43
" Is this where it was?” Royce asked, stopping and studying the base of the tower.
“How should I know?” Hadrian replied as his eyes coursed up the length of the south tower. Up close, it blocked everything else out, a solid wall of black rising against the light of the moon. “I can never understand why such small people build such gigantic things.”
“Maybe they’re compensating,” Royce said, dropping several lengths of rope.
“Damn it, Royce. It’s been eight years since we did this. I was in better shape then. I was younger, and if I recall, I vowed I would never do it again.”
“That’s why you shouldn’t make vows. The moment you do, fate starts conspiring to shove them down your throat.”
Hadrian sighed, staring upward. “That’s one tall tower.”
“And if the dwarves were still here maintaining it, it would be impregnable. Lucky for us, they’ve let it rot. You should be happy—the last eight years would only have eroded it further. It should be easier.”
“It’s granite, Royce. Granite doesn’t erode much in eight years "
― Michael J. Sullivan , Rise of Empire (The Riyria Revelations, #3-4)
52
" But we are sailors—served on the Endeavor.”
“Are you, now?” the ship’s master asked skeptically. “Let me see yer hands.”
The master examined Hadrian’s palms, looking over the various calluses and rough places while grunting occasionally. “You must have spent most of your time in the galley. You’ve not done any serious rope work.” He examined Royce’s hands and raised an eyebrow at him. “Have you ever been on a ship before? It’s certain you’ve never handled a sheet or a capstan.”
“Royce here is a—you know—” Hadrian pointed up at the ship’s rigging. “The guy who goes up there.”
The master shook his head and laughed. “If you two are seamen, then I’m the Prince of Percepliquis!”
“Oh, but they are, Mr. Temple,” a voice declared. Wyatt exited the forecastle and came jogging toward them. A bright white shirt offset his tawny skin and black hair. “I know these men, old mates of mine. The little one is Royce Melborn, as fine a topman as they come. And the big one is, ah …”
“Hadrian.” Royce spoke up.
“Right, of course. Hadrian’s a fine cook—he is, Mr. Temple.”
Temple pointed toward Royce. “This one’s a topman? Are you joking, Wyatt?”
“No, sir, he’s one of the best.”
Temple looked unconvinced.
“You can have him prove it to you, sir,” Hadrian offered. “You could have him race your best up the ropes.”
“You mean up the shrouds,” Wyatt said, correcting him.
“Yeah.”
“You mean aye.”
Hadrian sighed and gave up. "
― Michael J. Sullivan , Rise of Empire (The Riyria Revelations, #3-4)
53
" Before you were born, the year ninety-two,
lost what was precious, and that what was new.
The blink of an eye, the beat of a heart,
Out went the candle, and guilt was my part.
A king and his knight went hunting a boar,
A rat and his friends were hunting for love.
Together they fought, till one was alive.
The knight sadly wept, no king had survived.
The answers to riddles, to secrets and more,
Are found in the middle of legends and love.
Seek out the answer, and learn if you can
The face of regret, the life of a man. "
― Michael J. Sullivan , Rise of Empire (The Riyria Revelations, #3-4)
56
" Oh, it can’t be as bad as all that. Come on, can’t I interest you in some soup? I make a pretty mean vegetable barley, if I do say so myself.”
“You know I love your food. It’s just that my stomach is in knots. I noticed a gray hair in the mirror the other day.”
“Oh please, you’re still just a girl,” Ibis laughed, then caught himself. “I guess I shouldn’t speak to you that way, you being noble and all. I should be saying, ‘Yes, Your Ladyship,’ or in this case, ‘No, no, Your Ladyship! If you’ll allow me to be so bold as to speak plainly in your presence, I beg to differ, for I think you’re purty as a pot!’ That would be a more proper response.”
Amilia smiled. “You know, I never have understood that saying of yours.”
Ibis drew himself up in feigned offense. “I’m a cook. I like pots. "
― Michael J. Sullivan , Rise of Empire (The Riyria Revelations, #3-4)
57
" They always seem content, don’t they?” Hadrian mentioned to Royce as they sat under the canopy of their tent watching the Vintu preparing the evening meal. “It could be blazingly hot or raining like now, and they don’t seem to care one way or the other.”
“Are you now saying we should become Vintu?” Royce asked. “I don’t think you can just apply for membership into their tribe. I think you need to be born into it.”
“What’s that?” Wyatt asked, coming out of the tent the three shared, wiping his freshly shaved face with a cloth.
“Just thinking about the Vintu and living a simple existence of quiet pleasures,” Hadrian explained.
“What makes you think they’re content?” Royce asked. “I’ve found that when people smile all the time, they’re hiding something. These Vintu are probably miserable—economically forced into relative slavery, catering to wealthy foreigners. I’m sure they would smile just as much while slitting our throats to save themselves another day of hauling Dilladrum’s packs.”
“I think you’ve been away from Gwen too long. You’re starting to sound like the old Royce again.”
Across the camp they spotted Staul, Thranic, and Defoe. Staul waved in their direction and grinned.
“See? Big grin,” Royce mentioned "
― Michael J. Sullivan , Rise of Empire (The Riyria Revelations, #3-4)
59
" They left us for dead, didn’t they? We told them this would happen. We came all this way to try and save them. You’d think they’d have the decency to let us out when they saw we were right.”
“Probably think we’re behind it. We’re lucky they didn’t just kill us.”
“Not sure that’s lucky. A nice, quick decapitation is kind of appealing right now.”
“How long do you think before the Ba Ran find us?” Royce asked.
“You in a hurry?”
“Yeah, actually. If I have to be eaten, I would sort of like to get it over with.”
Hadrian heard the sound of breaking glass.
“Ah, well, that didn’t take long, did it?” Royce muttered miserably.
Footsteps shuffled in the outer room. There was a pause, and then the steps started again, coming closer. There were sounds of a struggle and a muffled cry. Hadrian braced himself and watched the door as it opened. What stood in the doorway shocked him.
“You boys ready to go? "
― Michael J. Sullivan , Rise of Empire (The Riyria Revelations, #3-4)
