In the Claws of the Tiger Read Online Free Page A

voice rose. “Did I drive her away? You think maybe she caught me in bed with Dania?”
    “That’s not what I mean, Janik. Nobody thinks what Maija did is your fault, and I know perfectly well what happened with Dania. All I’m saying is that you were obviously closer to her than Dania or I was. I like to think I’m a pretty good judge of people—even you humans—after all these years, and I was completely surprised by what she did. If you have any insight that could help me understand her behavior, I would certainly like to hear it. That’s all.”
    “I’m sorry, Mathas.” Janik shook his head. “I was as surprised as you were. I still lie awake some nights trying to understand it, and I just can’t.”
    Mathas cut a bite of venison and chewed it slowly, then set his fork down. “So when do we leave for Thrane?”

T HRANE

CHAPTER 3
    I n contrast to the ride from Sharn, Janik enjoyed the journey from Fairhaven to Flamekeep.
Agate Star
was an airship built for luxury, easily twice the size of the ship Janik had sailed on from Sharn. Her main deck boasted a grand pavilion containing a luxurious dining room, a lounge, and even a small library, though Janik found nothing on its shelves to catch his interest. The deck had room for chairs, and the cabins below were spacious and comfortable.
    Janik and Mathas had boarded in the late morning and expected to arrive in Flamekeep shortly after dawn the next day. The old friends enjoyed a fine luncheon together. As always, Janik let the elf choose wine for him, and did not regret the decision—Mathas had extensive knowledge of wines and exquisite taste. Their conversation ranged widely over their shared past without ever straying too close to Maija or dwelling on Dania. Janik was eager to hear of Mathas’s activities over the past three years, and found with some surprise that he had plenty of tales to share as well.
    Janik spent the afternoon on the deck while Mathasretreated to his cabin to study. He watched the plains and rolling hills of Aundair far below, idly wondering at what point they became Thrane. No natural feature marked the border, which he supposed might be the reason it had been so hotly contested during the war. He saw two different places—easily a three-day journey apart—where the land still had not recovered from some pitched battle fought there in the last years of the war. He supposed one or the other might lie on the border set in the Thronehold Accords. He wondered how long it took for the earth to heal a scar like that.
    As the autumn sun drew near the horizon behind the ship, bathing the deck in golden light and long shadows, Janik changed into formal clothes and joined Mathas in the dining room. In place of the sunlight and chatter of luncheon time, the dining room was now dancing with candles and alive with the soft music of a small orchestra. Janik found Mathas at a small table near the window, just as he had in Aundair the day before.
    “I find myself drawn to windows these days,” Mathas said as Janik took his seat. “I don’t know what it is—I can find endless amusement in just staring out, no matter what’s on the other side.”
    Janik peered out the window himself. The fiery glare of the airship’s elemental ring all but drowned out the Ring of Siberys in the deep blue sky, the golden belt of dragonshards that circled the world. He looked at Mathas and grinned. “You must be getting old.”
    “Nonsense,” Mathas said. He sipped his wine. “I was old when you were born. In fact,” he continued, “I believe the last time I was in Thrane was before you were born. King Thalin was such a strange man, so … devout. His presence made those around him feel uneasy, as though they might be calledupon to praise the Silver Flame at a moment’s notice. I expect the Keeper of the Flame will be much the same.”
    “Is it true she’s a child, this Jaela Daran? Eight years old?”
    “I believe she must be eleven by now, but yes, a