(eng) Myke Cole - Sacred Throne 01 by The Armored Saint

Author:The Armored Saint [Saint, The Armored]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

Mahesh pierced Him with his spear, and the weapon stuck fast.

With his left hand, the Emperor did smite Mahesh on his crown,

So that his head was cleaved in twain,

And with His right, He drew the veil shut, sealing hell away forever,

And died with a glad heart.

—Writ. Ala. I. 5

CHAPTER 10: TOO FAR, TOO FAST

Heloise and Basina lay awake talking for the rest of the night.

The hounds were dim lumps in the dull glow of the cooling fires, curled protectively in front of the doors and the people inside. Heloise and Basina lay wrapped in blankets under the workbench. Basina giggled when Heloise showed her Twitch, and shrugged when she told her the mouse was a gift from Clodio.

“Promise you won’t tell anyone,” Heloise said.

“Why would I tell anyone?” Basina asked. “Rangers come and go as they please, mice are everywhere. There’s nothing to tell.”

Twitch scurried between them, nosing at Heloise’s blanket, climbing over her hand.

“Oh, he’s so darling!” Basina said, reaching out a finger for him.

Twitch gave a high squeak and Heloise giggled, picking him up. “It’s all right,” she said. “Basina is family.”

“Oh, stop, Heloise. He’s a mouse. He doesn’t understa—”

But Twitch was raising his body up, balancing with his tail as he had when Clodio had handed him to her. His tiny black eyes looked at Basina, nose twitching toward her. “See?” Heloise asked. “He just needs some coaxing.”

Basina drew back, eyes widening. “It’s like he understands you.”

“Well, maybe he does. He’s my mouse, after all. That’s what Clodio said.”

Basina laughed, and held out her hand. Heloise coaxed the mouse forward with her thumb. “It’s all right, Twitch. This is my best friend, Basina. If you’re watching over me, you’re watching over her.”

Twitch looked over his shoulder at Heloise, black eyes considering. She could almost believe he understood the words as he turned back. Both she and Basina waited, holding their breath, until Twitch finally crept forward and sat stiffly in Basina’s palm, tiny pink nose hovering over her thumb.

“It tickles!” Basina giggled, and Heloise felt as close to her as anyone in her life. Of course she could share Twitch with Basina. Of course Basina would understand.

Basina set Twitch to roam on the floor between them, but the mouse curled up in the folds of the blanket. Heloise left him, screened by her back from any curiosity from Bolt and Blade.

Heloise propped her head on her arm, looking at her best friend. The gentle glow of the crucible softened Basina’s lines, until she seemed to melt and shimmer like a setting sun. Heloise could have looked at her forever. She didn’t want to move, to speak, for fear that it would break the moment. It seemed as if all the heat of the workshop had gathered in Heloise’s belly and thighs, a wonderful melting feeling. Her head felt like it was about to float off her shoulders.

Basina shifted, rolled onto her side, big eyes sleepy. “What are you thinking about?”

“You,” Heloise said. “How you saved me.”

“All I did was untie the horses and say ‘boo’ at them a couple of times.

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