The Gods Return by Drake David

Author:Drake, David [Drake, David]
Language: eng
Format: MOBI, epub, mobi
Tags: Fantasy
ISBN: 9780765351180
Publisher: Tor
Published: 2008-01-01T07:00:00+00:00

Chapter 10

While Sharina was in meetings, she had only the others present to deal with. In between, however, she had to run a gauntlet of clerks, courtiers, and petitioners as she moved through the halls and passages.

It was no different this time. The fact Sharina was leaving her final appointment of the day—on road improvements which were absolutely necessary but either a huge financial drain or a political disaster if forced labor was used—and hoping to have a light meal in her suite before getting some sleep, just meant that she was more tired and hungry than she'd have been at midmorning. Though she'd been hungry and very tired at midmorning, too.

"Your highness, about the canal project/the new barracks/the position for my nephew?"

She strode past them in a cocoon of Blood Eagles. Her escort made sure nobody actually touched Princess Sharina, but they couldn't shut off the voices unless they simply clubbed everybody out of her way. History said tyrants like Hawley the Seneschal and King Morail One-Eye had done just that.

Sharina sighed. The reality of being princess gave her a different and altogether most positive appreciation of men whom she as a scholar had regarded as brutes.

There was usually a dense clot outside the door she would next enter. That was true this time also, but all but one of those waiting were fit, very sturdy-looking men in identical neat tunics and identical grim expressions. The exception was Master Dysart.

The agents parted when the Blood Eagles arrived; they weren't here to fight, just to hold a prime location and to keep everybody else at a discrete distance from their superior while he talked to the princess.

"Your highness, if you could sign these tonight . . .?" the spymaster said, waving a sheaf of documents on vellum. Sharina doubted whether there was anybody in the palace who didn't know that Dysart was Lady Liane's deputy, but the colorless little man kept up the pretense that he was a senior clerk in the Chancellery.

"Yes, of course," said Sharina, narrowly avoiding another sigh. Secret intelligence was part of her present duties, but experience had already taught her that the details of road construction were likely to be more interesting. "We can take care of that inside, Master Dysart."

Sharina opened the door herself. Burne sat upright on a table in the reception area as Diora fed him a round of hard bread. The rat was perfectly capable of feeding himself, but Sharina had noticed that the maid was more comfortable thinking of Burne as a smart pet than she might've been if she'd appreciated what he really was.

Sharina grinned. Whatever that was, of course, but Burne was certainly more than a smart pet.

"A late night, your highness," Diora said as she turned to greet Sharina. "What—oh!"

Dysart closed the door firmly behind him, then shot the bolts. Diora hadn't realized her mistress wasn't alone when she greeted her with what many would consider scandalous informality from a maid. She was obviously embarrassed.

"I have some papers to go over with Master Dysart," Sharina said nonchalantly.

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