The Duchess of the Shallows by Neil McGarry & Daniel Ravipinto

Author:Neil McGarry & Daniel Ravipinto [McGarry, Neil & Ravipinto, Daniel]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
ISBN: 9780985014902
Google: 8nhsiqC-KIcC
Publisher: Peccable Productions
Published: 2012-03-02T01:04:11.130183+00:00

Chapter Eleven:

A fox and a rabbit

She immediately recognized Eusbius both by the ostentation of his outfit and his position on the dais. Lysander hadn't been certain of the season's fashion in costumes, but looking around the room Duchess saw that the theme was gods, goddesses, and sundry spirits. Eusbius himself was clearly Ventaris, and like the ballroom itself he was covered with gold. He wore a circular golden mask with rays emerging from all sides, and voluminous robes of gold with long, dagged sleeves and embroidery at the hem. Duchess thought he would have made a more impressive sight without the enormous belly that pushed at the front of his costume. He arose from his throne to greet the guests who had queued up in an impromptu reception line, and she saw that two other, smaller chairs had been placed on the dais. One was empty, and clearly meant for Lady Agalia, but the other was occupied by a slender young man wearing a domino mask and the ears of a fox spirit. Unlike the baron, his long blond hair was the only golden thing about him; his doublet and tight satin breeches were red, black and white. The man seemed utterly disinterested and only nodded at the guests as they filed by.

A number of guests had already gone through the reception line and were making themselves at home, picking at the food, sipping drinks and talking amongst themselves. Marta scuttled off after they had set down the tray, but Duchess lingered, pretending to straighten a tablecloth so she could listen to their talk.

"Have you seen her, then?" said one woman in a green-and-brown shimmering sheath. Her hair had been dyed black and done up in ropy strands so she resembled a marsh hag, a creature who crept out at night to steal the breath of small children.

"Lady Agalia?" replied her companion, who was equally hag-like in red, although under that costume she might have been as beautiful as Lorelei. "No, poor dear. I think she must be feeling under the weather."

"I'm hardly surprised. Her husband's costume is enough to make anyone feel ill. And that throne!" The two women cackled, sounding almost like real marsh hags.

"This food is gods-sent, though," said the red hag, taking a bite of herbed bread. Duchess smiled. "Speaking of the gods, have you found this Anassa of yours?"

The green hag lifted a flute of purple wine. "She's hardly mine, dear; in fact, I'm sure I don't know who she is. Curious that she'd dress so close to the real cult style, though. One might have thought she was an actual facet."

"That comes a bit close to heresy, don't you think?"

"I suppose. Though it's one thing to be a heretic of Anassa," the green hag replied, pointing with her glass at the baron, "and another to play Ventaris as a pompous, fat fool." They went off into another gale of laughter, and Duchess moved away before they noticed her eavesdropping. The ballroom was filling rapidly, and the costumes were many and varied.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.