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."You should have seen," added Jonathan with his warm, boyish laugh, "theexpression on old Pons's face!""Mmmm, yes," muttered the earl.Jera flushed delicately."Husband dear, this matter is really quite serious.""I know, darling, I know." Jonathan struggled to regain his self-composure."But you have to admit, it was funny."A smile crept over Jera's lips."More wine, Papa," she said, and hastily movedto fill her father's glass.When she thought the earl wasn't watching, Jera shook her head in fond, mockreproof at her husband, who grinned back at her and winked.The earl saw and wasn't amused.Alfred had the uncomfortable impression therewasn't much that went on around him that the earl didn't see.A dried-up,wizened husk of a man, the earl kept his beady black-eyed gaze constantlydarting about the room, then suddenly sent the darts into Alfred."I'd like to see you do that spell of yours." The earl spoke as if Alfred hadperformed a rather ingenious card trick.The earl leaned forward in his chair,balancing himself on sharp-pointed elbows."Do it again.I'll call one of thePage 107 ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.htmlcadavers.Which one.Daughter, can we afford to spare ""I I couldn't!" Alfred stammered, becoming more and more flustered as hesought to grope his way through the morass threatening to engulf him."It wasimpulse.Act of the.the moment, you see.I looked up and.there wasthat sword c-coming down.The runes.just popped into my head.er.soto speak."'And just popped back out again, eh?" The earl jabbed a sharp-boned fingerinto Alfred's ribs.Every part of the old man's body appeared to have beenhoned on a grindstone."So to speak," returned Alfred faintly.The earl chuckled and poked him again.Alfred could almost envision truthbeing sucked out of him like blood whenever that knifelike finger or thoseknifelike eyes touched him.But what was the truth? Did he truly not know whathe'd done? Or was one part of him hiding it from the other, as he'd grown soadept at doing over these many years of being forced to conceal his trueidentity?Alfred passed a shaking hand through his thinning hair."Father, leave him be." Jera came to stand at Alfred's side, placed her handson his shoulders."More wine, Sir?""No, thank you, Your Grace." Alfred's glass stood untouched, untasted."If youwould excuse me, I'm very tired.I'd like to lay down.""Of course, Sir," said Jonathan."We've been thoughtless, keeping you up wellinto the dynast's sleep time after what must have been a terrible cycle foryou "More than you know, Alfred said to himself sadly, with a shudder.Far morethan you know! He rose unsteadily to his feet."I'll show you to your room," Jera offered.The faint sound of a bell chimed softly through the gas-lighted darkness.Allfour in the room hushed, three of them exchanged conscious glances."That will be news from the palace," said the earl, starting to rise oncreaking limbs."I'll go," Jera said."We daren't trust the dead." She left them, disappearinginto the shadows."You'll want to hear this, I'm sure, Sir," said the earl, black eyesglittering.He waved a hand, inviting or ordering Alfred to be seated.Alfred had no choice but to sink back down into the chair, although he wasmiserably conscious of the fact that he didn't want to hear whatever news cameswiftly and secretly in what, for this world, were the waning hours of thecycle.The men waited in silence, Jonathan's face was pale and troubled, the old earllooked crafty and enthused.Alfred stared bleakly, hopelessly at a blank wall.The earl lived in Old Province, on what had once been a large and affluentestate.Ages ago, the land had been alive, worked by immense numbers ofcadavers.The house had overlooked waving stands of kairn grass and tall,blue-flowered lanti trees.Now the house itself had become a cadaver.Thelands round it were barren, lifeless seas of ash-mud created by the endlessrain.The earl's dwelling was not a cavern-formed structure, as were many inNecropolis, but had been built of blocks of stone, reminding Alfred stronglyof the castles the Sartan had created during the height of their power in theHigh Realms of Arianus.The castle was large, but most of the back rooms had been shut off andabandoned, their upkeep difficult to maintain because the only person whodwelt here was the earl and the cadavers of old servants.But the front partof the house was exceptionally well preserved, compared to other mournful anddilapidated dwellings they had passed