AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Ask me what?”
“Did you see him or didn’t you?”
“I did. I told him NiVom was innocent, and to ask you for the truth about your daughter. And your mate, and DharSii, whoever that was.”
“He was our best air commander. Once.”
“Dead?”
“No one knows. It’s not important; we have only a moment here. Who is the heir the Tyr mentioned?”
“NiVom, I expect.”
“What happened to the Tyr?”
“I was one of the first at my mate-father’s side,” Ibidio said. “We heard a roar from Tighlia’s chamber. I tore down the curtains and rushed in. The Tyr was flat on his side, and there was a terrible smell in there. It made my head swim and brought my meal up. I found Tighlia on the balcony.”
“What could have happened?”
The crowd outside was quieting.
“I don’t know. She’s half deman, that one. But I’ll tell you this: Look behind her griff. There are claw marks. Deep ones. Someone tried to tear her head off.”
“I have to go.”
He hurried toward the door, but SiDrakkon was already storming back in, his face spattered. “They’ll just have to get used to the idea,” he said. “I’ll be spending the rest of the day at the bath.”
“In all fairness,” SiMevolant said, “I don’t believe they were throwing their own dung at you. It was some animal’s. I think that makes a difference.”
SiDrakkon ignored him. “The rest of you, go through the Resort, and then to all the hills. Talk to your friends and let them know I’ll be Tyr, and there’s to be no fighting, no changes in control of the hills. No decisions of the Tyr will be voided, no policies changed, and all are welcome to petition me after a six-day mourning period.”
The line dispersed, with SiMevolant sighing. “I was hoping for a banquet….”
Save for Tighlia. She walked, a little stiffly, up to the Copper.
“I see your wings have come in,” she rasped. “What’s wrong with the odd one?”
“An old injury, Granddam,” he replied.
“You call me that just to annoy me, I expect. Well, I’m sorry for you. Come to my outer chambers tomorrow. I have an interesting piece of news for you. Oh, come now. I don’t bite, and after all these years I’m not about to start with you.”
The Copper spent the night in anxiety in the strangely empty Imperial Gardens, trying to make out figures on the milkdrinker’s hill. He wanted to go to Nilrasha, but she couldn’t be linked to him so publicly until he learned what Tighlia had in mind.
His imagination offered plenty of possibilities, none of them less than terrifying. She was the most dangerous dragon he’d ever met, and she never even so much as extended her claws. He suspected she intended to entrap him with some giveaway.
He slept but little.
Bone-weary from his journey and the upsets of the previous day, he splashed cool water on himself and ordered a thrall to bring him some toasted meat and a little wine. Fortified, he made his way to her caverns adjoining the Tyr’s. Or, now, Tyr SiDrakkon’s.
He scraped outside the curtains.
“Come,” she rasped.
It was gloomy in her reception chamber. On a happier day there would be light bouncing off the glasswork mosaics worked into her walls and floors. He was rather surprised at how cheery the room could be, if it were better lit.
“RuGaard. I’m glad you made it early.” Her voice sounded a little stronger today. “I hate it when I invite someone over and they either don’t show up at all or spend the whole day getting ready for the visit. Wastes my time.”
“How are you feeling, Tighlia?”
