Golden Daughter Read Online Free PDF

fainted. Somehow he managed to stay on his feet until his eyes were able to refocus and blood flowed back to his brain. With sparks exploding on the edge of his vision, he bowed again, deeper than before. He opened his mouth to speak, but words would not come.
    It didn’t matter. Overseer Rangsun continued: “Unfortunately, due to the circumstances of your birth and less-than-desirable parentage, the Center of Learning does not feel that it can accept you into the Middle Court.”
    Once more the world went black. Once more Sunan managed to stay on his feet. When he opened his mouth again, only one word emerged.
    “Spitfire.”
    It was a vile curse. Not something he should have dared even think in the presence of Overseer Rangsun. He deserved to be flogged. For one wild instant, he hoped he would be flogged. Anything to distract his mind from the roaring flames that even now consumed him.
    But the overseer merely nodded in mild understanding. “Indeed. Spitfire,” he said. “It does seem unfair that the sins of your father should cast such a pall upon your own life. This is the world in which we live, Juong-Khla Sunan. You will never be a Presented Scholar.”
    Please kill me now, Sunan wanted to say. Instead, he clamped his teeth down upon his tongue.
    “However,” Overseer Rangsun continued, “you will remain a Tribute Scholar, which is perhaps honor enough for a half-Chhayan. You will find work, respectable work. You will never achieve your potential, but you will not die in a ditch.”
    “Yes, Honored Overseer,” Sunan whispered.
    The overseer smiled then. It wasn’t a smile that reached his eyes, merely a twist of his thin lips and white mustache. “All is not lost,” he said. “You see, while I know the unfortunate facts surrounding your parentage, I know the fortunate facts as well. Your mother was a daughter of the Fan Clan, sister to Lord Dok-Kasemsan. I knew your uncle Kasemsan rather well. He was a Presented Scholar here himself, back in his day.”
    Sunan nodded.
    “Your uncle was many things in his life.”
    At first Sunan said nothing. Then he blinked as some of the overseer’s words found their way through the roar of fire in his brain to a place of comprehension. “Was? Honored Overseer, my uncle is—Are you saying he’s—”
    “Dead?” The overseer’s cold smile grew. “Oh, yes. Or as good as. My sources can tell me only so much on such short notice. But we will assume death. Word will not reach his household for many weeks, and you must take care that you say nothing of the matter to his wife or family.”
    “But—But how? How can he—” Sunan put a hand to his throbbing temple, shaking his head. This must all be part of some horrible dream. He must have allowed himself to oversleep. Time to wake up! Time to wake up now and finish his test, or he’d never be a Presented Scholar!
    Mastering himself with an effort, he managed to say, “My uncle left only three months ago to meet a friend in Lunthea Maly. He cannot be dead.”
    “ Should not be dead, perhaps,” the overseer agreed. “But you, as a student of the classics, must know that anything can happen. The death of your uncle was both more unlikely and more likely than you yet realize.”
    With those strange words, the overseer reached further up his sleeve and withdrew a tiny scroll sealed in melted gold. He handed this to Sunan.
    “You have gifts, son of Juong-Khla. Gifts that will be of keen interest to others. You will never be a Presented Scholar. But you may realize your true value if you wish.” He tucked his hands away again, and his eyes disappeared almost entirely beneath his heavy lids. “You must choose whether or not to read the document I have just given you. If you choose not to read it, you will remain a Tribute Scholar and achieve what sort of life you may. Should you choose to read it, you will face another choice: a choice of life or instant death.” He shrugged. “It’s up to you. May Anwar shine