The Shadow Isle by Katharine Kerr

Author:Katharine Kerr
Language: eng
Format: azw3, epub, mobi, pdf
Tags: Fantasy, Deverry Cycle, Katharine Kerr
ISBN: 9780007283378
Publisher: HarperCollins
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

‘I’ll let you get acquainted with them all,’ Vron said. ‘I want to go bargain with that caravan leader. I want to get some of those opals before they’re all sold.’

‘Do that,’ Kov said. ‘They’ve found a new vein of the fire opals, by the way. The city wants our help to mine it properly.’

Vron’s eyes gleamed, and he smiled. ‘Do they?’ he said. ‘It’s too long a trip for me, but my son’s back now. I’m off to have a bit of a chat with Aethel. And then I’ll see what Mic thinks about it.’

For the dinner Kov put on his best shirt and took his envoy’s staff along, too, simply because it looked impressive, carved as it was with ancient runes. Servant boys brought extra chairs to the envoy’s quarters and set up a table; other boys loaded the table with food and flagons of ale so dark and strong that it was almost black. Fried bats, roasted root vegetables both red and white, served with butter, and brown loaves of warm bread – the cooks had outdone themselves, and everyone ate with little conversation till the platters shone, free of the last drip of gravy.

‘Well, here we are,’ Enj said at last. ‘You’ve finally seen your home country, Wynni, and a bit of its city.’

‘It’s truly splendid,’ Berwynna said. ‘I never knew places like this existed.’ She turned to Dougie. ‘Is it more splendid than Din Edin?’

‘A thousand times better,’ Dougie said, ‘and it doesn’t stink.’

When she translated the exchange, everyone laughed. Mic saluted him with his stoup of brown liquor.

‘Tell me somewhat, brother,’ Berwynna went on. ‘Where’s the kingdom of Deverry from here? I’m wondering where my father might be.’

‘Deverry’s due south,’ Enj said, ‘but we’re not far from the lands of the Westfolk. He could be in either place.’

Otho made a rude noise. ‘Cursed Westfolk!’ he announced. ‘Rori was half an elf before he turned into a blasted dragon, you know. Never did trust him. Goes to show what they’re like, getting turned into dragons.’

‘Why don’t you like the Westfolk?’ Berwynna asked.

Otho snorted for an answer.

‘Don’t get him started.’ Enj rolled his eyes skyward. ‘Which reminds me, Otho my lad, the silver dragon told me a fascinating little tale. There are more Mountain Folk down in Deverry itself, not far from a place called Cwm Pecl. Have you ever heard of them?’

‘I haven’t,’ Otho said. ‘They must have come from the eastern cities.’

‘Not according to the dragon,’ Enj said. ‘He told me they looked much like our folk here.’

‘Nonsense! All the Lin Rej refugees came here, those that lived, anyway.’ Otho glanced at Berwynna. ‘Cursed elves wouldn’t shelter them when they begged for help.’

‘And a good thing, too,’ Kov put in. ‘They were at the gates of Tanbalapalim, you see. The Horsekin captured the city soon after and slaughtered everyone in it.’

Otho made a growling sound deep in his throat.

‘An excellent point, envoy,’ Enj said, grinning. ‘If you ask me, this pack of Mountain Folk

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