Pixilated by Jane Atchley Read Free Book Online

picture."
    "Like hell you are. You know history,
geography, music, and warfare. You speak five languages. For the
True God's sake, you draw topographical maps. Who does that? Don’t
you realize indulging Katie’s fantasy about you is pure
foolishness? Worse. It’s cruel." Kree moved his shoulders again to
adjust his weapons-harness not in reply. "Accepting her lovers
knot, letting her believe she has a chance with you...it’s not like
you." Lathan was relentless. "Unless she does? How do you feel
about my daughter?"
    "Frustrated." Kree blew out a long breath,
gave a low chuckle. "Confused." When he glanced up and met Lathan’s
gaze, all his white-hot anger had burned away. He shrugged.
    "Pixilated?" Lathan offered. "Think of
something fast my friend. I want my daughter to be happy."
    "Yeah, I got that the first time."
     
    ***
     
    The assembled men and women rose when Kree
entered the ready room. They always did. He hated it. "Take your
seats gentlemen. Ladies.
    "Some elves got themselves into trouble out
on the north river road last night. Two of the attackers and one
elf died. I had planned to bring the other elf in
for...safekeeping, but he escaped. You know how personally I take
it when folks refuse my hospitality."
    Everyone laughed.
    "The men wore Temple braids. Bird, take a
detail out there. Hustle the bodies over to the Temple Koppras. See
if the Matriarch knows them. I don’t know what to tell you to do
with the elf. He is...unusual. For now, I think the fewer people
who see him the better. Handle it as you think best. The carriage."
A slow grin spread across his face. "We’ll find a use for it.
    "Duncan. I don’t like thinking an armed
force of say, fifteen or so, can waltz through our protectorate
without our knowledge. Set up twenty-four hour patrols. We are
supposed to protect folks around here."
    "The pixie woods too, sir?"
    "It was part of the protectorate last time I
looked."
    "Mister Bruin could police it more
efficiently, sir."
    The other officers met Duncan’s statement
with snickers, and it gratified Kree that his first lieutenant took
their jibes in his customary courteous fashion. First Lieutenant
Aimery Duncan was in his early twenties. The men tagged him Shug either because his family held the largest cane
plantations in the Addir Islands or because of his stunning good
looks. Kree suspected the latter. The man was genetically blessed
or cursed depending on point of view. Having chosen the military
life, Kree felt sure Duncan saw his pure physical beauty as a
curse. Fortunately, for Duncan, the man was also a tactical genius
and a black-powder savant.
    "He could," Kree said. "But we have an
understanding. I don’t wizard. He doesn’t warrior. It works for
us." He patted his young officer’s shoulder taking the sting out of
his tease. He loved the man. "Pixies are near the bottom of the
magical power chain, Shug. They’re here and they’re pretty damn
harmless. It’s past time you got used to them."
    "Yes, sir."
    "Any more questions? Anyone?"
    "What force are you taking?"
    This from his new blade sister, Berl, he
thought her name was. She had arrived on the coach with Kayseri,
and he had not interviewed her, nor formally accepted her service.
It was disgraceful and needed immediate remedy.
    "I'm taking Chana." A rumble greeted his
pronouncement and Kree slammed his hand on the table restoring
order. He flashed his business grin. "There's no reason to think
we’ll encounter resistance. All we’re doing is tracking one unarmed
elf and a runaway half-pixie girl. I need a tracker and two fast
horses. It's a solid fact." There were no more protests. He
expected none. These people knew the rules.
    Kree turned to his aide, who busily
scratched down every word he said in a garrison’s daybook. "Nadol,
go over the Malachite petition. If there is anything there beyond
the usual whining about the border and the taxes, parley with their
ambassador. See if we can work out some sort of