Lord of the shadows by Jennifer Fallon

Author:Jennifer Fallon [Fallon, Jennifer]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Fantasy, Fiction, General, Fantasy - General, Epic, Fantasy fiction, Fiction - Fantasy, Life on other planets, Kings and rulers, Goddesses, Religion and science, Fantasy fiction;; Australian, Eclipses
ISBN: 9780553586701
Publisher: Bantam Books
Published: 2004-05-31T23:00:00+00:00

Chapter 47

“Surely in light of the existing precedent, a delay is unnecessary, my lord,” Jacinta suggested loudly, pushing through the gathered dignitaries who were watching the proceedings with intense interest. She looked flushed and a little breathless.

Madalan turned to look at the young woman, shocked by the interruption. “I think you would be better minding your own business, Lady Jacinta. I believe you are also not of age according to Senetian law.”

Jacinta smiled serenely, unperturbed by Madalan’s derisive tone. “That may be the case, my lady, but I am of age under Dhevynian law and I am here as the representative of the Queen of Dhevyn. I believe my diplomatic status takes precedence over my youth in this case.”

“Let her speak,” Antonov ordered.

Madalan bowed in reluctant acquiescence. Nobody defied the Lion of Senet, even on Church ground.

“There are a number of precedents for the Lord or Lady of the Suns to be underage, your highness,” Jacinta explained, addressing her remarks to Antonov. “Monique Karyov, who was later known as the Mother of the Light, was merely fourteen when she became Lady of the Suns. Lord Astin of Versage was only sixteen. I believe he was the first Lord of the Suns to earn the title of Guardian of the Light. In fact, not only have there been more than a dozen cases of the new Lord or Lady of the Suns being appointed before they reached their majority, most of them went on to long and distinguished careers.” Then she smiled ingenuously at Madalan. “Of course, I realize that you probably know the Book of Ranadon better than I do, my lady, but I’m quite sure I’m correct.”

Dirk stared at Jacinta D’Orlon in amazement, wondering how she knew such things. Where had she gotten hold of a copy of the Book of Ranadon? And more important, why was she defending him? Madalan looked shocked. Claudio hung his head in bitter disappointment, as he realized their one chance to remove Dirk was rapidly slipping away from diem.

“The instances you quote are not precedents, my lady, they are anomalies,” Marco Morgenov pointed out. “Besides, every one of them was Senetian.”

“And where is it written, my lord, that the Lord or Lady of the Suns must be born in Senet?” Jacinta countered. “Even the Goddess has chosen a Dhevynian as her voice. Are you suggesting she is wrong?”

Dirk mentally winced at Jacinta’s question. She was daring a great deal to challenge the Church so publicly, particularly on the issue of the new High Priestess. But Jacinta seemed unfazed—in fact, she seemed to be enjoying herself. Her strange, color-shifting eyes were bright and her whole stance was proud and confident. How much of it was genuine bravado and how much was simply the result of a few hundred generations of noble breeding, Dirk couldn’t guess.

Then something else occurred to Dirk. Jacinta was either a blindly faithful follower of the Goddess, or when Eryk claimed Alenor had told her everything, he wasn’t exaggerating. As the

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