Wizard of the Grove by Tanya Huff

Author:Tanya Huff
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Publisher: DAW
Published: 2016-01-30T05:00:00+00:00

ONE

“You waitin’ for someone?”

“No.”

“Mind if I set?”

“Yes.”

The beefy faced man opened and closed his mouth a few times and a wave of red washed out the freckles sprinkled liberally across his nose and cheeks. “Think you’re too good ta set with me?” His hard miner’s hands clenched the edge of the small table.

“No.” But the tone said yes.

It said other things as well, spoke a coldness that caused the miner’s balls to draw up, even under his thick sheepskin trousers.

She lifted her head just a little and let a ray of lantern light fall within the confines of her hood.

The man’s eyes widened. For a moment his jaw went slack, and then his sandy brows drew down in a puzzled frown. He knew something was happening; he didn’t know what. An instant later, he lost even that and turned away, knowing only that his advances had been rejected.

She lowered her head and her face was once again masked by darkness.

“Not very polite,” said her companion as the miner returned to his own table amidst the jeers and catcalls of his friends. “I never thought to see you use your power on such a trivial thing.”

Crystal shrugged but kept her voice low as she answered. Although she had no objection to being thought overly proud or even peculiar, it wouldn’t do to have the whole tavern think her insane; sitting and talking to a companion only she could see. She said as much to Lord Death, adding: “I wish to be left alone. That is not, to my mind, a trivial thing.”

Lord Death drew his finger through a puddle of spilled ale, making no mark. “And your wish is to be that poor mortal’s command?” His hair flickered to a bright red-gold, and for a heartbeat his eyes glowed a brilliant sapphire blue.

The hiss of breath through Crystal’s teeth caused several patrons to turn and peer toward the dim corner. She quickly dropped her gaze to her mug of ale until, curiosity unsatisfied, they returned to their own concerns.

“You dare?” she growled when the attention had shifted away. “You dare show that face to me? To criticize my actions with it? To dare suggest I walk his road? Kraydak’s road?” Kraydak of the red-gold hair and sapphire eyes and silken voice and blood-red hands. Kraydak, the most powerful of the ancient wizards, dead now these dozen years. Her hand had set his death in motion, but his arrogance had killed him in the end. His arrogance. His concern had been solely for himself, all others existing only to serve.

Lord Death sat quietly, chin on hands, watching the last of the wizards work her way through his accusation to the truth. In spite of a parentage that tied together all the threads of the Mother’s creation, and more power than had ever been contained in a mortal shell, she was as capable of lying to herself as any other. But she seldom did and he doubted she would now. He’d spent a

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