The Deep and Shining Dark by Juliet Kemp

Author:Juliet Kemp [Kemp, Juliet]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: FM Fantasy, FIC009020 FICTION / Fantasy / Epic, FIC009050 FICTION / Fantasy / Paranormal, FIC068000 FICTION / LGBT / General
ISBN: 9781911409342
Publisher: Elsewhen Press
Published: 2018-06-09T16:00:00+00:00

TEN

Marcia raced down to the ferry-dock, but when she got there, she saw with frustration that it had just left, already halfway over towards the foot of Marekhill. If she waited, she’d be even later. She’d have to go round by Old Bridge. And run. This was absolutely the last thing she needed. What she needed was to keep hold of this project, as part of the process of gaining more responsibility and proving to Madeleine that she was capable of being a more useful part of the House. That Madeleine could start letting go. Being late to a meeting was an utter disaster as far as all of that went. She gritted her teeth and started along the riverside path at speed.

She was hot, sweaty, and out of breath by the time she reached the House; and she still had to change into appropriate clothes. Which did at least give her a chance to splash some cold water on her face and catch her breath. In an ideal world she would have notes to review. Then again, in an ideal world she wouldn’t be late already.

When she finally made it into the receiving room, both Gavin Leandra, and a younger man she didn’t know, facing away from the door, were already there with Madeleine.

Madeleine’s knee-length day tunic and loose trousers were in a pale blue with the House colours along the bottom of the tunic; the colour brought out her blue eyes and brown skin.

Madeleine’s face tightened slightly as she turned to face Marcia, but she showed no other outward signs of annoyance. Marcia suppressed her own wince. She was going to hear about this later.

“Marcia. At last.”

“I am so sorry, Mama. Head Leandra. I was unavoidably detained.”

“Well, we are all here now,” Madeleine said graciously, though Marcia could hear the bite underlying her voice. “This is Urso Leanvit, a cousin of House Leandra.”

The other guest turned and Marcia’s stomach flipped. Urso. Urso who she’d last seen on top of Marekhill, with Daril and Cato. Did he know she’d been there? She pasted her social smile on and murmured the appropriate pleasantries. Urso returned them. There was no indication in his eyes, none at all, that he knew. Had Cato kept it secret that she’d been there? And what did that mean, in terms of Cato’s involvement with all of this?

And what about the political implications? Why was this cousin here with Gavin Leandra? Madeleine had invited no secretary to this meeting; which didn’t mean that Gavin wouldn’t, but did rather suggest that Urso had a more prominent role. In any other House, Marcia would have expected the Heir to come, to match her own House’s attendance. She blinked. Or, perhaps, one being groomed for Heirship. Had Gavin Leandra finally given up altogether on Daril? Was he out for a replacement?

“So,” Madeleine said. “To business.”

She seated herself, and the others followed suit. Marcia was at one end of a sofa from Urso Leanvit. Madeleine preferred to conduct her business

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