Trinity Rising by Elspeth Cooper

Author:Elspeth Cooper [Cooper, Elspeth]
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Tags: Fantasy, Epic, General, Fiction
ISBN: 9780575096219
Google: _SDVNULbPX8C
Publisher: Orion
Published: 2012-07-26T00:29:14+00:00

19

ASTOLAR

Tanith slid open the screens and stepped onto the slate-flagged terrace behind her house. The day was barely begun, skeins of mist still drifting across the face of the Mere, the hills beyond pale shapes in the haze. On the silver water, tightly furled lily buds stood ready for the day like spears above shields of leaves. Far out on the lake, a grebe dipped something from the water and shook its head, scattering pearly droplets in the air.

Astolar. She had missed this place. She had grown up listening to the sigh of the birches, the gentle thunder of Belaleithne Falls, and throughout her five years on the Isles she had filled her room each evening with memories of her homeland. Deep moss beneath her feet instead of carpets, arching trees above her head instead of beams and stone, all had eased the pain of separation.

Yet five weeks ago, when she’d stepped off the jetty onto the earth of her people, there’d been no jolt of connection. On the long ride inland from the port to Carantuil she’d recognised the deep lakes, the wide-hipped roofs and layered towers rising above the trees, but all at a remove, as if seen through thick glass. Even there, standing on the terrace of her own house on a sweet spring morning, she felt more like a stranger than one of the White Court’s daughters come home.

A breath of a breeze ruffled the lake and she shivered, pulling her silk robe more closely around her. Five years she had spent amongst humans, learning to be a Healer. She had become accustomed to the world of men; perhaps too much so. Perhaps that explained why Astolar’s touch on her soul still felt so cool, so distant. They would have to learn to love each other again.

Behind her, she heard the careful tread of her housekeeper, the chink of porcelain on the glass-topped table as her breakfast was laid out, but she didn’t turn. She had no appetite. Next week she would stand before the Ten as House Elindorien’s heir and the butterflies that had been multiplying in her stomach since she took ship from the Isles left no room for food.

Without a sound, a sleek head broke the surface of the lake. Smaller than a child’s and covered in dark fur, the creature had a broad snub muzzle and tiny ears towards the back of its skull, almost hidden in its pelt. Wide black eyes watched her.

Lady? enquired a voice in her mind.

‘Good morning,’ she said.

Lady! The head disappeared and re-emerged moments later, close to the edge of the terrace. Lady has returned! Several more heads popped out of the water and crowded around the first. Pretties? Did you bring pretties, lady? We like pretties! We like you. We missed you!

‘You saw me yesterday. That wasn’t very long ago.’

We still missed you.

Tanith couldn’t help but smile. The saelkies had no more sense of time than small children: to them an hour was as long as a week, and a year as short as a day.

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