Lord of Lies by David Zindell Read Free Book Online

better, with the aspen leaves going gold, or even Valte after the harvest is -'
    'The question must be asked,' Lord Harsha said, 'are you looking for a better match than my daughter?'
    'No, no - of course not!'
    'Then why all these flirtations of yours?'
    'My flirtations? Ah, Lord Harsha, you don't understand - it is they who flirt with me.'
    'Well it must stop.' Lord Harsha was as blunt as a river stone 'Do you wish to wound my daughter's heart beyond all repair?'
    Maram turned to look at Behira, whose bright eyes were fixed upon him. 'I would rather,' he said, 'that my own heart were torn out.'
    'That can be accomplished,' Lord Harsha said, his fist tightening around the hilt of his sword.
    Seeing this Maram blanched and blurted out, 'I love Behira!'
    'Perhaps - but how is she to know that?'
    'But Lord Harsha, don't you see? It is the very extravagance of the attentions of the widows of your realm that is the measure of my love and devotion to your daughter. It is that way with women, isn't it? That the more a man loves one woman, the more others will see seducing him as a challenge?'
    Lord Harsha, who was steady and true of mind, was not especially quick or clever. He stuck to his main point saying, 'Then the sooner you are wed, the better. Today is the sixth of Soldru. The sixth of Marud will not be too soon for the wedding. One month, Sar Maram.'
    The look in Maram's eyes just then was that of an animal caught in a trap. He pulled at the collar of his red tunic as if struggling to breathe, then gasped out, 'One month! But Lord Harsha with the news I've just had and all my duties, that is far too little -'
    'What duties? Trying to outdrink any man in Mesh? And what news are you speaking of?'
    Maram's eyes fell upon me and brightened as if seeing a way out of such sudden - and final - matrimony. He said, ' Why the news about Val. Master Juwain believes that he is likely the Maitreya.'
    Lord Harsha had a great respect for authority, and great regard for the Brotherhood and Master Juwain. He listened quietly as Master Juwain recounted the evidence cited earlier in the Adami tower. Master Juwain admitted that his hope for me was not yet proven beyond doubt, and he asked Lord Harsha not to speak of my horoscope to anyone. Like a warrior receiving battle orders from his king, Lord Harsha agreed to this. Then he nodded his hoary head toward me, saying, 'It's always been clear that there is something remarkable about Val.'
    'Yes, there is,' Maram said, laying his hand on my shoulder. 'And that is why, my lord, we should not be too quick to set a date. You see, I've allegiance to Val, and who knows where fate might take us if he truly is the Maitreya?'
    In his relief in possibly postponing his wedding yet again, and in his pride for me, his big voice boomed out into the hall a little too loudly. It drew the attention of two off-duty Guardians: my friends Sunjay Naviru and Baltasar Raasharu. They smiled and walked toward us, followed by a tail, dignified man whose long face and white teeth reminded me of a warhorse. This was Lord Lansar Raasharu, Baltasar's father - and my father's trusted seneschal. I knew of no warrior braver in battle or more loyal to my family than he. Although the deepest of passions sometimes gloomed his heart, he had resolved to carry himself at all times as if his essentially melancholic nature would never master him.
    'Lord Raasharu!' I said as he came up to me. 'Sunjay! Baltasar!' Lansar Raasharu bowed his head to me, but Sunjay and Baltasar took turns in embracing me. Sunjay was bright of manner and expres sion, like a shooting star; from his well-formed mouth poured forth a steady stream of friendly words and smiles. Baltasar was a more diffi cult man. His lively, black eyes spoke of intelligence and restlessness of the soul; his ruddy cheeks gave evidence of his fiery blood. He was quick to take insult and even quicker to forgive - as quick as he was to love and be loved. All my life, it seemed, he had