Sky Woman: Book One of The Empress Saga

INTERLUDE

"A fine day to take a walk through the countryside. Wouldn't you agree, dove?"

Garret looked into the sky, blessedly absent of mists, and breathed deep. The sun shone gloriously overhead. The summer air was warm and dry. A thousand years could go by, and the spired City of Althandor would still never see a day such as this.

"Spare me," Garret's companion grunted. Elise was a pretty thing. Exotic in every way possible. Silky, blonde hair. Clear, green eyes. Dusky skin. Slim waist. Ample bust. She was rather tall as well, nearly of a height with Garret himself. A jewel such as her had no business being so spiteful.

"Come now, dove," Garret cajoled as he adjusted his gray bowler hat. "You can't expect me to believe you prefer the dankness of the city to the rural charms of Gaulatia."

Elise grunted wordlessly. She did that often. Curious, it did nothing to detract from her allure.

Garret had always felt an attraction to dangerous women, and his dove might have been the most dangerous woman he had known in years.

She must have been. By decree of the king of Althandor himself, Elise was granted her life. Her race, the Aleesh, were supposed to be extinct, yet the crown allowed her to remain free. Garret would have given much to know how she had managed it.

Of course, her continued existence came with a hefty price, one Garret didn't think he could ever bring himself to pay.

"You talk too much," Elise muttered.

"I know," Garret replied as if burdened by the truth of it. "A failing. But even you must admit that of the twenty-five failings a man may fall to, mine is among the least problematic."

"Among the most annoyin'," she said under her breath.

Garret chuckled and clasped her arm tighter against him as they strolled down the dusty lane.

Gaulatia was a delight. Everywhere he looked, Garret saw green, and blue, and yellow. Each color battled with the next for the right to be the first to reach his eyes. No, that wasn't quite right. They swirled together in harmony, agreeing that each of them were supreme.

On a distant hill, Garret spotted the silhouettes of massive horses for only a moment before they vanished over the horizon. How disappointing. One of the main reasons he took on this job was for the chance to get a close look at one of the famous Gaulatian steeds.

This land was so different from the rest of the Five Kingdoms. While Althandor stood as the height of power in the land, Gaulatia was pushed aside as a mere afterthought. The Fifth Kingdom, some called it. The fools thought it an insult.

Garret looked over the fields that surrounded them. The green pastures had cows in them. Cows! Before today, he hadn't ever lain eyes on an animal bigger than a dog.

A few of the docile creatures had their heads stuck through the slats of the fence surrounding their master's property. Their surprisingly long and agile tongues wrapped around tufts of grass and tugged it up into their mouths. Those that weren't thoroughly engrossed in filling their bellies watched Garret and Elise stroll by with eyes that almost seemed intelligent.

"Stupid things," Elise growled.

"My dear," Garret exclaimed, his tone affronted. "They're absolutely lovely."

Elise fixed him with a look that revealed her opinion of Garret's sanity. "Try workin' the herd for a half-day, then tell me how 'lovely' the blazin' things are."

"I think I would enjoy that," Garret said with a smile. He felt an urge to go up to the fence and see if one would let him stroke its nose.

Actually, that was a marvelous idea!