The Nemesis Blade Read Online Free PDF Page A

and now
this? Was there a link? There was no such thing as coincidence, a
lesson hard taught a long time ago. Was he ready to interact with
these three ? They were already too close to his heart.
    He drew breath
and called.
    All three, he
noted, were afraid of him.
    Ah, yes, the
influence of the Throne began to tell now.
    All three, he
realised, glanced at the famous sword that went with him
everywhere. Elianas, nemesis, also known as the Lumin Sword.
    He went
towards them, gesturing they remain where they were.
    Tristan stood
in the centre of the trio and was directly before him. Tristan was
his image, with the same grey eyes he once had and with the same
fair hue of hair. Tristan was exactly his height, but had his
father Samuel’s more diffident posture.
    “My Lord,”
Tristan said. “It is good to see you.”
    Torrullin
smiled. This man, who now seemed a brother in age, was dear to him,
as was Samuel. “Tristan, welcome.” He held his arms wide.
    Relief flooded
into Tristan’s face and he stepped into the embrace without
reservation.
    Then there was
Teroux. Teroux was true Golden. Hair, eyes, skin and manner.
Tannil’s son, a man who did his father proud.
    “Grandfather,”
Teroux grinned.
    Torrullin
laughed and gripped the man in a hug. “Welcome, Teroux.”
    Tianoman
watched proceedings with hooded eyes. He was the youngest,
therefore third in the greeting exchange, yet he sensed his age had
little to do with it. Torrullin placed him last in his heart,
because he was Tymall’s son.
    When his
grandfather came to him he spoke with greater wariness than the
others.
    “My Lord
Elixir, we have come with disturbing news.”
    Torrullin
stood before the youngest Valla. Tianoman had it wrong. He loved
this son of his son with all his heart, but chose to distance
himself to allow him to grow up unfettered by expectation. Perhaps
it was time to give something back or he would lose this one. His
hand reached up and rested on a tense cheek.
    “Tian, you are
no more, or any less, welcome than your cousins. In my heart you
are equal.”
    His fingers
curled around Tianoman’s neck and he pulled him into his arms,
holding on longer than he had for the other two. When he let go, he
was rewarded with a sincere smile.
    “Thank you,
grandfather.”
    Torrullin
nodded, raked all three with his silvery eyes, but did not attempt
to read them.
    “You have
disturbing news, you say? Something you could not entrust to an
Elder? We will talk inside. Bad news is better assimilated on a
satisfied stomach and I haven’t yet eaten today. Come.”
    He stepped
through them and headed up the bank. His villa was a sal distant
along the lakeshore and he used the walk to talk of other
things.
    “How is
Valaris?”
    “No problems,”
Teroux said. “We opened a new theatre in Menllik last month and
already Ceta and Xen have booked in their travelling troupe, one a
light-show with dance and the other an old-fashioned satire.”
    Torrullin
smiled. “Which do you prefer?”
    “Satire,”
Teroux laughed.
    “Are you
coping with the city?”
    “All is
smooth,” Teroux replied, pleased his grandfather asked.
    “Excellent.
And the Vall, Tian?”
    “Generally
good, thank you. But, gods, it gets cold there!”
    Torrullin
laughed aloud. “Warmer climes?”
    “As soon as I
can take a break, yes,” Tianoman grinned.
    Torrullin
glanced at Tristan, who walked abreast beyond Tianoman. “The west
must be quiet, particularly now in winter.”
    “Tourism has
dropped, yes … thank Aaru.”
    “Too many
demands?”
    “Like the
Palace is on display most of the time.”
    “And you, of
course.”
    Tristan loosed
a long-suffering sigh. “Yes. All smiles, all the time. But, that’s
a personal gripe, for all is well. The winter angling competition
is due soon and we have entries from the mainland and the isles,
and as far a-field as Fortani.”
    “Remarkable.
So, this news hasn’t anything to do with trouble back home? Good.
No, later. Tristan, I