during the carriage ride through the OldProvinces."Its the ancient runes, you see," the earl told Alfred, with a sharp glance.Page 108 ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html"Most people took them off.Couldn't read them and thought they made the placelook old-fashioned.But I left them on, took care of them.And they've takencare of me.Kept my house standing when many another's sunk into dust."Alfred could read the runes, could almost feel the strength of the magicupholding the walls over the centuries.But he said nothing, fearful of sayingtoo much.The lived-in portion of the castle consisted of downstairs utility rooms: akitchen, servants' quarters, pantry, front and back entry-ways, and alaboratory where the earl conducted his experiments in attempting to bringlife back to the soil of the Old Provinces.The two levels above were dividedinto comfortable family living quarters: bedchambers, guest rooms, drawingroom, dining area.A dynast clock [1] headed for its bedchamber, indicating the current time.Alfred thought longingly of bed, sleep, blessed oblivion, if only for a fewhours before returning to this waking nightmare.He must have actually dozed off, because when a door opened, he experiencedthe unpleasant tingling sensation of being awakened from a nap he had nevermeant to take.Blinking, he focused bleary eyes on Jera and a man wrapped in ablack cloak, emerging from a doorway at the far end of the room."I thought you should hear this news from Tomas himself, in case you had anyquestions," said Jera.Alfred knew, then, that the news was bad and he let his head sink into hishand.How much more could he take?"The prince and the stranger with the rune-covered skin are both dead," saidTomas in a low voice.He stepped into the light, pulled the cowl from off hishead.He was a young man, near Jonathan's age.His robes were dirty, fouledwith mud as if he had ridden hard and fast."The dynast executed both of themthis very night in the palace gaming room.""Were you present? Did you see it happen?" the earl demanded, sharp-hewn facejutting forward, seeming to slice the air in its eagerness."No, but I talked to a dead guard whose duty it was to take the bodies to thecatacombs [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
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."You should have seen," added Jonathan with his warm, boyish laugh, "theexpression on old Pons's face!""Mmmm, yes," muttered the earl.Jera flushed delicately."Husband dear, this matter is really quite serious.""I know, darling, I know." Jonathan struggled to regain his self-composure."But you have to admit, it was funny."A smile crept over Jera's lips."More wine, Papa," she said, and hastily movedto fill her father's glass.When she thought the earl wasn't watching, Jera shook her head in fond, mockreproof at her husband, who grinned back at her and winked.The earl saw and wasn't amused.Alfred had the uncomfortable impression therewasn't much that went on around him that the earl didn't see.A dried-up,wizened husk of a man, the earl kept his beady black-eyed gaze constantlydarting about the room, then suddenly sent the darts into Alfred."I'd like to see you do that spell of yours." The earl spoke as if Alfred hadperformed a rather ingenious card trick.The earl leaned forward in his chair,balancing himself on sharp-pointed elbows."Do it again.I'll call one of thePage 107 ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.htmlcadavers.Which one.Daughter, can we afford to spare ""I I couldn't!" Alfred stammered, becoming more and more flustered as hesought to grope his way through the morass threatening to engulf him."It wasimpulse.Act of the.the moment, you see.I looked up and.there wasthat sword c-coming down.The runes.just popped into my head.er.soto speak."'And just popped back out again, eh?" The earl jabbed a sharp-boned fingerinto Alfred's ribs.Every part of the old man's body appeared to have beenhoned on a grindstone."So to speak," returned Alfred faintly.The earl chuckled and poked him again.Alfred could almost envision truthbeing sucked out of him like blood whenever that knifelike finger or thoseknifelike eyes touched him.But what was the truth? Did he truly not know whathe'd done? Or was one part of him hiding it from the other, as he'd grown soadept at doing over these many years of being forced to conceal his trueidentity?Alfred passed a shaking hand through his thinning hair."Father, leave him be." Jera came to stand at Alfred's side, placed her handson his