The Oracle's Queen by Lynn Flewelling Read Free Book Online Page A

same.”
    â€œWell now, it’s different with me, isn’t it? Boy or girl, you’re Rhius’ child. But you’re not a little one anymore, for me to carry on my shoulder and make toys for. You’re my liege and I’m your man. But Ki?” He picked up the discarded flannel and rubbed it over her dripping hair. “I know what your feelings for him have grown to this past year or so. He knows it, too.”
    â€œBut shouldn’t that make it easier?”
    He paused in his drying. “How would you feel if you woke up tomorrow and Ki was a girl?”
    Tamír blinked up at him through her tangled hair. “It’s not the same! That would make things harder between us, like when I was a boy. This way, we can—have each other. If he wants to!”
    â€œFirst he’ll have to stop seeing Tobin every time he looks at you. And that won’t be easy because he’s still looking so hard to see him.”
    â€œI know. Who do you see, Tharin?”
    He patted her knee. “I told you. I see my friend’s child.”
    â€œYou really loved my father, didn’t you?”
    He nodded. “And he loved me.”
    â€œBut he left you for Mother. Why didn’t you stop loving him then?”
    â€œSometimes love can change its form rather than end. That’s what happened with your father.”
    â€œBut your feelings never changed, did they?”
    â€œNo.”
    She was old enough now to guess at what he was leaving unsaid. “Didn’t it hurt?”
    She’d never seen the sorrow more clearly in his face, or the sharp edge of anger that came with it when he nodded and replied softly, “Like fire, at first, and for a long time after. But not enough to drive me away, and I can say now that I’m glad. There was a time when I’d have answereddifferently. I was a grown man by then, and I had my pride.”
    â€œWhy did you stay?”
    â€œHe asked me to.”
    She’d never heard him say so much before. “I always wondered—”
    â€œWhat?”
    â€œAfter Mama got sick and turned against him, were—were you and Father ever lovers again?”
    â€œCertainly not!”
    â€œI’m sorry. That was rude.” Still, something in that last response intrigued her—a flash of pride. She wondered what it meant but knew better than to ask. “So what do I do about Ki?”
    â€œGive him time. Ki could never have loved you the way you wanted as Tobin. It just isn’t in him. But he suffered over it, and now he’s suffering over the loss of who you two were together.” He draped the flannel over her shoulder. “Let him heal a while. You can do that for him, can’t you?”
    She nodded. Of course she could. But that didn’t make her feel any better tonight. “Is he out there?”
    â€œHe went off by himself, but he’ll be back.”
    â€œWe’ll need more hot water for sure, then,” Tamír mused. “Should I leave while he bathes?”
    Tharin shrugged. “It would be polite to ask.”

Chapter 4
    T he courtyard was filled with soldiers and servants. Ki kept to the shadows and went to the new stone stable, where the wounded were being tended.
    Illardi bred fine horses from Aurënfaie stock; his stable was far nicer than the house where Ki had been born, and considerably larger. Inside, Ki could just make out rafters and dressed stone at the edge of the lamplight. It smelled of new wood and fresh straw, but also of blood and wounds, and herbs being burned or brewed on the braziers. Half a dozen drysian healers were at work, wearing bloodstained aprons over their long brown robes.
    People lay everywhere on makeshift pallets, looking like bundles of laundry laid out for washing day. Ki picked his way among them, looking for Nikides and Tanil. One of the healers noticed him and came over.
    â€œLord Kirothieus, are you seeking the Companions?” she