“How will I get out? The door is watched,” I protested.
“Yes, sir.” Silently, another cable slithered down from above.
I stared at the hordling. “It’s a hundred-foot climb.”
“We thought of that too, sir.” The cable started to wind upwards again. “We brought a basket.”
I reached out and took the cable in my fist, stopping it. “I’ll risk the climb.”
A hundred feet later, I knew I’d made a mistake. I hadn’t climbed a rope since my Academy physical classes, and my arms ached. I made it to the ground safely, but had to drop the last six feet or so before my grip gave out on me, and I botched the landing, rolling onto my back and mussing my tunic.
The hordling descended lightly beside me, stretching only briefly to relieve the kinks of several hours spent hanging in a harness. “Right, sir. Follow me,” he said, then lurched off towards the trees.
We hiked uphill for the next twenty minutes. I wished I’d thought to bring my cloak. My mess dress jacket was insufficient to ward off the chill of a nighttime alpine hike. I also wished I’d changed into a good pair of marching boots.My tall cavalry boots looked smart, but were terrible for trekking over forest paths. The high heel placed my foot at an awkward angle on roots and rocks, and I could tell I was accumulating a shocking collection of scratches and scuffs for Wiktor to buff out in the morning.
All thoughts of scuffed boots vanished when we reached the clearing. “Here you are, sir,” the hordling said, then vanished into the darkness, leaving me alone to approach the Emperor.
Astrid lay on a wide blanket spread out on the ground, propped up on her elbow, staring at me with a hungry smile. She wore a cylindrical silver fur hat which matched the trim of her starry black cloak, and a small wooden chest stood behind her.
She patted the blanket beside her. “Levar, glad you could join me.”
“My apologies. I was lingering in the common areas. I didn’t realize my invitation lay in the Commonwealth suite. I hope I’ve not kept you waiting long,” I said as I approached.
“Not long at all. I was in my bedchamber until my hordlings told me you were on your way.” She shifted slightly, then pulled back her fur-lined cloak. “See? I didn’t even have time to change out of my pajamas.”
I stopped short, the blood rapidly draining from my head. Underneath those warm furs, she wore a camisole and matching short pants in deep indigo satin. The shifting of her body called attention to the silver-white lace trim, brilliant in the starlight when compared to the darker silver-grey of her furs, and only just darker than her skin. Even the subtlest of movement caused the thin silk to slide over her body in a tantalizing fashion, summoning me closer.
Astrid giggled at my reaction, revealing a glimpse of pearly-white teeth. “You look so cold, standing there. Why don’t you join me under my cloak? It’s roomy enough, I promise.”
Every base instinct in my body called me to accept her invitation, and my romantic past concurred, but my brain summoned the image of Astrid pulling a man’s heart from his chest, snarling as his blood splattered across her face, and my feet hesitated.
Astrid’s smile faltered, and her eyebrows knitted in momentary worry. “What’s wrong? Aren’t you happy to see me?”
“I don’t know,” I replied. “That depends on whether or not you plan to make love to me or rip my heart from my chest.”
Her smile returned as she laughed in relief. “Don’t be stupid. I only tear the hearts from my enemies. You could never be an enemy of mine.”
Her response was far from reassuring. When we first met, she threatened to gut me like a boar if I dared touch her again when I’d only pulled her from the path of a juvenile prankster’s plate of stinking stew. It had taken weeks of classes together for her to warm to me. What if she decided my allies were more important than our past?
Still, it was chilly, and she did look inviting. Gingerly, I stepped onto the blanket, then sat next to her. Astrid draped a fold of her silver fur cloak around my shoulders, then turned to the chest behind her. A few clinking seconds later, she held a bottle and two horn mugs.
“Spiced honeywine. Perfect for stargazing on a night like tonight,” she said, her eyes sparkling again.
I looked skywards. It was actually a rather poor night for stargazing. Three moons were up, the planetary rings shone brightly, and the aurora shimmered between us and the twinkling motes of light beyond, washing out all but the brightest stars. Still, that was no reason to ruin Astrid’s happy moment, so I accepted a mug and let her pour a full serving of steaming liquid. It did smell wonderful, and tasted divine.
Astrid leaned against me, her left hand reaching around so her arm pressed against my back as she sipped from the mug in her right hand. I could feel the curve of her breast against my arm as she looked at the sky in wonder.
“What shapes do you see up there?” she asked.
I looked skywards again, but with the moons and the aurora washing out the sky, there weren’t enough stars to form a constellation. What I could see clearly were the bright dots of warships passing over us.
“I see a battleship,” I said.
Astrid’s forehead wrinkled as she searched the skies for the outline of a starship. “Where?”
“There.” I pointed at one winking point of light as it sped across the heavens. “Or maybe an assault carrier. Low orbit, going for speed.”
Astrid’s lips tightened. “That’s not a star.”