shoulders."More wine, Sir?""No, thank you, Your Grace." Alfred's glass stood untouched, untasted."If youwould excuse me, I'm very tired.I'd like to lay down.""Of course, Sir," said Jonathan."We've been thoughtless, keeping you up wellinto the dynast's sleep time after what must have been a terrible cycle foryou "More than you know, Alfred said to himself sadly, with a shudder.Far morethan you know! He rose unsteadily to his feet."I'll show you to your room," Jera offered.The faint sound of a bell chimed softly through the gas-lighted darkness.Allfour in the room hushed, three of them exchanged conscious glances."That will be news from the palace," said the earl, starting to rise oncreaking limbs."I'll go," Jera said."We daren't trust the dead." She left them, disappearinginto the shadows."You'll want to hear this, I'm sure, Sir," said the earl, black eyesglittering.He waved a hand, inviting or ordering Alfred to be seated.Alfred had no choice but to sink back down into the chair, although he wasmiserably conscious of the fact that he didn't want to hear whatever news cameswiftly and secretly in what, for this world, were the waning hours of thecycle.The men waited in silence, Jonathan's face was pale and troubled, the old earllooked crafty and enthused.Alfred stared bleakly, hopelessly at a blank wall.The earl lived in Old Province, on what had once been a large and affluentestate.Ages ago, the land had been alive, worked by immense numbers ofcadavers.The house had overlooked waving stands of kairn grass and tall,blue-flowered lanti trees.Now the house itself had become a cadaver.Thelands round it were barren, lifeless seas of ash-mud created by the endlessrain.The earl's dwelling was not a cavern-formed structure, as were many inNecropolis, but had been built of blocks of stone, reminding Alfred stronglyof the castles the Sartan had created during the height of their power in theHigh Realms of Arianus.The castle was large, but most of the back rooms had been shut off andabandoned, their upkeep difficult to maintain because the only person whodwelt here was the earl and the cadavers of old servants.But the front partof the house was exceptionally well preserved, compared to other mournful anddilapidated dwellings they had passed during the carriage ride through the OldProvinces."Its the ancient runes, you see," the earl told Alfred, with a sharp glance.Page 108 ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html"Most people took them off.Couldn't read them and thought they made the placelook old-fashioned.But I left them on, took care of them.And they've takencare of me.Kept my house standing when many another's sunk into dust."Alfred could read the runes, could almost feel the strength of the magicupholding the walls over the centuries.But he said nothing, fearful of sayingtoo much.The lived-in portion of the castle consisted of downstairs utility rooms: akitchen, servants' quarters, pantry, front and back entry-ways, and alaboratory where the earl conducted his experiments in attempting to bringlife back to the soil of the Old Provinces.The two levels above were dividedinto comfortable family living quarters: bedchambers, guest rooms, drawingroom, dining area.A dynast clock [1] headed for its bedchamber, indicating the current time.Alfred thought longingly of bed, sleep, blessed oblivion, if only for a fewhours before returning to this waking nightmare.He must have actually dozed off, because when a door opened, he experiencedthe unpleasant tingling sensation of being awakened from a nap he had nevermeant to take.Blinking, he focused bleary eyes on Jera and a man wrapped in ablack cloak, emerging from a doorway at the far end of the room."I thought you should hear this news from Tomas himself, in case you had anyquestions," said Jera.Alfred knew, then, that the news was bad and he let his head sink into hishand.How much more could he take?"The prince and the stranger with the rune-covered skin are both dead," saidTomas in a low voice.He stepped into the light, pulled the cowl from off hishead.He was a young man, near Jonathan's age.His robes were dirty, fouledwith mud as if he had ridden hard and fast."The dynast executed both of themthis very night in the palace gaming room.""Were you present? Did you see it happen?" the earl demanded, sharp-hewn facejutting forward, seeming to slice the air in its eagerness."No, but I talked to a dead guard whose duty it was to take the bodies to thecatacombs [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]