The Last Light of the Sun by Guy Gavriel Kay

Author:Guy Gavriel Kay
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Tags: Fantasy, General, Fiction
ISBN: 9780143174516
Publisher: Penguin Group (Canada)
Published: 2010-04-05T10:00:00+00:00

It was Hakon Ingemarson who had recognized Kendra by the stream.

He’d called out to her immediately as he passed with a torch amid a crowd of others heading for the tents. She hadn’t wanted to ask how he’d known her so quickly in the dark. Was afraid of his answer. Knew his answer, really.

She’d cursed, silently, the sheer bad luck that had led him past this point, even as she’d turned and achieved a tone of pleased welcome when he came hurrying over.

“My lady! How come you here, unattended?”

“I’m not unattended, Hakon. Ceinion of Llywerth kindly sent his own guard with me.” She had gestured, and Thorkell had stepped forward into the light. The dog, thankfully, was across the stream, out of sight. She’d had no least idea how she’d have adequately explained it.

“But there’s nothing here at all!” Hakon had exclaimed. She’d realized that he was drunk. They all were. That might make things easier, in fact. “The gathering is over by the tents! Your royal sister and brother are there already. May we escort you?”

Kendra had searched for and failed to find any way to decline. Cursing again, inside, with a ferocity that would have surprised all three of her siblings and utterly disconcerted the young man in front of her, she’d smiled and said, “Of course. Thorkell, wait here for me. I’ll likely just stay a short while, and I wouldn’t want these men to forgo their entertainment to take me back inside.”

“Yes, my lady,” the older Erling had said, in the uninflected voice of a servant.

Hakon had looked as if he might protest, but evidently decided to be pleased with what he’d gained so unexpectedly. She’d fallen in with him and the others and they’d made their way to the colourful village of tents that had sprung up north-west of the walls.

When they arrived, they found a boisterous crowd gathered in a wide circle. Hakon pushed through to the front. Inside were two people. It came as no great surprise to Kendra to discover that these were her older brother and sister.

She looked around. To one side of the ring she saw a skull, resting on the grass, a torch set beside it. Kendra winced. She had a fairly good idea, suddenly, what had happened here. Athelbert simply did not know when to leave well enough alone.

Judit had a long staff, held crosswise with both hands. She knew how to use it. Athelbert carried a significantly smaller one, a thin switch. Nearly useless, good for swatting at leaves or apples, not much more.

Judit was attempting, with grim purpose and no little skill, to club her brother senseless. Finish the task she’d begun that morning. Athelbert—who had had a great deal to drink, it was clear—was laughing far too much to be at all safe from his sister’s assault.

Kendra, eyeing them, listening to the hilarity around her, was thinking about the Cyngael in the woods, and about his dog—the way it had stood on the far side of the stream, rigid and attentive, listening.

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