Free Phoenix Ascendant - eARC by Ryk E Spoor Page B

Yet the beauty of the great city remained, and for a few moments Aran, the Condor Justiciar, could do nothing but stare, drinking in the shining rose-sunset tinted loveliness and feeling it ease, for at least a few moments, the tension and guilt and fear.
    Finally he shook himself and moved down the last stretch of the Necklace towards the town. Evening now. Tomorrow…tomorrow I think I’ll have to go to the current palace, whatever they’re using while rebuilding the Valatar Palace, and see if I can get an audience with this ruler, Lady Shae. She must know where the Phoenix is…if the Phoenix isn’t still here.
    There was of course a considerable danger in meeting up with the Phoenix here . Presumably the city knew—had probably watched —as the Justiciar of Myrionar and companions had done the impossible; they’d be uncontested heroes and any assassination attempt would probably result in him getting lynched. So he’d have to be somewhat circumspect until he discovered whether the Phoenix was still here. If his target had left recently, though, Aran could probably catch them on the road with no witnesses…
    The gates were still wide open as he approached. He nodded to the two guards standing attentively at the sides, but evaded conversation. A quick glance at the buildings ahead showed him one with a sign—the Dawning Light—that was clearly for a travelers’ inn.
    Aran hastened his steps slightly as he neared the inn. His legs ached— all of him ached, actually, because climbing in and out of the scar and walking down the slick glassy surface had been what he’d done for most of the day, and was far more wearing than ordinary walking. A meal and a good bed will do me a lot of good.
    Arranging for a room took a little longer. Refugees had taken many spaces, and apparently Lady Shae and her right hand—Light Miri, whom he’d met earlier—had decreed that refugees be housed and fed at the inns (expenses, he heard, borne entirely by the Lady of Light). But he was able to get a small corner room finally, and sat in the quietest corner of the downstairs dining room that he could find.
    In the middle of finishing his gyllidat —an interesting grilled dessert pastry he’d never tried before—he became aware of someone standing near his table.
    Glancing up, Aran saw it was a young woman of about his own age. “Yes, miss?”
    “Excuse me, sir, but…would you be named Aran?”
    What in the Balance… “Why do you ask, miss?”
    She tilted her head, studying him. “Because you fit the description. The armor you’re wearing, like a great condor?”
    Cautiously now… “What description?”
    “I was given a letter to deliver to you, if you ever arrived in Sha Kaizatenzei Valatar. Told that if you were coming, you’d show up in one of the inns soon. If your name is Aran.”
    His heart felt as though it was sinking through his chest. Who would act in this fashion to get a message to him? Not the Phoenix. Not anyone he knew of an ordinary sort. But Viedraverion? Quite likely. “Yes, my name is Aran,” he said, trying not to sound too angry. It wasn’t her fault she was being used as a messenger. “Do I have to pay…?”
    “Oh, no, sir—paid half in advance, I will be paid again once it’s delivered.”
    And how will it know…
    As he took the thick parchment envelope, he was surprised by its weight; more than ordinary paper was within. The seal on the envelope was also complex, and now Aran understood; once the seal was broken, whoever sent it would know the delivery was complete. “Thank you, then.”
    She bowed and moved off—apparently with other deliveries. They have a delivery service in the city for messages? Well…yes, I suppose they must. We didn’t need any in Evanwyl, but I did see something of the sort in Sha Kuratenzei.
    He finished his dinner first; there was no particular reason to rush, and the contents would be likely something he didn’t want exposed to public view. Once he was