Heart Fortune by Robin D. Owens

Author:Robin D. Owens [Robin D. Owens]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9780425263938
Amazon: 0425263932
Publisher: Berkley Trade
Published: 2013-08-06T07:00:00+00:00

* * *

On Mor, the first business day of the week, a huge airship descended lightly onto the landing field. Two women walked off the ship, obviously mother and daughter, and wearing Holly green. They stood at the bottom of the airship ramp, examined most of the staff who’d come to see the newcomers, then gestured to those behind them. Thirteen more guards descended, all Hollys, both genders. The Elecampanes had hired the best guards in the business and they didn’t come cheap.

A ripple of comment went through the watching crowd and some clumps of people faded back into the larger encampment.

In quality, the security of the camp had just increased exponentially.

Jace got the idea that the casualness and lightheartedness, maybe the whole sense of community, had decreased by that amount, too.

Glyssa sniffed beside him with some meaning he didn’t understand.

“What?” he asked.

She slid him a glance. “I sense you’re blaming the Elecampanes and the Hollys for a situation someone else, someone who dislikes you has caused.”

She had a point.

He could read her pretty well, too. “Think they’ll fall for your tea and flatsweets?”

“I’m sure most nobles appreciate good food and those who fight and burn up Flair and energy truly do.”

“Huh,” he said.

“They should be able to find out who the villain is.”

Lepid shot to the front of the crowd. Welcome, welcome, new guards. He darted in and sniffed the older woman’s boots, danced back as she glared.

I do not know you, but you smell like Tinne’s The Green Knight Fencing and Fighting Salon, and HollyHeir Holm, and T’Holly!

Though most of the staff were smiling and even a couple of the guards, the women’s stern expressions did not crack.

Raz, Del, and Maxima Elecampane strolled forward and Raz raised his voice slightly, “Glyssa?”

Glyssa straightened beside Jace, pulling on a manner he hadn’t seen before. Noblewoman manner to greet others of a noble Family. Though these Hollys weren’t part of the core FirstFamily members, they obviously had spent some time with them.

On a small and whispered sigh, Glyssa said, “Be right back.”

She joined the Elecampanes in bowing and curtseying to the Holly guards. “Lepid, to me,” Glyssa said and her Fam ran to stand beside her, uncaring that he’d ruined the serious and proper introduction the Elecampanes had planned.

Still a young fox, Zem commented from Jace’s shoulder. Jace stroked his bird. “Nothing changes that but time.”

Some never outgrow immaturity.

The last people down the ramp were two noblewomen dressed in the highest of Druida City fashion, with long tunics—heavily embroidered in patterns that Jace would never copy for his leatherwork, too fussy—that had the equally long, rectangular pocket sleeves. They wore extremely bloused trous, gathered at their ankles.

Raz broke away from Del and the Hollys to give each of them an elaborate bow. The Comosums, who would test the atmosphere of Lugh’s Spear for bad air and disease.

Jace knew right then that things had taken a turn for the worse, and his hunch was confirmed a septhour later when the two were led to the hole.

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