Page 6 (1/1)

Evvy nudged Briar with a bony elbow She had noticed the tucked corner of Rosethorn’s mouth, too, even if she hadn’t heard her coracefully as a dancer Once he was upright, he reached into one wide sleeve and produced two scrolls, each bound with gold streareen jade buckles He touched the

Does he think the God-King is going to run down the steps to get it? Briar wondered

If the enerals who had been in residence in the palace all winter walked slowly down to theOnly when the general had worked several spells over it without result did he let the boy ruler have thehis scroll, the er turned until he faced Dokyi and Rosethorn "Is this unworthy one correct?" the er asked "Has this one the honor to address the First Dedicate and Dedicate Initiate of the First Te Circle, and Dedicate Initiate Rosethorn of Winding Circle te "This is Rosethorn"

The htly and offered the other scroll "Then I am honored to present my master’s invitation to Dedicate Initiate Rosethorn and her companions," he said His dark eyes flicked over Briar and Evvy He bowed, very slightly, but there was still respect in his voice as he said in tiyon, "Am I mistaken? Have I also the honor to stand before Nanshur Briar Moss and his student, Evue

Briar was iave hie had achieved a ed Evvy with his foot until she did the same Since he had been at the courts of royalty and the houses of nobles enough by now to navigate their mazes of manners, Briar said politely in tiyon, "May I have the blessing of one’s own name, so that I may thank one’s ancestors for the pleasure of a son with such grace and perception?"

"I can’t believe you just said that," Evvy muttered

Briar burned to give her a proper scolding Instead he kept his face pleasant and watched the n of it, but bowed a little more deeply to Briar Were the movements all measured out for hi stick at ho to each particular notch on it so he would know just how far to bow to a lord, or a ive this huracious nanshur, but when this hureat is his name, Son of all the Gods, Master of Lions, speaks in the voice of so great and puissant ais obliterated Only the na Zhian, sixth of the Long Dynasty, relittering with more than a little touch of mischief

"And if anted to ask hoas the weather in the passes, would we say, ‘Excuse me, you?’" Evvy wanted to know "How could the emperor in his distant palace know the weather in the mountains?"

Briar wouldn’t call the swift look that the courier shot Evvy a glare Distaste, perhaps The man found a smile -- a tiny one -- to plaster on his face That hat he offered to Evvy "But it was the Eagle of the Heavens, the Leveler of Mountains, who arranged our easy journey through the Ice Lion Pass," he said coolly "Such is his eagerness to meet Dedicate Initiate Rosethorn, Nanshur Briar Moss, and even the student of such acclaiic workers that our dread master banished the storms and split the snows in Ice Lion Pass to allow this unworthy racious imperial invitation to you"

Rosethorn finally looked up fro" She looked at Dokyi, first, then the God-King "I had told you that our plans were to travel through Yanjing with a Trader caravan when the passes cleared, then sail home from Hanjian Our hope -- ardeners along the way I never thought … I didn’t expect …" She took a breath and let it out "Briar, the emperor has invited us to visit the Winter Palace in Dohan He is offering to show us his gardens there hiuests, all three of you, at the celebration of the Son of the Gods’ fiftieth birthday," the er said "It is the rarest of honors There will be lords of Yanjing ill be gnashing their teeth with vexation that they have not been included"

"The gardens at the i her fingers over the raised gold letters on the scroll of invitation Her perfectly arched eyebrows snapped together in a worried frown To the God-King she said, "Will you be offended if we leave soon? Because you’ve been so good to us, and I really don’t want to offend you"

Briar looked at the God-King Did he dare say no, given his concerns of that ? He had not sounded as if he looked forward to any kind of conflict with the great e sardens in our part of the world? I would not be so cruel You have given us four glorious months of your company I am only sorry to lose you as I would have been if you had left us according to your original plan, in six weeks" To the er he said, "I do hope you will let them have two days to pack and let us say our farewells"