Mage's Blood (The Moontide Quartet) by David Hair Read Free Book Online Page B

drui had gone out the back with the rest of the communal wine, so she and the king were alone in the shadowed chamber. He led her to a seat at the back and sat down beside her. His face crinkled warmly. ‘It is good to see you smiling, Donna Elena,’ he said in his rolling Rimoni tongue. ‘You were such a grim woman when you arrived. Perhaps the sun and heat agrees with you?’
    ‘Perhaps, your Majesty.’
    ‘“Milord” is sufficient, between us in private, Donna Elena,’ Olfuss said, which usually meant he wanted something. ‘Did you know that we placed bets on who could make you smile first? Solinde won, of course. With a foolish jest. Do you remember? “How do you stop a Rimoni from speaking? You tie his hands”. Suddenly, you grinned, and then you laughed aloud, and Solinde danced around the room.’
    Elena remembered. It had hurt her face, using those muscles again. It had hurt her heart, like placing cold toes too near the fire. ‘I hope she won something good.’
    ‘A ruby necklace from Kesh. She did not tell you?’
    ‘No, Majesty. I had no idea my demeanour was of such interest.’
Has it really been four years? Four good years though
…
the ones that preceded it were awful, caught between Gurvon and Vedya. It had been a real relief to get out of Yuros
.
    Olfuss looked up at the altar. ‘It was a big step for us, to take three Rondian magi into our midst, but when the Gorgio employed a Dorobon mage to spy for them, we had no choice but to follow suit, otherwise my every action would have been known to them. Still, magi are not loved here.’
    That’s the understatement of the century. It’s a toss-up who hates us the most
–
the Rimoni whose empire we destroyed, or the Keshi we invaded and enslaved
.
    ‘My children love you, Ella. You are like one of our family. But I wonder, are you happy here? And do you love them in return?’ His eyes, serious now, met hers.
    She felt a sudden constriction of her throat as she gave a quick nod. ‘Of course, milord.’
That’s why leaving will hurt so much
.
    Olfuss smiled. ‘Buona.’ He stroked her cheek, his old face crinkling into a grin. ‘Maybe we can find you a man, Ella. Then you will settle down with us and I can stop paying your Magister Gyle his exorbitant fee.’
    ‘Olfuss, has the chancellor been nagging you to tighten the purse-strings again?’
    He laughed, but didn’t look away. ‘Ella, we pay a lot of money every month for your services, and those of Sordell and Taguine. The money we spend on you is worthwhile. Those other two … I mislike them, and so I wish to employ you directly and dispense with those others. I will double your salary, and we will both win. What do you say?’
    She froze in surprise. A part of her leapt inside: to be free, to not have to leave – wasn’t that what she wanted?
And damn Gurvon anyway!
But what about Tesla? Her brother-in-law did what he could, but the tuition fees for their son were crippling. She had an immense amount of money awaiting her in Norostein; but if she resigned, she would never see a krone of it, she knew that for certain. And to bodyguardthe Nesti on her own might be easy enough in peacetime, but the Moontide was coming …
    She became aware that she hadn’t responded with even a facial expression, that she had frozen solid. She looked apologetically at King Olfuss. ‘Milord, I’m honoured. Your offer is flattering, but if Gurvon took this ill …’ She frowned, calculating. ‘He has control of my life-savings, which amount to more than you can afford.’
    His eyes wrinkled as he took that in, then he reached out and patted her knee. ‘Donna Elena, there are more things in life than gold. We value you, Ella – you are one of us. You are Nesti.’ He grinned. ‘Or maybe Kestrian, if you’d let young Lorenzo have his way!’
    She seized on the change of subject. ‘Poor Lorenzo! He’s sweet, but I am here to do a job, milord. I’m not tempted.’
    ‘All business, as always,