The King of Forever (Scarlet and the White Wolf, #4) by Kirby Crow Page A
Authors: Kirby Crow
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boots: something one needs to sustain life.”
“If only you knew how well he could make fire,” Liall said cryptically. Again, Nevoi turned that arch look on him. “You’d heard my ship was attacked at sea during the crossing? Scarlet set the sails of the Minh ship afire from the deck of our brigantine. I had not looked for him during the frenzy and blood of the battle, but suddenly he was there and then the sails were on fire. He has never confessed it, but later... I put it together.”
“I have heard of Hilurin magic,” Nevoi said thoughtfully, “but I did not know it was so strong. Interesting.”
“How so?”
“To attack across a distance longer than a man’s reach of sword or spear is forbidden in Byzantur and Morturii. To carry a bow is a death sentence for most men. But if a man used magic...”
Liall nodded slowly. It made perfect sense. “I marvel that I haven’t realized it before. Those laws are old, perhaps back to the time when the Hilurin first journeyed south and landed on the shores of Byzantur. I can see where a law meant to forbid the use of magic could be translated into a law forbidding ranged weapons, after that magic has been hidden and forgotten for centuries. Scarlet was shocked when it happened, and frightened. I don’t think he even meant to do it.”
“Such a skill would make ser Keriss a powerful adversary indeed. It’s a talent that could save his life, if he honed it well.”
“You think he should try?”
“I think he is strong, but even if he were the strongest Hilurin in all the world, a Rshani opponent could snap his neck like a kitten. If the man could ever lay hands on him.”
“If,” Liall agreed. Again, Nevoi made sense. The swordmaster was a valuable man, indeed.
“I will consider it,” Liall promised, “but for now, I must take my leave of you.” He bowed shortly to Nevoi, student to master. “I thank you for the instruction.”
Nevoi bowed back, much lower than Liall. He only allowed Liall to forget who was king when they were on the practice floor. “My lord honors me.”
They parted and Liall wished he could go immediately to Scarlet, to see the smile on his face and touch the softness of his skin. The intense attraction he had felt for Scarlet in the beginning had never faded, not even a little. Now, more than ever, he yearned to be with him, but one more matter required his attention.
He found the fire dying down in his solar. The guard lit some candles for him, threw four logs on the hearth, and left with a bow. Liall poured pale green wine into a cup. He sat and drank slowly, thinking over what he must say. When he’d finished two cups, he took a deep breath and found a sheet of vellum.
It was not every day that he summoned an Ancient to the Nauhinir.
CHAPTER FIVE
Fire and Burning
––––––––
D vi, the cook, waited by the table and held a chair for him. Scarlet frowned. No matter how often he told Nenos that such things were unnecessary, the polite old steward would smile and nod and then go about doing things the way he had always done them.
When he complained to Liall about how awkward it made him feel to have a chair held for him—a thing only done for women and the elderly in Scarlet’s experience—Liall had shrugged.
“Nenos runs my household in the manner he thinks best,” he had said. “On some matters, he won’t be moved. Unlike your homeland, there are no slaves here. Men and women serve by choice, and capable servants are most valued. They can also make life very difficult if they wish to. It would not be easy to convince him that his methods are incorrect.”
So Scarlet sighed and took the chair Dvi held for him. The dining hall was less formal than the one in their old chambers, thank the gods. Still, it was luxurious by his standards, and huge. The meal laid out on the trestle table was a variety of spiced dumplings stuffed with ginger pork or fruit jam. It was a dish he often requested, but one that
“If only you knew how well he could make fire,” Liall said cryptically. Again, Nevoi turned that arch look on him. “You’d heard my ship was attacked at sea during the crossing? Scarlet set the sails of the Minh ship afire from the deck of our brigantine. I had not looked for him during the frenzy and blood of the battle, but suddenly he was there and then the sails were on fire. He has never confessed it, but later... I put it together.”
“I have heard of Hilurin magic,” Nevoi said thoughtfully, “but I did not know it was so strong. Interesting.”
“How so?”
“To attack across a distance longer than a man’s reach of sword or spear is forbidden in Byzantur and Morturii. To carry a bow is a death sentence for most men. But if a man used magic...”
Liall nodded slowly. It made perfect sense. “I marvel that I haven’t realized it before. Those laws are old, perhaps back to the time when the Hilurin first journeyed south and landed on the shores of Byzantur. I can see where a law meant to forbid the use of magic could be translated into a law forbidding ranged weapons, after that magic has been hidden and forgotten for centuries. Scarlet was shocked when it happened, and frightened. I don’t think he even meant to do it.”
“Such a skill would make ser Keriss a powerful adversary indeed. It’s a talent that could save his life, if he honed it well.”
“You think he should try?”
“I think he is strong, but even if he were the strongest Hilurin in all the world, a Rshani opponent could snap his neck like a kitten. If the man could ever lay hands on him.”
“If,” Liall agreed. Again, Nevoi made sense. The swordmaster was a valuable man, indeed.
“I will consider it,” Liall promised, “but for now, I must take my leave of you.” He bowed shortly to Nevoi, student to master. “I thank you for the instruction.”
Nevoi bowed back, much lower than Liall. He only allowed Liall to forget who was king when they were on the practice floor. “My lord honors me.”
They parted and Liall wished he could go immediately to Scarlet, to see the smile on his face and touch the softness of his skin. The intense attraction he had felt for Scarlet in the beginning had never faded, not even a little. Now, more than ever, he yearned to be with him, but one more matter required his attention.
He found the fire dying down in his solar. The guard lit some candles for him, threw four logs on the hearth, and left with a bow. Liall poured pale green wine into a cup. He sat and drank slowly, thinking over what he must say. When he’d finished two cups, he took a deep breath and found a sheet of vellum.
It was not every day that he summoned an Ancient to the Nauhinir.
CHAPTER FIVE
Fire and Burning
––––––––
D vi, the cook, waited by the table and held a chair for him. Scarlet frowned. No matter how often he told Nenos that such things were unnecessary, the polite old steward would smile and nod and then go about doing things the way he had always done them.
When he complained to Liall about how awkward it made him feel to have a chair held for him—a thing only done for women and the elderly in Scarlet’s experience—Liall had shrugged.
“Nenos runs my household in the manner he thinks best,” he had said. “On some matters, he won’t be moved. Unlike your homeland, there are no slaves here. Men and women serve by choice, and capable servants are most valued. They can also make life very difficult if they wish to. It would not be easy to convince him that his methods are incorrect.”
So Scarlet sighed and took the chair Dvi held for him. The dining hall was less formal than the one in their old chambers, thank the gods. Still, it was luxurious by his standards, and huge. The meal laid out on the trestle table was a variety of spiced dumplings stuffed with ginger pork or fruit jam. It was a dish he often requested, but one that
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