Betrayals by Sharon Green Page B

about it. Tell Mother your decision now, and be certain you do it in the manner which will please her the most.”
    “Very well, Mother,” Rion found himself saying, the words impossible to hold back. “You’ve asked to hear my decision, so here it is: I’m not any sort of boy, and you sound an absolute fool referring to yourself in the third person. Only someone of real importance should be spoken of in that way, which means you simply don’t qualify. And to make my position perfectly clear, allow me to say that even your peasant ancestors would turn away from the sight of you in disgust.”
    “How dare you!” she hissed in a strangled voice, all the blood having drained from her face before it came rushing back to show her extreme outrage. “How dare you even consider speaking to me so, not to mention actually doing it! Have you decided that I’m joking, that I won’t have you punished terribly for attempting to disobey me? If so, prepare yourself to be disillusioned. Ditras, send to the stablemen’s quarters for Hafner to attend me at once! Lord Clarion requires another dose of his sedative, and afterward he will also require a beating.”
    His mother’s expression had turned triumphant, which would have sickened Rion if he hadn’t already felt so ill. Hafner was a giant of a man with incredible strength and the mind of a child, a longtime servant of Mother’s who would do exactly as she commanded. Ditras had hesitated a very long moment before bowing his reluctant acquiescence to the order, during which time Rion had tried to struggle to his feet. His body felt as though it weighed ten times what it should, but he couldn’t simply sit there and allow himself to be turned into a broken toy—
    “I don’t think sending for other people is a very good idea,” a female voice said suddenly, a voice Rion had feared that he would never hear again. “I’ve always preferred small, cozy groups like this one, with no more than five people in them. No, don’t get up. I won’t be staying long enough to require courtesies.”
    “How did you get in here?” Mother demanded of Tamrissa after shooting to her feet, her back ruler-straight and her face registering shocked outrage. “I was assured I would never have to be dirtied by the presence of your sort again—! Rovelon, run and fetch the guard at once! And when you return you may pack your belongings and go without another copper in pay, in punishment for having admitted her in the first place!”
    “But, my lady, I didn’t!” Rovelon protested wildly, shrinking back as far from Tamrissa as it was possible to go. “I simply opened the door to a knock as I was supposed to do, and she … forced her way in over my protests! She also required me to lead her in here, and how was I supposed to refuse?”
    “Perhaps I’m mistaken, but you do appear to be larger than the trollop,” Mother returned acidly as she glared at the quivering man. “Take her by the hair if necessary, but remove her from my presence at once!”
    “I hadn’t realized how really stupid you are,” Tamrissa commented to Mother as she stopped beside Rion to take his hand and touch his face. “Anyone else would have realized immediately that something other than physical size is involved here. Just be easy, Rion. We’ll be gone from this place in another minute or two.”
    “You are not taking my son from me a second time!” Mother shouted as Rion’s heart leaped in happiness, the woman’s face going even more red. “This time I’ll see you sent to the deep mines, a place I know you’ll never return from! Ditras, Rovelon—!”
    “That’s enough!” Tamrissa snapped as she straightened, and her return glare was accompanied by long tongues of flame burning the air between her and the two male servants. “Not only won’t you two interfere, you’ll come over here and help Lord Rion to the front door. If you try anything else, it will be the last thing you ever try. And as for