Haydn of Mars Read Online Free PDF Page A

choice to mount the restored monarchy.   But the F’rar were more treacherous, and had been harder at work, than we knew.   We were forced to retreat and regroup, while the F’rar, and Frane in particular, only became stronger.   And then there, suddenly, was nothing we could do but run like dogs...”
    He turned his face on me in the near darkness.   “We failed you, Haydn.   We knew nearly a month ago of Frane’s plans.”   He laughed bitterly, reached for his cup and then drew his hand away.   “We still had a few spies worthy of the name.   One of them was my son.”
    I held my breath.   “Your son...”
    He nodded, staring now at his cup.   “I did not drink so much a month ago.   He was a page, like young Jamie, and just as good if not better at being a spy.   An aide to Senator Paterine.”
    â€œI remember him,” I said.   “But I never knew him as your son.”
    Xarr nodded, and toyed with the stem of his cup.   Abruptly he drew it to his lips and swallowed what was within in one gulp.   “My only son and heir.   And we had to leave him in Wells City.”
    â€œWhy wasn’t I told any of this?” I asked.   Anger was beginning to build in me, gently, as the first swell of a storm.
    He slammed the cup down and nearly hissed: “ Because it was necessary .”
    I tried to overtake his anger with my own.   “How dare–”
    Again he slammed the cup down, and this time it shattered in his hand.
    â€œNo, Madam, how dare you presume to know what you could not know!   Do you know how many women and men have died in your name already?   How many will yet die–”
    He held himself back, but I caught him.
    â€œTell me everything you know,” I said.
    â€œI cannot.”
    â€œAnd if I order you to?”
    He laughed, pulled my own cup across the table and put it to his lips.   “You have not been crowned yet, little Haydn.”
    My rage was held in check by the strange timber of his words.   “Xarr–”
    He swept his paw out in dismissal, and I saw that it was bleeding from the cut glass of his goblet.
    â€œThere’s blood–” I began.
    â€œThere will be much blood,” he whispered.   “I apologize, Haydn, I have already said too much.”
    He reached for the wine flask, and it was evident now that he was very drunk indeed.
    â€œLet me help you,” I said, reaching for his bloody paw.
    Another gesture of dismissal.   “You’ve already done enough.”   He put both paws on the table and started to push himself unsteadily up.   Then he abruptly let himself down again.
    â€œRemember this,” he said, his voice a slur now.   “And remember this always.   I would die for you.   I would die for you this minute.   But I think you are too young. You may have your father in you, but it has not roared forth yet.   All your sword play and history as a kit did not prepare you for this.   You have not lived, little Haydn.   Your father kept you too safe.   We all did.   And now, I’m afraid, it was a disservice.   I’m sorry.   You are not ready...”
    His head lowered slowly to the table, and in a few moments he was snoring, his massive ugly head resting on his paws in the midst of broken glass.
    As if on cue, Jamie was there.
    â€œDid you hear any of that?” I asked.
    â€œEnough.”
    â€œWe must talk, Jamie.”
    â€œYes, we must.”
    â€œHelp me with him.”   I rose and went around the table, lifting Xarr’s head gently away from the table while Jamie cleared the debris away.
    â€œHelp me carry him to his bed.”
    â€œLay his head back down on the table,” Jamie said.
    â€œIt is cruel.”
    â€œIt is what he would wish.   He will be ashamed if he finds himself in a bed of cushions that he did not stagger