Shadow's Son by Shirley Meier, S.M. Stirling and Karen Wehrstein ...
Shadow's Son by Shirley Meier, S.M. Stirling and Karen Wehrstein ...
Shadow's Son by Shirley Meier, S.M. Stirling and Karen Wehrstein ...
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"Better than last time we talked?"<br />
Thesemanakraseye-Imperator suddenly found his desktop fascinating. "On, yes, much better, thank<br />
you," he said, looking up after a bit. "Then, I was… shall we say… understress ."<br />
"As long as you've got over it." Megan looked significantly around the opulent office. "One wants the<br />
Imperator of Arko rowing with all oars, as it were."<br />
"Ordinary people go mad; Imperators become… eccentric," Shkai'ra said drily.<br />
"I'm as un-stressed as a person can be," Chevenga shot back, "when nine of every ten people coming up<br />
to him tell him his Mind is the Fortress of the World. I'vealways been eccentric; youknow that.<br />
Seriously, Megan, you might say they found someone more stubborn, or perhaps I should say arguing a<br />
better case, than myself. Amazing, I know, but true. Several people, really. Now… I'm working. I should<br />
say: conquering Arko was easy, compared torunning it."<br />
You're working too hard, she thought.Trying to make good. As you said you should; as Ivahn<br />
predicted, too . Looking at him across the desk, she reined in an impulse, then…Why not ? "Do you<br />
trust me enough to let me close enough for a good-<strong>by</strong>e hug?" They hadn't been searched on the way in,<br />
she'd noticed.<br />
He smiled. "Of course.Kahara , Megan—how can you keep doubting I should trust you?" Iwish , she<br />
thought as her heart predictably lurched,you'd damn well stop saying things like that . She stepped<br />
around the desk, put both h<strong>and</strong>s on his shoulders, leaned forward <strong>and</strong> kissed him. "For lessons learned,"<br />
she said as she straightened <strong>and</strong> ran a gentle claw tickling down the scar on his cheek.I forgive you , the<br />
touch said. "And a good teacher. You're always welcome in my house, if you visit F'talezon."<br />
"Thank you," he answered, <strong>and</strong> his eyes said,for your forgiveness . "I hope I've done good that will<br />
last. As a friend does, I love you." He stood up, for the final farewells. As Shkai'ra hugged him she<br />
pinched his rear. "I can't get you back," he hissed frustratedly—<strong>and</strong> simultaneously put most of his weight<br />
on her toes. "With my arms, anyway," he grinned.<br />
Sova took her turn. Ican't hug his casts because I might hurt him, so I'll just have to put my arms<br />
around his neck. Ohhhhh …" Imperators don't bite, or at leastthis one doesn't," he said, crouching so<br />
that Lix<strong>and</strong> <strong>and</strong> Ardas, who were shy at first, could reach him.They'll remember this all their lives ,<br />
Megan thought.<br />
As they left, a clerk was already clearing her throat, trying to get Chevenga's attention for a pile of<br />
documents.<br />
As they came out into the vast hall of the maidens, Shkai'ra dropped behind the others, <strong>and</strong> bent far<br />
down to whisper in Megan's ear.<br />
"An agent of yours, I love it. If only ourrokatzk could have heard you call him that." They shared a<br />
snicker. "But," the Kommanza said more loudly then, mischief dancing in her eyes, "it seems I'm not the<br />
only one in this family to wrap my legs about thesemanakraseye-ish , Imperatorial, golden butt."<br />
"Shush!" Megan snapped, swatting. "Honestly."<br />
"Shyll will be happy. Look." The Kommanza tilted her head back <strong>and</strong> threw her arms wide for a<br />
moment, in perfect mimicry of Chevenga.