A Blackbird In Silver (Book 1) Read Free

the Serpent and the need for its death.’
    This pronouncement so astonished Ashurek that he was speechless for several seconds.
    ‘Silvren was right. How could I have doubted her?’ he muttered at last. At that moment the party who had followed him to the House entered, having stabled their horses. There were four of them, not newcomers but more members of the Morrenish crew. They were no longer laughing, but agitated.
    A rough-looking, abrupt man who appeared to be the Captain cried out over the murmur of voices, ‘Did anyone know that there’s a Gorethrian horse in the stable?’
    There was silence, then a few faint exclamations of disbelief from his sailors.
    ‘A vicious-looking beast, looks as if it’s made of gold metal – it’s unmistakable. Go and see if ye don’t believe me!’ The Captain glared around the room. ‘Where is its rider?’ His eyes alighted on the warrior who remained sitting, legs stretched out, appearing quite relaxed. ‘What is this? Is this continent now part of the Gorethrian Empire?’
    The warrior put back his hood, revealing a helm of black metal fashioned into the shape of a creature with outstretched wings and a hawk’s head. The face beneath it was thin, with high cheekbones, long nose, and a grimly-set mouth. The skin was a sheeny purple-brown, and the eyes a moody, glaring green. He stared coldly at the sea-captain until the man became disconcerted; for however much they might despise Gorethrians, even fighting men regarded them with terror.
    ‘I don’t wish to cause any trouble. I’ll leave, sooner than let my presence upset you,’ the warrior said at last. There was a murmuring from all the guests.
    ‘All of us against one Gorethrian! Why do you hesitate to kill him? Are you cowards?’ shouted one of the sailors, made brave by wine.
    The Captain was breathing heavily, his mouth twisted with anger and indecision. His hand was on his sword hilt. ‘If you must fight, please go outside,’ came Eldor’s authoritative voice. ‘But the Gorethrian is my guest, and as such, I’d thank you to treat him politely.’
    ‘Damn it,’ the Captain exclaimed. ‘My crewman is right. It is coward’s work to attack, so many against one. Perhaps later – outside.’
    ‘There will be no fight,’ Ashurek stated coldly. Finally, quite disconcerted by him, the Captain and the other three men turned away and went to sit with their fellows at the table. The atmosphere was heavy with their fear and frustrated anger.
    Eldor sighed. ‘Perhaps it is best that you meet your companions now, before another such scene ensues,’ he said.
    ‘It is only to be expected; it means nothing to me,’ said Ashurek with a bitter smile. ‘However, I am in some haste to glean whatever knowledge and help I can here, so I put myself at your command.’
    ‘Good,’ the sage said cheerfully. ‘We’ll go to the kitchen; we can be private there, and warm. Dritha will show you the way, while I fetch the others.’
    Ashurek left the hall and Dritha led him to a square room with a heavy oak table in the middle. The air was warm and steamy from the preparation of food.
    Dritha left, taking the four kitchen helpers with her. Now alone, Ashurek sat down at the table and removed the metal helm from his unkempt black hair. He reflected on the easy familiarity with which she and Eldor treated him, even though they were complete strangers. There was an odd kind of comfort in it. Since the loss of his family there was only one who had not approached him with aggression, fear, subservience, or a combination of those. Now she was lost also.
    After a few minutes Eldor entered with the five Forluinish folk. They all had long shining hair, and their clothes, though simple and of drab blues and greys, took on the graceful, flowing lines of their slender forms. The aura of beauty and sorrow about them was tangible, and utterly alien to Ashurek.
    Behind them came the dark-haired woman, automatically keeping her distance,