Page 241 (1/1)

Laren had eaten earlier with her Riders, a farjokes on one another, singing, exchanging gifts, and dancing to simple tunes played on flute, fiddle, and dru this night, but they deserved a holiday, a little time off, and it was no hardship for her She stood near the entrance to the banquet hall with a dozen or so attendants of various kinds, secretaries, aides, servants, all keeping watchful gazes on their masters and mistresses

Outside a snowstorm lashed at the hich would no doubt put a da the streets of Sacor City Lights to illuht The view of the candlelit streets, froht to see, but tonight those candles would not stay lit in such high winds Anyone going out was apt to get frostbitten for their trouble No, it was best to stay in and sip the traditional hted candles in s

She yawned, looking over the king and queen’s guests--local aristocrats and high-ranking officialsin the city, and just a few lord- and lady-governors The same winter weather that quelled battles with Second Empire alsotables laden with holiday specialties A fish chowder had just been served King and queen sat at the head table, presiding with quiet dignity over the dinner

Laren yawned again, earning a raised eyebrow from the Weapon, Fastion, who stood opposite her across the hall It was the short days and long nights this tiot to her They always made her sleepy And it was just tooquiet Not a bad thing, she supposed, especially with Queen Estora in her gravid condition First pregnancies, so early on, could be precarious

A mild colanced at Zachary to ensure he did not need her, and went to the doorhere guards and the Weapon Donal were holding back a trio of cloaked travelers Not just any travelers, she realized, but Eletians Inized their leader, Somial, and the tho had accompanied him before

Somial’s eyes lit up when he saw her "Ah Captain Mapstone, it is well to see you"

"We were not expecting you The king is--"

"With deference to your gracious king," Somial replied with a bow of his head, "we are not here for his you? What do you wish of us?" Did he have another puzzling e for her to take down to the tombs?

"Merely to observe"

"To observe? To observe what?"

Somial pointed back into the banquet hall At first she did not notice anything unusual Had the Eletians come to observe the huht wavered The fire in the great hearth roared up the chimney and threw off a shower of sparks Tapestries fluttered along the walls and the air couests looked around as their cloaks and skirts rippled around them The usually stationary Weapons cast suspiciously about trying to identify the source of the disturbance

Then the air fractured and disgorged soid as the starry depths of the heavens the unceremoniously on the center table with such force that she slid down its length, soblets of wine splashing on guests Baskets of bread flew into the air along with utensils and crockery Hot fish chowder landed on Lord Mirwell’s lap, and auests, his shrieks were thesos Laren could not seean This much she knew Even if she couldn’t see her Rider’s face, only one person could make such an entrance

Zachary, who must have realized the saan moved swiftly, theto happen Karigan’s slide finally halted and she sat up, shaking her head as though dazed The shi silver particles followed her down the table She flung her ar out clear and shrill through the hall

Even as tian cli between her fingers Her uniform blossomed with blood where silver was e back down the table, and her boots, or what Laren had thought were boots, disintegrated off her feet and vanished Her trousers frayed apart on one leg

"No!" Karigan cried out "Let o back for him!"

When she reached the end of the table, she leaped without hesitation as if expecting the frigid air currents to carry her back from whence she cah to catch her as she plummeted

Normal time resumed and the banquet hall was chaos, with screa Weapons and guards swaran

Laren shook herself out of the spell that had befallen her "To the ," she ordered Fastion and Donal "Get her to the !"

She would leave others to sort out the disruption in the banquet hall She was about to run after the Weapons and the struggling Karigan who yelled at therabbed her arm His eyes ild He was in shock They all were