Read Online The Moon's Shadow by Catherine Asaro - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Catherine Asaro
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oblique angle. “You must be a much-beloved patron of the arts, Minister Iquar.”
Tarquine tilted her head, a sultry curiosity leaking from her mind. “I’ve always appreciated aesthetic compositions, Your Highness.”
A blush heated Jai’s face. She was looking at him as if he were the aesthetic composition. He stumbled over his words. “Fourteen million worth of art.”
Her smile soured. “Fourteen million of dying art.”
“An unusual acquisition,” Jai managed.
“Perhaps that is the current fad right now,” Taratus said, too smoothly, like acid eroding a surface. “Death. Change. Escape.”
She gave him a bored look. “Have you ever noticed, my dear admiral, how often auctioneers are themselves something of a fad? Popular one day, vanished the next.”
Jai winced. What did she imply, that someone would assassinate Taratus? He wished Corbal would jump in and give him some guidance. His cousin, however, was sitting back, listening with interest.
The admiral regarded Tarquine blandly. “I do realize the vigor and energy of youth can be wearing on our more elderly citizens.”
“Youth is often a euphemism for inexperience,” Tarquine murmured. She glanced at Jai.
Good grief. Had she just insinuated he was immature? This meeting was going nowhere; so far all they had done was insult one another.
Like an optical illusion, Jai’s perception shifted. The conversation had no point; how they spoke was what mattered. This was his chance to take the measure of the minister and admiral, and for them to assess him. He wondered if it even mattered whether or not their discussion made sense.
“Words are like the poles on a planet,” he said. “North and South. Immature and mature. Vigor and serenity.” Let them figure out his meaning. He didn’t know himself, but what the hell.
“Indeed,” Tarquine said.
Taratus scratched his chin. “So they are.”
“Transcendence and compassion,” Jai said.
As soon as Corbal stiffened, Jai knew he had made a mistake. He wasn’t sure what, though.
“An Aristo,” Taratus said, “can show no greater compassion than to elevate a provider through transcendence.”
Bile rose in Jai’s throat. He wondered how Taratus would like it if someone “elevated” him that way.
Although Corbal spoke casually, his laser-like focus never left Jai. “An interesting juxtaposition of words. It inspires provocative pairings.” He paused. “Eube and Imperialate. Qox and Ruby.”
Jai froze. Was it coincidence Corbal paired Qox and Ruby? He answered with a nonchalance he hoped hid his alarm. “I hadn’t realized you had such a liking for opposition.”
“Qox and Ruby?” Minister Iquar snorted. “Hardly the most innovative opposition.”
Jai tried to relax. She had taken Corbal’s comparison at face value. Qox and Ruby: they were the ultimate opposed pair, but she was right, that made them a cliché. He wanted to believe Corbal had simply tired of the verbal parrying, but he couldn’t stop worrying. Did his cousin suspect the truth, that Jai was both Qox and Ruby? Perhaps he ought to send Taratus and Iquar away before Corbal said too much.
Shifting his weight, Jai tried to communicate dismissal. To his surprise, it worked; Corbal began the process of letting the minister and admiral leave. On the surface, the Xir lord seemed no different, smooth in action and word.
Jai just hoped he hadn’t revealed himself.
Standing in his office, Corbal poured red wine into two goblets and gave one to Jai. “To your health.”
Jai didn’t drink. “To my health.”
Corbal sipped his wine. “And to your father’s honored memory.”
“Of course.”
“And your mother’s, may she rest in peace.”
Sweat broke out on Jai’s forehead. Stay calm. He shouldn’t have let Corbal send away the Razers. They were supposed to guard both Jai and Corbal, but Jai wondered who would protect him from Corbal. Could his cousin shield this room even against the emperor’s
Tarquine tilted her head, a sultry curiosity leaking from her mind. “I’ve always appreciated aesthetic compositions, Your Highness.”
A blush heated Jai’s face. She was looking at him as if he were the aesthetic composition. He stumbled over his words. “Fourteen million worth of art.”
Her smile soured. “Fourteen million of dying art.”
“An unusual acquisition,” Jai managed.
“Perhaps that is the current fad right now,” Taratus said, too smoothly, like acid eroding a surface. “Death. Change. Escape.”
She gave him a bored look. “Have you ever noticed, my dear admiral, how often auctioneers are themselves something of a fad? Popular one day, vanished the next.”
Jai winced. What did she imply, that someone would assassinate Taratus? He wished Corbal would jump in and give him some guidance. His cousin, however, was sitting back, listening with interest.
The admiral regarded Tarquine blandly. “I do realize the vigor and energy of youth can be wearing on our more elderly citizens.”
“Youth is often a euphemism for inexperience,” Tarquine murmured. She glanced at Jai.
Good grief. Had she just insinuated he was immature? This meeting was going nowhere; so far all they had done was insult one another.
Like an optical illusion, Jai’s perception shifted. The conversation had no point; how they spoke was what mattered. This was his chance to take the measure of the minister and admiral, and for them to assess him. He wondered if it even mattered whether or not their discussion made sense.
“Words are like the poles on a planet,” he said. “North and South. Immature and mature. Vigor and serenity.” Let them figure out his meaning. He didn’t know himself, but what the hell.
“Indeed,” Tarquine said.
Taratus scratched his chin. “So they are.”
“Transcendence and compassion,” Jai said.
As soon as Corbal stiffened, Jai knew he had made a mistake. He wasn’t sure what, though.
“An Aristo,” Taratus said, “can show no greater compassion than to elevate a provider through transcendence.”
Bile rose in Jai’s throat. He wondered how Taratus would like it if someone “elevated” him that way.
Although Corbal spoke casually, his laser-like focus never left Jai. “An interesting juxtaposition of words. It inspires provocative pairings.” He paused. “Eube and Imperialate. Qox and Ruby.”
Jai froze. Was it coincidence Corbal paired Qox and Ruby? He answered with a nonchalance he hoped hid his alarm. “I hadn’t realized you had such a liking for opposition.”
“Qox and Ruby?” Minister Iquar snorted. “Hardly the most innovative opposition.”
Jai tried to relax. She had taken Corbal’s comparison at face value. Qox and Ruby: they were the ultimate opposed pair, but she was right, that made them a cliché. He wanted to believe Corbal had simply tired of the verbal parrying, but he couldn’t stop worrying. Did his cousin suspect the truth, that Jai was both Qox and Ruby? Perhaps he ought to send Taratus and Iquar away before Corbal said too much.
Shifting his weight, Jai tried to communicate dismissal. To his surprise, it worked; Corbal began the process of letting the minister and admiral leave. On the surface, the Xir lord seemed no different, smooth in action and word.
Jai just hoped he hadn’t revealed himself.
Standing in his office, Corbal poured red wine into two goblets and gave one to Jai. “To your health.”
Jai didn’t drink. “To my health.”
Corbal sipped his wine. “And to your father’s honored memory.”
“Of course.”
“And your mother’s, may she rest in peace.”
Sweat broke out on Jai’s forehead. Stay calm. He shouldn’t have let Corbal send away the Razers. They were supposed to guard both Jai and Corbal, but Jai wondered who would protect him from Corbal. Could his cousin shield this room even against the emperor’s
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