Read Online Zandru's Forge by Marion Zimmer Bradley - Free Book Online
Authors: Marion Zimmer Bradley
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Dom Felix.
“If you would care to return to Arilinn with me,” Carlo said, “an aircar will be placed at your disposal. With luck and a clear sky, you can arrive at Sweetwater this very evening.”
Varzil drew in his breath at the generosity of the offer. Laran -powered aircars were fabulously expensive to own and operate, a luxury restricted to kings and the very wealthy. Aircars depended upon technology developed in the Ages of Chaos, much of it now lost. Even now, few were used outside of warfare and the most urgent diplomatic missions. The Lord of Serrais had one which he never entrusted to anyone else, lest it be damaged. Had Auster used his influence as Keeper to secure one—and why would he go to such lengths to help someone he hardly knew?
“Who arranged this?” Dom Felix said, scowling. “And what will it cost me?”
“The owner wishes to remain unknown, for reasons you must surely comprehend,” Carlo said. “And there is no price. Only a word of advice. There is room for three passengers. You could do no better than to take your younger son.”
“Varzil?” He is no tracker, nor has he any great skill with a sword. And if a trained leronis cannot reach Harald with her mind, what could this pup do?
Dom Felix made a rumbling sound in his throat. He clearly didn’t want to refuse so magnanimous a gift or to make a powerful enemy by an ungracious reply. Varzil almost heard the thoughts in his father’s mind. The important thing was that he reach Sweetwater as soon as possible, assess the situation, and take swift action. If it meant dragging along his useless younger son, that was a small price to pay.
They returned to Arilinn at a somewhat quicker pace. Even Carlo’s black horse picked up its feet as it headed toward the stables it knew. Dom Felix rode ahead with Black Eiric, giving orders for the return of the rest of the party.
Carlo nudged his horse even with Varzil’s. They rode near the rear of the Ridenow party, far enough from Varzil’s father so they could not be easily overheard.
“When I was telling your father the news from the relays,” Carlo said, pausing faintly over the next words, “what did you... see ?”
Varzil started, quickly masking the lapse by adjusting the reins. Then he remembered that Carlo had Tower training, so he must sense something. He did not believe Carlo was his enemy.
“I—it was as if I were there, watching the battle. I saw two men fall, the catmen with their curved swords. I saw the hill, the rocks...” The blood.
Carlo’s gray eyes widened. “I am not so strong a telepath for you to have taken that from my mind.”
Varzil looked down at his hands, the reins worn soft and dark by much usage. The horses moved on, shod hooves clicking against small stones on the road. Stirrup leathers creaked.
“ I am not so strong a telepath ...”Carlo’s words hung in the silence.
“Your father must allow you to return to Arilinn,” Carlo said with same tone of command he had used to suggest that Dom Felix take Varzil in the aircar.
Varzil shrugged. “I see little chance of that. Even without the political aspects, my father believes I have so little talent, Arilinn would not have me, whether he granted his blessing or not. I will go to Sweetwater in your aircar if that is his wish, and I will do whatever I can to find my brother, but I do not hope for anything further coming of it.”
“How can you give up so easily?” Carlo responded with heat. “Was camping out all night at the gates of Arilinn some sort of prank? If so, you possess an astonishing ability to dissemble. You have truly mastered the art of double tongues, for you managed to convince me—us—that you truly desired admittance. Desire would have struck me as too mild a word.”
Stung, Varzil replied, “I pretended nothing. I—” I still want it more than I’ve ever wanted anything, but what is the use of tormenting myself? He went on in a tightly controlled voice, “I cannot
“If you would care to return to Arilinn with me,” Carlo said, “an aircar will be placed at your disposal. With luck and a clear sky, you can arrive at Sweetwater this very evening.”
Varzil drew in his breath at the generosity of the offer. Laran -powered aircars were fabulously expensive to own and operate, a luxury restricted to kings and the very wealthy. Aircars depended upon technology developed in the Ages of Chaos, much of it now lost. Even now, few were used outside of warfare and the most urgent diplomatic missions. The Lord of Serrais had one which he never entrusted to anyone else, lest it be damaged. Had Auster used his influence as Keeper to secure one—and why would he go to such lengths to help someone he hardly knew?
“Who arranged this?” Dom Felix said, scowling. “And what will it cost me?”
“The owner wishes to remain unknown, for reasons you must surely comprehend,” Carlo said. “And there is no price. Only a word of advice. There is room for three passengers. You could do no better than to take your younger son.”
“Varzil?” He is no tracker, nor has he any great skill with a sword. And if a trained leronis cannot reach Harald with her mind, what could this pup do?
Dom Felix made a rumbling sound in his throat. He clearly didn’t want to refuse so magnanimous a gift or to make a powerful enemy by an ungracious reply. Varzil almost heard the thoughts in his father’s mind. The important thing was that he reach Sweetwater as soon as possible, assess the situation, and take swift action. If it meant dragging along his useless younger son, that was a small price to pay.
They returned to Arilinn at a somewhat quicker pace. Even Carlo’s black horse picked up its feet as it headed toward the stables it knew. Dom Felix rode ahead with Black Eiric, giving orders for the return of the rest of the party.
Carlo nudged his horse even with Varzil’s. They rode near the rear of the Ridenow party, far enough from Varzil’s father so they could not be easily overheard.
“When I was telling your father the news from the relays,” Carlo said, pausing faintly over the next words, “what did you... see ?”
Varzil started, quickly masking the lapse by adjusting the reins. Then he remembered that Carlo had Tower training, so he must sense something. He did not believe Carlo was his enemy.
“I—it was as if I were there, watching the battle. I saw two men fall, the catmen with their curved swords. I saw the hill, the rocks...” The blood.
Carlo’s gray eyes widened. “I am not so strong a telepath for you to have taken that from my mind.”
Varzil looked down at his hands, the reins worn soft and dark by much usage. The horses moved on, shod hooves clicking against small stones on the road. Stirrup leathers creaked.
“ I am not so strong a telepath ...”Carlo’s words hung in the silence.
“Your father must allow you to return to Arilinn,” Carlo said with same tone of command he had used to suggest that Dom Felix take Varzil in the aircar.
Varzil shrugged. “I see little chance of that. Even without the political aspects, my father believes I have so little talent, Arilinn would not have me, whether he granted his blessing or not. I will go to Sweetwater in your aircar if that is his wish, and I will do whatever I can to find my brother, but I do not hope for anything further coming of it.”
“How can you give up so easily?” Carlo responded with heat. “Was camping out all night at the gates of Arilinn some sort of prank? If so, you possess an astonishing ability to dissemble. You have truly mastered the art of double tongues, for you managed to convince me—us—that you truly desired admittance. Desire would have struck me as too mild a word.”
Stung, Varzil replied, “I pretended nothing. I—” I still want it more than I’ve ever wanted anything, but what is the use of tormenting myself? He went on in a tightly controlled voice, “I cannot
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