Firebird's Lair (The Dragonland Saga Book 1) by Rachel Ford

Author:Rachel Ford [Ford, Rachel]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2020-01-29T06:00:00+00:00

Chapter Twenty-Eight

“My dear Tsarevna,” Bishop Zoran declared, “I will wager you a bottle of Miran spiced wine that you have never heard anything as magnificent as Vera Antonovich’s voice.”

“I thought bishops weren’t supposed to gamble,” Kirill wondered.

“No more than tsars are meant to question bishops,” Zoran retorted. “But not even the angels can match that voice. I think the gods and goddesses will allow it.”

Yuliana laughed. It had not been a week since the bishop’s deception, but she’d long since forgiven him. He’d played her, it was true, but unlike Fyodor, his motivation at least seemed to be kindly. “And how would you have gotten your hands on a bottle of Miran wine, Bishop, without a trade agreement?”

The old man smiled. “Well, our people have always kept the door for spiritual exchange open, trade deals or no trade deals.”

“I don’t think those were the ‘spirits’ anyone intended to be exchanged,” Kirill declared dryly.

“Perhaps not.” Zoran seemed very pleased with himself. “But culture is an important element of spiritual matters, and wine is an important facet of culture. Yes?”

Yuliana laughed, and Kirill rolled his eyes.

“Well, what say you? Will you take me up on my offer?”

“I warn you, I have heard the Lady of the Islands,” Yuliana cautioned. The famous operatic was reportedly the greatest Miran talent in a century. Her window of comparison was remarkably shorter than that, but the Tsarevna did consider her to be an excellent vocalist, nonetheless.

Zoran brushed away the caution. “With all respect due your Lady of the Islands, she is no Vera Antonovich.”

“And how will we compare them? What metric are we supposed to use?”

“My dear, you are overthinking this. You will listen, and you will be enraptured. Your heart will be full of love and light and laughter, you will be taken to heavenly realms on the wings of that voice.”

“And if I’m not?” she persisted.

“You will be.”

“But if I’m not?”

“Then I owe you a bottle of Miran wine.”

“And if I am carried off by such dubious transport,” she said, “I owe you?”

He ignored her teasing and nodded. “Exactly.”

“Alright. Then I will do my patriotic duty, and stand with our Lady of the Islands against your Vera Antonovich. I accept your wager.”

Zoran beamed. “Excellent. Then, I fully anticipate adding another bottle of Miran wine to my cellar.”

Yuliana laughed. The Bishop had been arranging this outing for almost a week, as part of his effort to introduce her to the city. It was the first of a series – one a night, to different attractions throughout Orasgorod. This promised to be one of the grander moments of their sequential tour – and, if Zoran’s enthusiasm was an accurate measure, perhaps her life. “We shall see, Excellency.”

“Indeed. Well, I will leave you two for now. I see-” He gestured to the table, strewn in papers, “that you have much to occupy your time. I will see you tonight.”

Thus taking his leave, the bishop departed.

“I do believe he’s in love,” Kirill smirked after he left.

Yuliana smiled. “He is certainly excited to hear Lady Vera again.

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