The Black Shard Read Online Free PDF Page A

very own eyes!" He let go of Davina and Hester and went down on one knee before Kristina.
    "Ugan! How nice to see you," Kristina said.
    Ugan, a dwarf that had traveled with Kristina to deliver the Magic Warble the first time she was in Bernovem, took her hands in his and looked up into her eyes. "My, oh, my, how you've grown," he said. "At least your growth is vertical, where mine seems to be only horizontal." He winked at Kristina. "I must say that there's no lack of good cooking around here."
    Kristina had grown at least a head taller since the last time she was in Bernovem, and she was developing into a very attractive young woman. But though the time span since she had last been in Bernovem was two years and five months for her, it had only been one and a half Bernovem years for Werrien.
    "Speaking of food, why don't we head on in for some dinner?" Werrien said.
    "Finally!" Davina moaned. "I'm so hungry; I can feel my ribs sticking together."
    Hester frowned at Davina. "You must have worms," she said under her breath.
    Inside the palace, all three girls were amazed at the spectacular scenery surrounding them. Werrien led them through a great corridor lined with tall arched windows, which the early evening sun shone through. At the left side of each window's base were golden statues of dwarf and gnome warriors, and the high ceilings above them were covered in elegantly painted art work. In one section there was a scene of the battle that had taken place between the gnomes and dwarfs, fighting against the zelbocks. In another section there was a picture of Werrien and Kristina, fighting the zelbocks on the treacherous slopes of Mount Bernovem, and beside that picture was a picture of Kristina and Werrien sitting at the elegant table, at the feast, after the Magic Warble was delivered to its resting place.
    Many other pictures decorated the ceiling, but it was the ceiling's center that really caught the girls' eyes—a huge, sparkling crystal chandelier hung down from it, and above it, painted on the ceiling, was the Rainbow Tree, with its many branches sprawling outward in all directions.
    While the girls stood in awe, examining the ceiling, a dwarf dressed in a fine royal-blue outfit with gold trim on the cuffs of his sleeves as well as on his collar, suddenly appeared at the very south end of the long corridor. He walked briskly up to Werrien, bowed, and then said, "Your Highness, the evening meal is about to be served on the terrace above the east garden."
    Werrien looked puzzled at the dwarf. "Oh? I was told it would be in the dining room. Why the sudden change of plans, Elzwur?" he asked.
    Elzwur drew in a tense breath and, seeming slightly flustered, he looked oddly at Kristina. Then his eyes met Werrien's again. "Dear boy, I don't make the rules around here. I only give them out," he said, just before bowing. Then promptly, he turned and walked stiffly away.
    Werrien took the girls to the great doors that led out to the east garden, and when they stepped outside onto the terrace, the twilight sky lit up with fireworks, crackling and popping wherever their eyes could see. Hester shrieked and clung on to Davina. Kristina and Werrien jumped as well.
    Surrounding the terrace was a large crowd, filled with gnomes and dwarfs, and flying among them were fairies, set aglow like twinkling balls of light.
    Kristina's eyes slowly scanned the lit-up sky. "Wow! What's the occasion?" she asked Werrien.
    "It's my birthday, but I definitely wasn't expecting all this."
    "Your birthday? How old are you?" Kristina asked.
    "Seventeen," Werrien said. "How old are you?"
    "Fifteen."
    A firework plummeted down from the sky and hit Davina on the top of her head. Hastily, she pushed Hester away from herself and began hopping around in circles, yelling, "Somebody help! My hair is on fire!"
    Werrien and Kristina couldn't help laughing at the sight of her. Hester, on the other hand, had a look of terror on her face.
    Davina brought her hands up