Witling by Vernor Vinge
Author:Vernor Vinge [Vinge, Vernor]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Science Fiction, Fantasy
ISBN: 9780234720127
Google: _LUzhSyg6TUC
Amazon: 076530886X
Barnesnoble: 076530886X
Goodreads: 167842
Publisher: Tor Books
Published: 1976-01-01T05:00:00+00:00
At last old Shozheru found his voice, though it quavered with pain and anger. âWhy, Pelio? You could have been king of All Summer ⦠at least in name. I had managed that.â His voice croaked away into silence, then began again. âAll, all you had to do was to keep some shred of dignity about you, to pretend that my dynasty could continue through you. Instead, you surround yourself with deâdegenerates.â He pointed spastically at the tall strangers standing behind Pelio. âIf I let you succeed me, your âcourtâ would be the laughingstock of All Summer. What vassal could even pretend loyalty to you? The empire would fall in a yearâthough it has stood five centuries.â And now the pain seemed much stronger than the rage. âWhat choice have I, Pelio? By law you must succeed me, or you must die. After thisââagain he gestured at Ionina and Adgaoââyou can never succeed me.â
A soft yet defiant voice spoke from behind Pelio. âThere is other choice.â Ioninaâs interruption stopped Shozheru cold. No nobleman had ever addressed him so abruptly, much less a commoner, much less a witling. Pelio turned to look at the girl. Ionina was not cringing. She looked levelly at Shozheru, and her strange beauty held him motionless. But when she spoke again, her words broke the spellâin fact, provoked quickly suppressed laughter through the crowd:
âPelio will travel across the Great Ocean soon, and you will have rid of him.â
The king-imperialâs body straightened as he gathered his powers. âDo not mock me!â His voice was shrill and womanish but there was death in his face, and at that moment Ionina should have fallen dead, the interior of her brain or heart jumbled into a nonfunctioning mess. Instead, Samadhom gave a pained yelp and rushed clumsily to her side.
The girl continued, her voice tense and argumentative. Didnât she know how close sheâd come to death? âI do not mock you. I speak truth.â
Shozheru came down from his rage, his body bending back into its usual infirm posture. For the first time he seemed aware of the onlookers. He glared weakly at the three witlings and said, âWe will discuss this in private. Now.â
The crowd parted silenty before them as they walked to the transit pool.
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