenly, occasionally throwing a glower in Costas’s direction.
Costas rescued the stalled conversation by turning to his friend. “So, what do you think, Jaasir? Will you find a suitable bride from the pickings of the Ten Houses? Have anyone in mind?”
“Costas, you know I don’t.” Jaasir threw his cutlery down on the table and gave up the pretense of eating.
Costas leaned back in his chair, bringing the two front legs off the floor like a boy half his age. When he slammed the chair back down, I jumped in my seat, still upset from Costas’s blistering attention.
Costas’s gaze flashed at my flinch, but he spoke to Ghilene. “What about you, Ghilene? Any young men in your sights?”
Her answer surprised me. “I’d only wish to marry if I found the right husband. Otherwise I’d rather attend the Conservatoire.”
Costas raised his eyebrows. “You wish to be a magitrix, cousin? Have you been tested by the Conservatoire analyst? Do you have the talent?”
“My mother won’t permit me to be tested.
“Interesting,” Costas mused, tipping back his chair again. “And your father? Who is your father, again?”
Jaasir Amar choked on a laugh. Ghilene’s face went from blushing excitement to white horror in the space of a breath. She froze even as Jaasir attempted—half-heartedly, anyone could see—to repress his laughter.
“Lady Entila isn’t
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