Golden Age (The Shifting Tides, #1)(22)

‘The narrows are blocked. I thought perhaps you might be able to enlist the help of one of the eldren. In serpent form, I believe one of them could move the obstruction.’

Aristocles rubbed his chin. Dion hesitated, then continued.

‘But there is something else I wish to speak with you about, First Consul.’

‘Go on.’

‘The warship.’

Silence filled the room. From Aristocles’ expression it was clear that the mere mention of it had struck a nerve.

‘What of it?’ Aristocles asked.

‘A dozen more like it, arranged in a single force—’

‘I am well aware of the danger.’

‘First Consul, I don’t presume to question you in your city. I simply want your advice. What should I tell my father?’

‘Tell him that Phalesia survived the quake. And tell him that with the Ileans possessing ships as powerful as the one in our harbor, we may all need to look to our defenses.’

‘You met the captain?’

Aristocles hesitated. ‘He made no secret of his contempt. He also expressed a great deal of interest in the sacred ark.’

Dion rubbed his chin. ‘It is gold. A tempting prize to have on display.’

‘But a source of inspiration to the people,’ Chloe interjected. ‘A reminder to live a good life . . . a just life, according to a common moral code that binds us all.’

Dion nodded. ‘It’s important to Xanthos also. I thank you, First Consul,’ he said gravely. ‘That’s all I needed to know.’

‘Let’s talk of something else,’ Chloe said. ‘You work too hard, Father.’

‘Of course,’ Dion said. ‘The narrows?’

Aristocles looked at Chloe. She was reluctant to ask Zachary for still more help, but knowing he was always eager to maintain the peace between their races, she was sure he would agree.

Chloe nodded. ‘We can send a swift rider to the Wilds.’

‘Thank you,’ Dion said to Chloe, his expression sincere.

He was looking so directly at Chloe that for some reason she felt herself break the stare and look down at the table, which had the effect of making her angry. When she glanced up and scowled at him his face turned puzzled.

‘Dion,’ Chloe said, eager to take the attention away from herself. ‘Tell me, can you ever see Xanthos adopting our system of consuls?’

Aristocles’ eyes lit up as he saw an opportunity to discuss his favorite topic, but Dion neatly avoided the trap.

‘I am the second son,’ he said apologetically. ‘It’s something better discussed with my father or brother. However, First Consul, I am a keen student of music and even in Xanthos we’ve heard that your daughter is a skilled player of the flute.’

Chloe scowled. ‘It’s late,’ she said shortly.

The twinkle had now returned to Dion’s eyes. ‘That’s a shame indeed.’

‘Daughter, don’t be rude to our guest,’ said Aristocles.

Accepting the inevitable, Chloe rose and fetched the copper flute from the chest in her bedchamber. Returning a moment later, she unrolled the leather covering, picked up the flute and held it expertly, running her eyes fondly over the burnished red metal.

She placed the fingers of both hands over several holes before bringing the mouthpiece to her lips.

Despite Dion’s entrapment, she wasn’t nervous. She had played to far more important audiences than a king’s youngest son.

She performed a soft melody that was as old as Phalesia, a sad song with slow notes that hung in the air and required a full breath to render. As she played her eyes were half closed, and she saw Dion look at first surprised and then appraising as the melody gained complexity.

The song traveled up and down the scale, faster now, like flowing water, but simple and soulful, a tale of tragedy that Chloe had seen make grown men cry.

The young man from Xanthos now gazed past Chloe’s shoulder, staring out the window, in the direction of the deep blue sea.

Chloe thought Dion looked worried.





10


‘Would you call this one a leviathan?’ Dion asked Cob, surprised to hear his own voice shaking.

‘Yes.’ Cob was white-faced. ‘I would.’

The serpent was longer than the warship back in Phalesia’s harbor. A muscular length of rippling flesh clad in glossy silver scales, it swam with sinuous movements, undulating and writhing. It was entirely underwater and moved swiftly past the tiny sailboat, so that soon it was little more than a black shadow seen below the surface.

Dion felt pitifully weak and defenseless. ‘I’m glad they’re not all that size, then.’

‘No, that is one of the big ones. A powerful one.’

Sharing the confined space of the narrows with the eldran, between the opposing cliffs, was a harrowing experience. When it first appeared Dion’s heart had nearly stopped. Cob had swung the tiller so hard he had almost capsized the boat. Dion had to remind himself constantly that this monster was here to help.

The serpent’s head thrust out of the water ahead, before plunging once more into the sea, and he caught a glimpse of a long, triangular head, almost reptilian, with a spiny frill behind the jaw line. Along its back an erect silver dorsal fin followed the creature’s spine.