The Glass Swallow by Julia Golding

Author:Julia Golding [Golding, Julia]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: AmazonEncore
Published: 2012-10-16T07:00:00+00:00

The jettan district was worse than the poorer areas of the city. All the mansions had been ransacked, the destruction spilling out into the elegant squares like entrails from a gutted carcass. There was no sign of anyone, though Peri suspected that there were quite a few eyes watching them from the ruins.

“Where’s everyone gone?” Rain asked, her voice quavering.

“I expect the jettan families have retreated to their country estates where they can defend themselves,” said Peri. “Seen enough? Want to go back now?”

Rain shook her head. “We might as well finish this.”

He sighed again and clicked his tongue to make Nutmeg go a little faster. “You know my mother and father might not forgive you for making me do this. I’m not sure I forgive you.”

She squirmed in his arms, preparing to get down. “Then go your way, falcon man, and I’ll go mine.”

He tightened his grip. “No you don’t. We made a bargain. I’ll take you to the Master’s palace and when you’ve seen how futile that is, you’ll come home with me with no more complaints.”

“I don’t remember promising not to complain.”

He gave a huff of laughter into her hair. “You’re worse than Rogue.”

“Your falcon?”

“He’s a contrary beast.”

“But you like him.”

“Yes, I like him.”

As they approached the Master’s palace, Rain’s hopes plummeted. Built on the high cliffs overlooking the River Rol, the building was separated from the rest of the city by an intricate wrought-iron fence. It was shaped like a barrier of trees, as if an enchanter’s spell had thrown it up to keep mere mortals away from the one who dwelt inside. Until a few days ago, silver stars had been embedded in iron branches, beautiful leaves that were never shed, but these had been gouged out, leaving gaps like eyeless sockets behind. The gardens beyond were trampled and scattered with litter. Someone had lit a bonfire in the orchard, using the wood from living trees in pointless waste. The upper reaches of the palace were miraculously unmarked, still floating with cobweb delicacy above their heads, walls pierced with eyelets, decorated with carvings; but the lower floors, where the vandals had been able to reach, were tarnished with mud and smoke. The tracery in the windows had been kicked in. Everything that could not be taken had been defaced.

“To come here carried the death penalty,” Peri murmured, equally depressed by the destruction around him. He urged his horse through the open gates.

“I suppose this destroys my theory that the Master doesn’t know. He must have fled.” Rain’s resolve was failing. There seemed little she could do here.

Peri brushed a hand over her back. “I’m not so sure. We were always taught that the Master is Rolvint. If any of that was true, the soul can’t leave the body.”

“Maybe he has. Maybe that’s why it all seems so dead outside, so hopeless.”

Sniff was the only member of their party who seemed unaffected by the sights around them. He was on the trail of many exciting scents, nosing in the debris.

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