The Brothers' War (Artifacts Cycle) by Jeff Grubb

Author:Jeff Grubb [Grubb, Jeff]
Language: eng
Format: azw3
ISBN: 9780786911707
Publisher: Wizards of the Coast Publishing
Published: 2018-03-27T00:00:00+00:00

Tawnos picked out a white wine from the larder’s private stock, which the palace cook assured him was the finest vintage the Korlis vinyards had produced in a hundred years. Still Urza’s apprentice felt more like a spy than a scholar with a jug of wine. As an afterthought he picked up his yarrow wood serpent, the one that had impressed Urza years ago. He wound the toy’s spring, set the latch, and put the coiled wooden snake in his pocket.

Off across the city, the midnight bell was tolling. Servants would be clearing the banquet by now, and those revellers not capable of making it back to their quarters would be rolled to a convenient corner and covered with a blanket until morning. Urza and Kayla had left arm-in-arm, their heads bent together in conversation. Mishra had completed one last dance with his men, then bade them return to the encampment. He and Ashnod would be staying at the quarters provided in the palace. At the time Tawnos thought that the availability of soft beds and running water had something to do with that decision.

After talking to Ashnod, Tawnos had stopped drinking the nabiz. However, the other drink being offered was a thick, syrupy coffee served in small cups. The mixture turned his stomach slightly, and left him feeling nervous.

At least Tawnos hoped that it was only the coffee and the nabiz that had unsettled his stomach.

Tawnos paused at the hallway leading to the guest quarters, then changed direction, heading instead for the orniary at the far end of the palace. It was only past midnight. Urza would still be awake and could tell him what to look for in particular when inspecting the metallic beast.

The apprentice arrived to discover Kayla quietly backing out and closing the door of the orniary, watching into the workshop as she did so. She gave a small jump when she saw Tawnos standing there, then raised a finger to her lips.

“He’s resting,” she whispered.

“It is early for him,” said Tawnos quietly.

“Its been a long day,” she said, “and a good one, for him.”

“Yes,” said Tawnos. “He and his brother seemed to be getting along.”

Kayla pushed a loose strand of hair back, and a small smile broke across her face. “Yes, that,” she said, “among other things. In any event, I don’t think you should disturb him for a little while.”

Tawnos nodded, suddenly aware that he was carrying a bottle of white wine with him. Fortunately, Kayla did not say anything about it. Regardless, he shifted the jug slightly behind him and asked, “About the, uh, discussion you two had, earlier.”

Kayla shrugged, and moved away from the door. “We’ve talked. We had a good talk.”

“And what did he say?” asked Tawnos.

Kayla hesitated for a moment, then said, “He didn’t say no.”

Tawnos gave a sage nod. “Well, that’s a start.”

“A good start,” agreed Kayla. “Now, I think we both have other places to be at the moment.”

Tawnos blushed slightly. Of course the queen had seen the bottle, and made the assumption he had some late-night rendezvous.

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