Cloak and Spider: A Shadowdance Novella Read Online Free PDF Page B

frightening portent of all to come.
    “In the coming days, you will discover whatever limits your body had were merely lies,” he said. “In the coming months, I will subject you to what other men might call torture. In the coming years, you will learn to how to bring death to the invincible, how to wield a blade with the skill of a god. Every king must have his heirs, and I will have heirs worthy of my legend. You will know pain, you will know fear, and at times you will cry out for death to spare you.”
    Muzien stood, beckoned them with his blackened hand.
    “Never forget,” he told them, “that the door is always open. Never forget, my children, that in your time of suffering, you chose not to step through it.”

Stealing Hearts
    “This feels like a lot of effort for a simple party,” Marion Lightborn said as the carriage rolled through the crowded streets of Mordeina. “Will it really be as dazzling as you say?”
    Kyle Garland sat opposite her in the carriage, and he gave her a patronizing smile.
    “How many times must I tell you, it is not a simple party.”
    Marion shifted the length of her skirt, made of a fine red silk that came to a stop just above her knee. With her sitting, it had pulled even higher, and she caught Kyle stealing glances, no doubt hoping to see beyond the dark skin of her thighs.
    “Let me count,” she said, putting a hand to her chin and pretending to think hard. “At least twice a day the past month you’ve bragged about how great this Kensgold thing will be, at least three times a day told me of its amazing importance. Oh dear me, I fear my little head will not be able to count that high, after all.”
    Kyle shifted in his seat, never comfortable when he was being mocked no matter how lightly. He ran a hand through his long dark hair, a nervous tic of his.
    “My dear, if you just want me to put your nerves at ease, I assure you that the evening will be worthwhile, even for you.”
    Marion batted her eyes at him.
    “What do you mean, even for me?”
    “I mean that I go because it is expected,” Kyle said. The carriage hit a bump, and the jolt knocked his right elbow against the side. He sucked in air through his gritted teeth, then let it out with a curse. With his left hand he rubbed a ring on his right forefinger, one containing an enormous ruby set into an elaborate band of gold, the rubbing another nervous tic of his.
    “Expected,” he resumed. “When all the families of the Trifect gather, it’s career suicide not to attend if at all possible, this one in particular. It’s the first Kensgold held west of Neldar, which means anyone with even the slightest reputation will be begging, borrowing, and stealing to make it inside. I’ll have a dozen new trade contracts for our finest leaf and wine shipping east within a week of the Kensgold’s end. Perhaps for you it’ll be…duller, but at least the food will be good, and each Kensgold has a wide variety of entertainment. Surely a juggler or storyteller…”
    “A juggler!” Marion interrupted. “Praise the gods, I might get to see a juggler!”
    Kyle laughed, and he pinched her knee.
    “Complain all you want, but I assure you, tonight will be fun.”
    Marion smiled at him.
    “I hope so,” she said.
    The carriage rolled to a stop, and Kyle glanced out the window.
    “We’re here,” he said. “Do your best to behave.”
    “Behave?” Marion asked. “And to think you always seem to be trying your best to have me not behave. Or is that only for the bedroom?”
    The man’s neck flushed red, and he did not respond as he opened the door. After stepping out, he turned and offered her his hand. She took it, then curled her arm around his and nestled her neck against his shoulder. Her dark hair spilled down along the front of his white sleeve, a startling contrast. When she stole a glance at him, he looked so pleased his head was ready to burst. Marion knew what she was to Kyle, a pretty decoration for him to show off