Cherryh, C J - Fortress 02- Fortress of Eagles (53 page)

He set the quill back into the dragon’s claw, rolled the message and tied it with cord. Then he tipped red wax, red for Amefel, onto the cord and stamped it with the ring Cefwyn knew, no ducal seal. It was enough.

The apartment was very quiet, very still, in a lull of the servants’

traffic, the bronze-and-gilt dragons looming dark against the light of the window.

It was foolish, perhaps, to be afraid of them. They were metal. But Cherryh, C J - Fortress 02- Fortress of Eagles he thought of the oak and the carving, and the constraint of the wood to be what it was not.

He thought of wings, and of his silly pigeons, and of Owl abroad in a snowy, winter world. At least he found his household in some order today, if he might say as much of master Emuin, of whom he could detect cold feet, cold hands, a cold nose, and the taste of tea.

Cherryh, C J - Fortress 02- Fortress of Eagles
EPILOGUE

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^

Pearls shone in candlelight, and the bride looked up, a hint of violets. Cefwyn closed warm fingers in his own, half heard the droning of the Holy Father, the promised blessing. It was Ninévrisë that filled his eyes and shortly filled his arms. It was the custom to kiss a Guelen bride.

And Cefwyn soundly did.

Cherryh, C J - Fortress 02- Fortress of Eagles C. J. CHERRYH, a three-time Hugo winner, is the author of
Cyteen, Downbelow
Station, and other science fiction bestsellers.

This high fantasy series, twenty years in the making, draws on decades of research into myth and legend, as well as much clambering in and out of archeological sites. The author makes her home in Oklahoma.

Visit C. J. Cherryh’s web site at http://www.cherryh.com

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