King of Swords (The Starfolk) (44 page)

“I need you,” Talitha said. “I need you for Izar, because I know that Hadar will try to use him against me again. I need you to be here always, whenever I need you, to make me whole, to keep me sane, to tell me I am beautiful, to remind me yet again why life is worth fighting for.”

“Then name Vildiar your heir and abdicate. You told me you didn’t want to be queen.”

She sighed. “Did I? But when Electra put the Light of Naos on me, I felt a bond sealed. I sensed the Starlands, in all their majesty. I was joined to them and all the starfolk… I can never abandon my people to Vildiar. He is a cancer, and he will bribe and conspire and traduce. Hadar will threaten and kidnap and slaughter. Without my rule, the realm will fall apart and fade into the void. But Rigel, Rigel, I need you!”

His self-control was snow in an oven. “I’m here,” he said, “always. I’m yours, always. Whenever you want, and for as long as you want. But not this, please! If they suspect… I must be able to stand on the Star of Truth and say that I have never been your lover, that you let me kiss you only once—nothing more.”

“I love you!”

Rigel groaned and tried to roll away. Invisible hands rolled him back.

He whimpered. “Please, please, Talitha, go away and stop torturing me.”

She sighed again and stood up, her aura fading to dismal blues and purples. “You are right, of course, and I am being cruel. For now… But remember that I love you.”

“And I love you,” he whispered.

She faded into the darkness, leaving him in misery.

And now he had all the more reason to kill Vildiar.

End of Book One

LILA KLASSEN

Dave Duncan is a prolific writer of fantasy and science fiction, whose books have been translated into more than a dozen languages. He is best known for his fantasy series, particularly
The Seventh Sword, A Man of His Word, The King’s Blades
, and
Against the Light
. He and his wife Janet, his in-house editor and partner for over fifty years, live in Victoria, British Columbia. They have three children and four grandchildren.