C. Dale Brittain by Voima

Author:Voima [Voima]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Fiction, Fantasy, General
ISBN: 9780671876371
Google: ILhGAAAACAAJ
Amazon: 0671876376
Barnesnoble: 0671876376
Publisher: Baen
Published: 1995-01-01T06:00:00+00:00

They put in that evening at a cove King Hadros said he knew of old. He took the helm himself to guide them in between rocky islets, thick with brush, to a sheltered harbor as smooth as a pond. “We should be safe here,” he told Kardan. “We’re still too far south for any of the dangerous creatures of voima, and there never used to be any human settlements nearby.”

He sent several warriors ashore anyway to check for danger and to refill the water barrels. Gizor insisted on leading the party even though he had to be helped into the skiff. Queen Arane went with them, saying she wanted to stretch her legs after the day’s journey. The two kings stayed on board as the sailors rigged the awnings, then ate some of the smoked meat they had brought along while waiting for the shore party to return.

“Why do you think the queen insisted on coming along with two widowers looking for their heirs?” Kardan asked. “It seemed like more than a woman’s whim.” The sun had dipped low in the sky, its light glowing on the dark pines on the shore. For a brief half hour the two kings were alone, the only sounds the quiet conversation of sailors and warriors at the other end of the ship and the steady ripple of tiny waves against the hull.

Hadros, sitting with his stiff leg stretched out in front of him, shot Kardan a sharp glance but answered casually. “You were the one who seemed to think she had become friendly with Karin.”

“But why, since Karin had not fled to her court after all, should the queen have any further interest in our affairs?”

“Arane and I have been friends for years,” the black-bearded king said with a shrug. “I expect she just wanted a change from that court of hers—I certainly couldn’t stand it there for more than a week.”

But he gave a sudden fierce smile then. “Maybe she wants to keep the peace between us. You notice she’s already made it clear, my friend, that her warriors will spell the difference if you and I start fighting, so she may hope that as long as we aren’t sure which side she’d support we won’t start fighting at all. Or maybe she thinks she can keep me from killing Roric once we find him! Not that I really would, or at least not in cold blood,” he added thoughtfully. “It takes a while to raise up young men, even if we do run out of time before we run out of fury and wounded pride. But do not let Arane’s sweet demeanor fool you. Underneath she is as tough as any old warrior.”

“Is there any reason you know why she should be concerned about Roric?” asked Kardan. Here at last might be some clue to this mysterious man whom his daughter apparently loved. “I would have thought she had never even met him. Could her concern for Karin and thus for

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