Read Korval's Game for Free Online Page B

me for a moment.” She turned and marched out of the room without waiting for their permission.
    The door had barely closed when Miri swung around. “What is this? How come she thinks you came here for a contract-wife? If you’re pulling one— one —of your damned Liaden tricks, that old lady ain’t gonna have to bother taking you apart, ’cause I’ll do it for her, you understand me?”
    “Yes, Miri,” he said meekly, but for once meekness failed to gain her smile. She stood glaring, poised on the balls of her feet, a trained fighter, more than half-ready to fight.
    Val Con took her hand, led her to the couch by the refreshment table and sat down. “Miri.” He tugged gently at her, patting the cushion beside him.
    For a moment he thought she’d refuse, yank her hand free and stomp away, as he had been certain she would earlier, and he with no choice but to follow his lifemate. . .
    “Hell.” She flumped down next to him and dropped her head on his shoulder. “You’re more trouble than you’re worth, you know?”
    “Shan has often expressed that view,” he said, sighing in mock remorse. “The two who know me best cannot both be in error.”
    She snorted a half-laugh; stirred and sat up. “That kid who died—Kea? She was a pilot.”
    “So are you.”
    “Like hell—” The door clicked and she swallowed the rest of that argument.
    Emrith Tiazan stopped before the couch and held the disk out to Miri, bowing with careful equality. “This has tested genuine.” She straightened and looked at Val Con. “Genes, you believe?”
    “I have no doubt,” he said calmly. “You will, of course, wish to attain your own surety.”
    “Of course.” She went across the room to the desk comm and touched a button. In a very short while, the door opened to admit the young doorkeeper. He flicked a nervous glance at the couch, then bowed deeply to Emrith Tiazan.
    “My delm desires?”
    “You will go to the older storehouse and find in Room East 14 a large package stasis-locked and wrapped in blue silk. Bring it here. You will bid Win Den tel’Vosti attend me here. You will likewise bid the senior medical technician, adding that she shall bring her sampling kit.”
    The boy touched his tongue to his lips, bowed, turned—
    “An Der.”
    He glanced back over his shoulder. “Yes, Aunt?”
    “You will speak to no one, excepting tel’Vosti and the senior med. You will go to the storeroom alone and bring what I require away with your own hands.”
    The boy bowed again. “I hear,” he said—and ran.
    ***
    “Well, Emrith?”
    The old man leaned on his stick in the center of the room. “To what do I owe this interruption of my studies?”
    “Studies!” The delm stared at him for a moment, then moved a hand, directing his attention to the couch. “I make you known to Val Con yos’Phelium, Second Speaker for Clan Korval. Korval, my kinsman, Win Den tel’Vosti, thodelm.”
    “So.” The brown eyes watched with seeming amusement as Val Con stood and made his bow.
    “My Lord tel’Vosti.”
    “My Lord yos’Phelium.” The return bow was more complete than Miri would have expected, given the cane. “Your father was a rare one for Counterchance.”
    “So my uncle has told me, sir.”
    “Er Thom yos’Galan? Now there was a demon for the game! Very good he was—a thoughtful, subtle player, no shame. We came even, the times we played. But Daav . . . I believe I may yet owe him a cantra. Perhaps two. I’ll consult my account books. Do you play?”
    “A bit, sir, but not to match my uncle.”
    “Pity.” The brown eyes sharpened. “You’ll want to have that wound looked after, of course, before you meet the House.”
    Wound? What wo— Sleep learning surfaced and Miri gulped against the sudden understanding of what it meant, to be a Liaden with your face scarred . . . .
    “Thank you, sir,” Val Con was saying calmly. “It’s healed cleanly.”
    “Win Den.” Emrith Tiazan began, but tel’Vosti had come