The Bonemender's Choice Read Online Free PDF Page B

to give one to that Towàs fella, by way of my own thanks.”
    Y OLENKA FINGERED , once again, the intricate gold filigree and fine four-strand bronze plait of the necklace. It had taken Derkh a long time to figure out how to incorporate the delicate filigree highlights into the focal point of the necklace—a bold, swooping beaten bronze shape inspired by the deeply flexed wings of an eagle.
    “You
made
this?” Amber eyes blazed at him.
    Derkh nodded, a little taken aback. Yolenka looked almost angry. Maybe he’d gone too far. “Do you not like it?”
    She glared at him. “What is wrong with you? Why you spend your days hammering at horse-metal and buckets, when you have gift like this?” She looked at it again, shaking her head in disbelief. “Is better than anything I ever see here. Better even than much Tarzine work. Style is...beautiful. Different.”
    Yolenka stood, tossed back her tawny mane and fastened the necklace. The bronze wings spanned from one collarbone to the other, glinting gold and looking just as fabulous against her warm skin as Derkh had hoped. Gods, she took his breath away.
    She stalked toward him, raised her face for a kiss that nearly brought him to his knees, and continued her lecture.
    “I thank you. I mean this. Is most beautiful thing I have. But you, you are loose in the head. You do work like this, you make and sell everywhere! Nobles, rich men, all will buy! Why you hide here in this piddle town?”
    Derkh said nothing as a multitude of answers swirled around in his head. Because he owed Theo, who had apprenticed him, another half-year as a journeyman was the easy answer. Because La Maronne, with its clipped accent and plain-talking country people, felt more like home than the southern town of Chênier might be another. But underlying everything was the fact that he was the son of Greffaire’s highest military commander, and “jewelry artisan” was not an occupation that even existed in his mind. It was strange enough to find himself silversmithing as a private hobby.
    He was saved a reply by the appearance of his landlady. “Excusing the interruption, Mister Derkh, but you have more visitors.” She stressed the word “more” as if his sudden popularity was less than seemly. She frowned. “Very grand and handsome they are too.”
    A flush of pleasure lit up Derkh’s face. There were few enough people likely to arrive as unexpected visitors to his lodgings and fewer still who could be described as “grand.”
    “A tall man with dark hair, and a woman?” he asked.
    The mistress nodded. “The same.”
    “Bring them—” Derkh glanced around the dark little salon. He felt cramped in here already, with only Yolenka in the room. “No, never mind, we’ll come to the door to meet them.” He grinned at Yolenka.
    “You wanted to meet Elves? Here’s your chance.”
    “I BEAR A special invitation from the Regent of Crow Island and the Blanchette Coast.”
    Greetings and introductions and small talk had all beenaccomplished, and they were now ensconced at a table at Yolenka’s inn, where Féolan and Gabrielle happened to be staying. It was Yolenka’s first experience as a customer there, and she was rather critical of the service.
    “I do better,” she had assured them. “You eat here tomorrow, you call for me.”
    Derkh stared at the elaborate scroll that Féolan had produced with a flourish.
    “They want me to come?”
    “Tristan made a special point of asking us to deliver the invitation personally, to make certain you come,” said Gabrielle. “He says he hasn’t seen you in years and you have still never been to the coast.”
    The DesChênes family would never stop amazing him, Derkh decided. First they had all unhesitatingly befriended a wounded enemy soldier that Gabrielle brought home from the war. Now he was included in a family birthday celebration as though he were a favorite cousin.
    It would be a long trip, though. “I don’t think Theo will want to let