Part 1 (1/2)
THE EQUEN QUEEN.
Alyssa Brugman.
For Isaac.
The Equen Queen.
Alyssa Brugman's books have gathered many tributes, including short-listings in the NSW, Victorian, Queensland Premier's Literary Awards, the CBCA Book of the Year (Older Readers), Honour Book in the CBCA Book of the Year and various other awards. Her books are now published internationally.
The Equen Queen is her first venture into fantasy writing.
Alyssa has a Business degree from Newcastle University and is currently undertaking a PhD in Creative Communication at Canberra University. She writes full-time and lives in the Hunter Valley with her partner, son and various quadrupeds.
Prior to becoming a fiction writer, Alyssa worked in marketing and public relations.
Quentaris a” Quest of the Lost City.
Book 1: The Spell of Undoing.
By Paul Collins.
Book 2: The Equen Queen.
By Alyssa Brugman By Alyssa Brugman Finding Grace.
Walking Naked.
Being Bindy Solo.
For Sale or Swap.
Beginner's Luck.
Hot Potato.
Hide and Seek.
Greener Pastures.
1.
Gewgaws, Ornaments and Hooey.
Tab Vidler stared out over the Quentaris battlements towards the new sky-city hanging in the air, halfshrouded in cloud. It had appeared with the dawn on Quentaris's port side three days before. Tab could make out guards patrolling the parapets and sailors scurrying over its burgundy sails like insects. They were so close that Tab felt sure if she threw a stone she could hit one of them, but so far n.o.body on either side had thrown anything a” not even words.
Verris's marines stood watch at the City Wall, while in the Archon's Palace the Grand Council squabbled over what to do. The new sky-city was smaller than Quentaris, but more nimble. It was easy to see how easily it moved. Still reeling from the a.s.sault by Tolrush, Quentaris was too weak to defend herself against further attack, let alone start one. Meanwhile, Quentaris, moored to the world below by a great anchor, drifted gently on the tide of the wind, and its people held their breath.
*If they were going to attack they would have done it by now,' Tab's friend Philmon muttered under his breath.
Tab could hear the long groans of the masts and the flapping of the vast sails above her. Somewhere in the city behind her a blacksmith hammered with the rhythmic clank of metal on metal. Merchants murmured as they traded with one another. Even the children played hooey in the squares in hushed tones.
*Why are you whispering? It's not as though they can hear you,' Tab snapped.
Philmon stared at her, surprised. *I have to get back to work, anyway,' he mumbled, and slouched away with his hands in his pockets.
Tab rubbed her forehead. She was ashamed of being peevish with Philmon, but her head hurt. She had been casting about for an animal to mind-meld with for days, but all she was getting was a crackling noise. The fuzz inside her head made her irritable. She was also plagued with the fear that her skill had only been temporary a” that she might never be able to do it again. What would that make her? Just an ordinary rift orphan. What would she be good for?
*Philmon!' she called after her friend. *I just wish something would happen.'
*Hear, hear!' called one of the marines. A rumble of chuckles rolled along the wall.
*Look!' growled another of the marines, Vrod the troll a” pointing with a clawed finger adorned with bra.s.s rings. *You is getting your wish, little one.'
Vrod made Tab nervous. Sometimes he looked at her as though she were a snack.
Tab shaded her eyes with her hand. Vrod was right. A small vessel was setting sail from the sky-city and heading for Quentaris. She traded a glance with Philmon and they both broke into a run, heading to the old throne room in the Archon's Palace where the Grand Council met.
By the time the council members reached the harbour the small vessel was gliding into the port. All the bigwigs gathered on the wharf, surrounded by guards. The Duelphs and Nibh.e.l.lines stood at the front, Tash Morley to the side, and the Archon cowered behind him. Tab and Philmon stood behind Captain Verris on tiptoes, or crouching, trying to get a better view.
Pickpockets took advantage of the distraction as Quentarans banked up five deep to peer over the walls and gawp at the visitors.
There were three in the boat, two males and a female. The first stranger climbed out and stood on the wharf. Tab couldn't help but stare. He was small, hardly taller than her, thickset and blond with friendly wide-set eyes. He looked like a child, but as she watched she could see that he had laughter lines on his face. She guessed his race was simply smaller than hers.
*Ho there!' he said with a grin and a wave.
*Ho to you,' replied Chief Navigator Stelka.
*You're new to sky-trading, aren't you?' the small stranger said, hands on hips.
*What gave it away?' Verris asked suspiciously. Verris a” Lord of the pirates and captain of the marines was a favourite of Tab's.
*Looks like the whole city has turned out for little old me.' The stranger craned back, looking at the Quentaran sails. *You don't have any flags up. You didn't signal your docking port. You ignored our hails. You're a how can I put this, you're a little rude.'
Tab scuttled closer to Philmon and whispered, *I wonder how many other sky-cities there are a'
*Lots of them, I bet,' Philmon replied solemnly.
Tab bit her lip. New sky-cities might bring new friends, but others would bring fresh enemies. At least when an enemy city stayed in one spot on the ground you knew where it was. She was beginning to understand why the Archon might be worried.
*We didn't mean any offence,' Captain Bellgard said.