Schism: The Battle for Darracia (Book 1) by Michael Phillip Cash Page B
Authors: Michael Phillip Cash
Ads: Link
What?”
“ My name. It’s ‘Tulani.’ Say it.”
“ Tulani…” It rolled off his tongue, as sweat dotted his forehead. V’sair was finding it difficult to think.
“ I like the way you say it.” She paused then whispered, “V’sair.”
The last was said in a puff of air that caressed his earlobe. Could that be her tongue? V’sair thought wildly, as he felt it touch the outer shell of his ear. He shifted and realized it was indeed, and a smile graced his handsome face. He flexed his arms and pulled his mount with newfound urgency, heading south into the Deep Fells. In the distance the great shadow of Aqin blocked the night sky, its belly ominously belching a swirling dark mist.
Chapter 8
Pacuto , flanked by his guards, impatiently walked the stable yard, looking for V’sair’s grooms. Slapping his quirt against his powerful leg, he looked for the Quyroos who worked exclusively for the prince. He found them cleaning a large stall.
“ Where did the prince go?” he demanded.
Known for their closemouthed sullenness, they gave him a disrespectful shrug. His own guards bristled at this breach of etiquette. Pacuto swiftly lashed out with his quirt, slicing the red cheek of the groom. All action stopped, and the stable became so quiet that the only sounds were Pacuto’s voice and the harsh breathing of the injured Quyroo.
“ Do you know who I am?” he shouted, his teeth bared.
“ I may know who you are, but that doesn’t mean I can give you information I don’t have, my lord Pacuto,” the Quyroo said disrespectfully.
“ Insolence!” Pacuto shouted, his face flushed with anger.
The quirt slashed again, this time the other cheek. Red droplets sprayed across the immaculate tiles. This time the Quyroo was hurt; he huddled in the corner.
“ I know not, my lord,” he said with a quiver.
“ Prince V’sair does not think a servant important enough to give him his itinerary,” the second Quyroo sneered from behind Pacuto.
Pacuto bunched his bulky shoulder s and swung his short but powerfully muscled tail mightily, impaling the startled Quyroo. Shaking him, he roared with laughter at the shocked look in the servant’s dying eyes. He felt his tail slicing organs, as the Quyroo slid into a bloody heap to the floor. He took out his tryath and neatly severed the quaking Quyroo’s head, while saying, “If you are so unimportant to the prince, then you are equally useless to me.” He tossed the head into a corner, laughing as it rolled to stop in a pile of excrement. He turned to his guards. “Saddle Winata. Now!” He stomped out, leaving a trail of bloody footprints.
The stable , usually a hub of activity, became as still as a tomb, the Quyroo who worked there ducking behind the stall walls.
***
V’sair and Tulani glided over the landscape in hushed silence, breathless with anticipation. The wind ruffled Tulani’s braids, and she released them, letting her tresses tangle with V’sair’s white locks. They skirted the rocky crags of Aqin and felt the rumble from its deep recesses.
“ Aqin is angry,” Tulani whispered.
“ Nonsense. It’s a volcano that may or may not erupt. It has no personality,” V’sair retorted smugly.
“ Did the Elements tell you that?” she challenged him.
“ I base my answers on science. What proof do we have that the Elements exist?”
“ That’s blasphemy.” Tulani’s voice was hushed, the wind buffering all other sound.
“ I cannot accept everything my tutor tells me,” V’sair said impatiently. “If the Elements truly exist, tell me why we have war and inequality.” He turned his face to see her for a moment then returned to watching the skyscape. “How can I accept something I can’t see?”
“ We don’t see air, yet we know it is there,” Tulani responded. “The Elements are the Trivium. They make up the substance of life. Without them we are nothing!”
“ Words. Merely words.” V’sair
“ My name. It’s ‘Tulani.’ Say it.”
“ Tulani…” It rolled off his tongue, as sweat dotted his forehead. V’sair was finding it difficult to think.
“ I like the way you say it.” She paused then whispered, “V’sair.”
The last was said in a puff of air that caressed his earlobe. Could that be her tongue? V’sair thought wildly, as he felt it touch the outer shell of his ear. He shifted and realized it was indeed, and a smile graced his handsome face. He flexed his arms and pulled his mount with newfound urgency, heading south into the Deep Fells. In the distance the great shadow of Aqin blocked the night sky, its belly ominously belching a swirling dark mist.
Chapter 8
Pacuto , flanked by his guards, impatiently walked the stable yard, looking for V’sair’s grooms. Slapping his quirt against his powerful leg, he looked for the Quyroos who worked exclusively for the prince. He found them cleaning a large stall.
“ Where did the prince go?” he demanded.
Known for their closemouthed sullenness, they gave him a disrespectful shrug. His own guards bristled at this breach of etiquette. Pacuto swiftly lashed out with his quirt, slicing the red cheek of the groom. All action stopped, and the stable became so quiet that the only sounds were Pacuto’s voice and the harsh breathing of the injured Quyroo.
“ Do you know who I am?” he shouted, his teeth bared.
“ I may know who you are, but that doesn’t mean I can give you information I don’t have, my lord Pacuto,” the Quyroo said disrespectfully.
“ Insolence!” Pacuto shouted, his face flushed with anger.
The quirt slashed again, this time the other cheek. Red droplets sprayed across the immaculate tiles. This time the Quyroo was hurt; he huddled in the corner.
“ I know not, my lord,” he said with a quiver.
“ Prince V’sair does not think a servant important enough to give him his itinerary,” the second Quyroo sneered from behind Pacuto.
Pacuto bunched his bulky shoulder s and swung his short but powerfully muscled tail mightily, impaling the startled Quyroo. Shaking him, he roared with laughter at the shocked look in the servant’s dying eyes. He felt his tail slicing organs, as the Quyroo slid into a bloody heap to the floor. He took out his tryath and neatly severed the quaking Quyroo’s head, while saying, “If you are so unimportant to the prince, then you are equally useless to me.” He tossed the head into a corner, laughing as it rolled to stop in a pile of excrement. He turned to his guards. “Saddle Winata. Now!” He stomped out, leaving a trail of bloody footprints.
The stable , usually a hub of activity, became as still as a tomb, the Quyroo who worked there ducking behind the stall walls.
***
V’sair and Tulani glided over the landscape in hushed silence, breathless with anticipation. The wind ruffled Tulani’s braids, and she released them, letting her tresses tangle with V’sair’s white locks. They skirted the rocky crags of Aqin and felt the rumble from its deep recesses.
“ Aqin is angry,” Tulani whispered.
“ Nonsense. It’s a volcano that may or may not erupt. It has no personality,” V’sair retorted smugly.
“ Did the Elements tell you that?” she challenged him.
“ I base my answers on science. What proof do we have that the Elements exist?”
“ That’s blasphemy.” Tulani’s voice was hushed, the wind buffering all other sound.
“ I cannot accept everything my tutor tells me,” V’sair said impatiently. “If the Elements truly exist, tell me why we have war and inequality.” He turned his face to see her for a moment then returned to watching the skyscape. “How can I accept something I can’t see?”
“ We don’t see air, yet we know it is there,” Tulani responded. “The Elements are the Trivium. They make up the substance of life. Without them we are nothing!”
“ Words. Merely words.” V’sair
Similar Books
