How the Quest Was Won by Ru Emerson

Author:Ru Emerson [Emerson, Ru]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781443445504
Publisher: HarperCollins Canada
Published: 2015-01-15T00:00:00+00:00

By the time they reached the deep porch, the cart had drawn up and the single passenger was climbing cautiously out of it. Gabrielle let go of Briax and lengthened her stride. “Saroni?” she asked.

The woman spun around, dark eyes wide. “Gabrielle? You startled me! What are you doing in Crete?”

“Storm,” Gabrielle said simply. “But what are you doing here?” She glanced up as the king came down from the porch and onto the pavement, touched the woman’s arm and gestured with chin and eyes.

The priestess turned, saw the plainly dressed little man and glanced back at the bard, who nodded firmly. The woman went to one knee. “Sir—sire? If you are the Minos? Or his representative? I claim sanctuary of Crete!”

Nossis took her arm and helped her up. “I am Nossis, king here. And you are welcome as my guest. Sanctuary, though, that’s a serious request. From whom do you ask it, and why?”

The woman plaited her fingers together nervously, and she fixed her eyes on the pavement just before her toes. “I’m—I was a novice priestess in Rhodes. To Apollo. There was—” She swallowed. “The head priestess, Krysta, was doing some things that began to worry me—I can’t say what, I swear I don’t dare tell you about any of it. But, when she found out that I knew, my life was in danger. She—has power, sire, and a long reach. Allies in Rhodes and elsewhere, and other priests who would—track me down, see me returned to Rhodes. And—I’d die there, one way or another. I came here because—I heard that this was one sure place I couldn’t be found.”

Nossis studied her for several long moments, and Gabrielle suddenly became aware of Xena, hanging back in the shadows, thoughtfully looking the woman over. “We will talk of this at another time, when you have bathed and eaten and rested,” Nossis said finally. He held up a hand and two women came from the doorway. “These women will conduct you to a chamber, and bring you food.”

“Thank you,” Saroni whispered. She glanced at Gabrielle, who smiled at her.

“I’ll find you later,” she promised. Saroni considered this, then nodded, and went with the servants. Gabrielle followed her as far as the porch, while Nossis greeted Briax, who managed a polite bow and a nicely worded greeting he must have learned from Bellerophon. His father sure never taught him those kinds of manners, she thought.

Nossis was speaking. “If you can wait here for a moment or so, I will have someone lead you to a room where there will be water for bathing, and fresh clothing. Food. I—wait.” A clatter of footsteps brought him around—Newin, followed by Joxer, who caught sight of Briax and stopped short, his mouth twisting in irritation. Gabrielle set her jaw and resolved to say nothing. “Son, you come in good time,” Nossis said. “This is Briax, a visitor, and Briax, this is my son and heir, Newin. Son, see to it he has a guesting chamber for the night, bathing water, and food.

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