Into Tolari Space (Tales of Tolari Space) Read Online Free Page B

and glanced at the Monral. The expression on his face could have killed. She shuddered. The Monral looked like he hated the gorgeous giant with every fiber of his being.
    The newcomer smiled. She blinked. He was almost beaming with affability, and she could swear he was enjoying himself. The Monral sputtered, then seemed to catch himself and stood to bow – low. Adeline got to her feet, her heart still pounding, and helped Smitty up as the Monral spoke again, mentioning their names.
    The impossible man favored them with a slight bow and said something that sounded like a greeting. When Smitty turned to the Monral and asked a question, a malicious smile curved the Monral’s lips. He looked as if he was about to say something, but then the giant silenced him with a sharp gesture. She narrowed her eyes. The Monral was the subordinate of the two. Now that was interesting. Very interesting.
    Smitty glanced from one to the other of the two Tolari with a look of comprehension spreading across his blunt features. He said something and bowed. 
    “Watch your thoughts around him,” the Monral muttered in English.
    What did that mean?
    The tall man pierced the Monral with a dangerous look, all affability gone. The Monral was supposed to be silent, Adeline thought. While his superior takes charge?
    Smitty filled the awkward pause with something conciliatory, in a tone of voice she recognized as the one he employed when he was trying to smooth over hostilities. The tall Tolari made a mollified comment.
    “ He is cold as the glaciers of his province,” the Monral said, using English again, as if he were daring the other man to deal with him.
    The newcomer seemed to have had enough. He snapped a gesture and shot off a rapid-fire burst of words. Dripping with hatred, the Monral nodded, bowed, and stalked out of the room. His advisors followed him, each of them bowing as they passed the blue-robed giant.
    Who outranked the Monral. That much was obvious.
    She watched them leave with a sigh of relief and turned back to study the newcomer. His face had relaxed, and he was regarding them with genuine friendliness in his dark eyes. She suppressed a shiver. Those eyes. Molten pools of mahogany. And those long fingers... She pulled her mind out of distraction and got back to business, joining Smitty and tucking a hand under his arm.
    “The Monral hates him,” she murmured.
    The tall Tolari said something to Smitty. She sighed to herself and studied his body language until Smitty gave the little tug that meant it was time for her to drape herself on his arm and leave. She followed his lead and bowed before they headed out of the room.
    The Monral was in the corridor, simmering and pacing. She could almost see anger dripping from his pores. Smitty stopped and bowed to him, but he waved them away. To one side, Farric beckoned.
    “Come on, Addie,” Smitty said in a low voice. “He’s escorting us back to the shuttle.”
    * * *
    The Monral bottled his fury and paced. How did the Sural find out? He was caught, humiliated, at the Sural’s mercy. He had no doubt what would happen now. Word of what he’d attempted would leak, bit by bit, first to the Sural’s allies, then to his enemies. The ruling caste would never again consider him a serious candidate to lead them. Even more humiliating, the Sural was here, in his stronghold, giving orders to the servants, showing no concern for the guards. He ground his teeth, admitting the truth to himself. The Sural had no need to fear his guards. They couldn’t touch him if they tried, even in numbers. The only way to kill the Sural was to use a distance weapon.
    The Monral shuddered. There was dishonor even in the thought of such a thing. Only hand-to-hand combat preserved honor, since the attacker’s life was at risk as much as the defender’s. Distance weapons were despised and forbidden, and the sight of the weapons the human guards carried had made his stomach heave. He shuddered again. To kill