Read Online The Golden Griffin (Book 3) by Michael Wallace - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Michael Wallace
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fighting against the hands that forced her head under into the pool that day in the gardens. This woman had been chief among Kallia’s tormentors.
Fashima bowed her head. “I serve in your name, oh Jewel of the West.” Her voice trembled.
“Now is the time when you prove me right or wrong,” Marialla said, not to her servant girl, but to her sister.
Kallia said nothing. Her anger burned in some deep place that would be hard to quench.
“I assured Fashima that whatever history you had,” Marialla said, “you’d forgive her. Dismiss her indiscretions.”
“Do you have any idea what she did to me?”
“I do. I wouldn’t suggest Fashima, but she is my best servant. Intelligent and loyal—yes, loyal. She will serve you well, too.”
“This is true,” Fashima said in a near whisper. She was shaking visibly now. “Khalifa, may you live forever.”
“You know what Marialla intends for you?”
“Yes.”
“Then why agree? If you marry the sultan, you’ll be no better than his slave. It will take years to earn a higher place in his harem.”
“The dark wizard took my father to Veyre. My two brothers were captains of the guardsmen, imprisoned by Mol Khah. Your revolt freed them, and they march with the barbarians to war. I want nothing more than they do, but to serve Balsalom. To serve you, my khalifa.”
“Serve me?” Kallia’s tone turned sharp. “After what you did?”
“The stresses of the palace environment overwhelmed me.”
“Stresses? What stresses? You tried to kill me!”
Anguish clouded Fashima’s face.
“Let her explain,” Marialla said.
“I couldn’t stand the pressure,” Fashima said. “The etiquette teachers, the way everyone reminded me what a minor vizier my father was. That I was destined to be a servant of the rich and powerful. I thought to marry your brother and escape that fate, but he cast me aside.”
“I grew up in that same environment,” Kallia said. “I know the order they forced us into. It was a strange place, and we were only girls, barely older than children.”
She shook her head. “But I can’t excuse what you did. How do I know you’ve changed? This is the fate of Balsalom I’m putting into your hands.”
“I have changed. If only you’ll give me a chance, I’ll prove it. Please, I beg you.”
Kallia still felt uneasy. “Marialla, you must trust Fashima to recommend her to my service.”
“I do. I would trust her with my life.”
“I only wish to serve you,” Fashima said. “Please let me prove it.”
“Very well. You will have your opportunities. I truly hope you have changed.” She rested her hand briefly on Fashima’s arm. “The Spice Road will be long and the journey tiring. My sister could use a friend. Come, Marialla, the heat is exhausting me.”
Chapter Six
“I was very clear,” Daria told her mother. “I told you in no uncertain terms not to follow me.”
“And I told you if you didn’t come back before dark I was going to fly out looking for you.”
Palina Flockheart said this with her back turned. She was undressed and wading into the mountain stream. The stream coursed a steep path beneath fallen, moss-covered logs and spilled down cascades into little pools. When she found a spot of relative calm, she sat with a gasp and let the water flow over her.
Daria watched her mother bathe with her hands on her hips and her lips pinched together. Even after several hours of sleep beneath a griffin’s warm wing she was struggling to let go of her anger. At last she unlaced her jerkin and slipped out of her trousers and shirt. The warm sun mixed with the cold air to prick deliciously at her bare skin. It was bracing, yes, but she didn’t see how flatlanders could prefer their stifling rooms filled with smoke.
She waded into the stream, shivered at the icy water that swirled around her calves. Soon it came up to her knees. The current tugged at her feet, tried to drag her away. When she reached the calmer water
Fashima bowed her head. “I serve in your name, oh Jewel of the West.” Her voice trembled.
“Now is the time when you prove me right or wrong,” Marialla said, not to her servant girl, but to her sister.
Kallia said nothing. Her anger burned in some deep place that would be hard to quench.
“I assured Fashima that whatever history you had,” Marialla said, “you’d forgive her. Dismiss her indiscretions.”
“Do you have any idea what she did to me?”
“I do. I wouldn’t suggest Fashima, but she is my best servant. Intelligent and loyal—yes, loyal. She will serve you well, too.”
“This is true,” Fashima said in a near whisper. She was shaking visibly now. “Khalifa, may you live forever.”
“You know what Marialla intends for you?”
“Yes.”
“Then why agree? If you marry the sultan, you’ll be no better than his slave. It will take years to earn a higher place in his harem.”
“The dark wizard took my father to Veyre. My two brothers were captains of the guardsmen, imprisoned by Mol Khah. Your revolt freed them, and they march with the barbarians to war. I want nothing more than they do, but to serve Balsalom. To serve you, my khalifa.”
“Serve me?” Kallia’s tone turned sharp. “After what you did?”
“The stresses of the palace environment overwhelmed me.”
“Stresses? What stresses? You tried to kill me!”
Anguish clouded Fashima’s face.
“Let her explain,” Marialla said.
“I couldn’t stand the pressure,” Fashima said. “The etiquette teachers, the way everyone reminded me what a minor vizier my father was. That I was destined to be a servant of the rich and powerful. I thought to marry your brother and escape that fate, but he cast me aside.”
“I grew up in that same environment,” Kallia said. “I know the order they forced us into. It was a strange place, and we were only girls, barely older than children.”
She shook her head. “But I can’t excuse what you did. How do I know you’ve changed? This is the fate of Balsalom I’m putting into your hands.”
“I have changed. If only you’ll give me a chance, I’ll prove it. Please, I beg you.”
Kallia still felt uneasy. “Marialla, you must trust Fashima to recommend her to my service.”
“I do. I would trust her with my life.”
“I only wish to serve you,” Fashima said. “Please let me prove it.”
“Very well. You will have your opportunities. I truly hope you have changed.” She rested her hand briefly on Fashima’s arm. “The Spice Road will be long and the journey tiring. My sister could use a friend. Come, Marialla, the heat is exhausting me.”
Chapter Six
“I was very clear,” Daria told her mother. “I told you in no uncertain terms not to follow me.”
“And I told you if you didn’t come back before dark I was going to fly out looking for you.”
Palina Flockheart said this with her back turned. She was undressed and wading into the mountain stream. The stream coursed a steep path beneath fallen, moss-covered logs and spilled down cascades into little pools. When she found a spot of relative calm, she sat with a gasp and let the water flow over her.
Daria watched her mother bathe with her hands on her hips and her lips pinched together. Even after several hours of sleep beneath a griffin’s warm wing she was struggling to let go of her anger. At last she unlaced her jerkin and slipped out of her trousers and shirt. The warm sun mixed with the cold air to prick deliciously at her bare skin. It was bracing, yes, but she didn’t see how flatlanders could prefer their stifling rooms filled with smoke.
She waded into the stream, shivered at the icy water that swirled around her calves. Soon it came up to her knees. The current tugged at her feet, tried to drag her away. When she reached the calmer water
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