Red Jade: Book 2: The Shattered Shards by Stephen J. Wolf

Author:Stephen J. Wolf [Wolf, Stephen J.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Stephen J. Wolf
Published: 2016-02-03T22:00:00+00:00

“Come, young bard, you need a rest.”

Randler’s fingers were numb from strumming the lute for so many hours. He had emptied his jug of water but he kept playing the lute, knowing that Dariak needed his support as he tried to free Gabrion from his Trial. Frast’s intrusion snapped the bard awake from a mild trance, but he shook his head in denial.

“They need me.”

Frast approached the bard and rested warm hands on his shoulders. “You’re extremely tense, exhausted, and you need food. You’re no good to them in this condition. Come away now and rest, then you can return.”

Randler looked up, confused. “You make it sound like they aren’t coming out any time soon.”

Frast only shrugged. “We have a meal ready for you, Randler. Come on, now.”

“A moment,” he agreed. Frast walked away as the bard stood up and stretched, then walked toward the sealed doorway into Gabrion’s chamber. He felt a heavy sorrow within himself as he looked upon the warrior’s writhing body.

“So you’ve claimed Dariak’s love, have you?” He swallowed hard, frowning. “And nary a thought of me.” The resonance of his music with Dariak’s energy, amplified perhaps by their respective jades, had allowed him glimpses into what the mage was seeing and hearing. He had heard the passion with which Dariak declared himself to Gabrion, and he knew enough about the Trial that it was based all in truth. Lies would not have held together.

He didn’t know what to make of it or if Dariak’s claim that a fraternal love was all it was. Still, he found it unsettling. He wanted to pull Dariak from the Trial so he could ask about it. He didn’t want this feeling to linger on even a moment more.

But Frast was right; he was too tired to help right now or to make any sense of his own thoughts and feelings. He considered Dariak’s words one last time before turning away.

With a deep, pain-ridden sigh, he walked away, “Well… I suppose it would make a fine, heart-wrenching ballad, in the end.”

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