Stone Dragon (The First Realm) Read Online Free

told him to withdraw to a more secure location.”
    “In other words, run for cover?”
    “A king never runs, he only advances in a different direction.”
    Here it comes. I started counting down.
    Valandil looked like he was about to say something, but stopped. He sighed. “Things used to be better then.”
    Ask any elf over nine hundred and he’ll usually tell you the past was so much nicer. People were less petty, children obeyed their elders, and musicians were respectable. Plays were deep and socially relevant, as well as funny as hell. It seems everything went into the midden once we started trying out this newfangled democracy .
    There had been a revolution. Not a terribly violent one, but the king had been executed. Power had devolved to the governors of every city, and that’s how it’s been for nearly a millennium.
    Galdor had been a decent king, but the council of governors had also done quite well. I’m not saying the government was any less corrupt, but at least we never elected leaders like King Myrdal the Mad, who had squandered the treasury on wars, and also drooled all the time.
    “I don’t see how they could be better,” I said. “We’ve got peace, security, and brisk trade with the human kingdoms.”
    “Ugh,” Valandil said, shaking his head. “A pack of starving dogs. If it weren’t for the royal guard they’d have invaded long ago. That’s right, the royal guard.”
    He began to lecture on all the things that used to be better when we had an off-with-his-head kind of leader. Humans and dwarves had looked up to elves, he said. They took our word seriously on every subject. No corner of the earth was ignorant of our flag. The way Valandil put it, elves had been covered in glory once, though to me that glory looked suspiciously like blood.
    By this time I’d filled my own glass (Elrond was right, it was convenient) and settled in the other chair. I was into my second drink before he finally slowed down.
    “… and another thing, the days used to be longer,” he said, breathing hard.
    I frowned. “I’m sure that’s not something anybody can control. Not even a king.”
    “We shall soon see,” he said. “Before long, Brandish shall once again be a kingdom.”
    “Impossible,” I said. Errol Lissesul, the crown prince, had been abroad when his father died. He rushed home but died in a shipwreck. Having no children, siblings, or even cousins, this meant the royal line died with him.
    “I’ve always wondered why Prince Errol came from a long line of only sons,” I said. “Is it just me, or was House Lissesul terribly infertile? Even by elf standards it wasn’t a big family.”
    “The Kings of Brandish have always allied themselves with queens of the highest breeding,” Valandil said.
    “So, inbred.”
    “I prefer the term rarefied blood .”
    “Rare is right. Not a drop is to be found these days.”
    “That’s where you’re wrong! For you see, my apprentice, I have reason to believe there are several quarts of it in this very cave .”
    I looked into my wine glass. Then I glanced around the chamber and settled back on Valandil. “A secret heir, in this place?” I said. “What’s he been doing all this time?”
    “Well, right now he’s sipping mulberry wine.”
    I did a spit-take. “ You’re the heir to the throne?”
    “No, you are, Angrod. I’ve searched a long time, and I believe it’s you.”
    I wiped my mouth. “Very funny, sir. I know some masters like to play pranks on their apprentices, but I never imagined you’d be the type.” I took a breath. “I’m House Veneanar! Strictly minor aristocracy! Ours is an ancient line, but our claim to the throne is no stronger than any other family’s. By what complicated manner did I suddenly gain royal status?”
    “If you’ll let me finish,” he said, “I will tell you.”
    * * *
    If you can believe Valandil, the chambermaid did it.
    They say you never really know anyone until you’ve been friends a couple