Abigail Hilton - The Guild of the Cowry Catchers, Book 1: Embers

By: Abigail Hilton

Cover Art by: Sarah Cloutier

Map by: Jeff McDowall

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Smashwords Edition

Published by: Abigail Hilton

2010 Abigail Hilton. All rights reserved.This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. Thismaterial may not be reproduced, modified, or distributed withoutthe express prior written permission of the copyright holder. Forpermission, contact the author at .Artwork is displayed by agreement with the artists. All artistswere paid for their work and hold the copyrights to that work.

Special thanks to the people who read thisbook as I wrote it.

Amy

Anita

Hughes

Jeff

Mistie

Molly

Patsy

Table ofContents

Map

Beauty is goodness.

Morchella, sacred text

The Priestess entered her temple through theinner sanctum and paused for a moment at the edge of her sacredpool. A smear of blood from last nights sacrifice had discoloredthe white marble at the pools edge, and she polished it cleanbefore turning away. Layers of crystal and colored glass in theroof admitted diffuse sunlight that dappled and swam on the walls.The Priestess drew a deep breath and opened a silver inlaid door,the only visible exit from the room. She passed through a curtainof colored beads and bells, down a short passage, unlit and filledwith incense smoke, through two more curtains, one opaque andgauzy, the last light and sheer.

She stepped into the outer sanctumanoctagon, with pools all around the edges. Pillars with clearcrystal overlay and pavonine cores supported a vaulted roof, cappedwith a dome of tinted glass. Colors reflected from the pillars androof onto the milk white walls, broken by rippling cords of lightreflected from the water. Silver incense stands, twice the heightof a shelt and wrought like coiled dragons, stood in pairs aroundthe throne. The seat of black coral rose above them, inlaid withmother of pearl in intricate scenes of conflict and triumph.White-clad harpers sat at either side of the throne. Theirinstruments were fashioned of turquoise gemstone, the stringsflashing silver.

The Priestess had ordered sweet incense inher outer sanctum a quarter watch earlier, and at the sound of thecurtain bells, the harpers began a soft melody. She entered to thismusic and ascended to her seat. The Priestess gathered hersleeveless ivory robes, shimmering with faint color, and sat down.She put her bare elbows on the arms of the throne, folded herhands, and fixed her eyes on the shelt whom shed called toaudience.

Gerard Holovar.

Your Highness. He bowed deeply, eyesrespectfully downcast.

Gerard was taller than she had expected. Likethe Priestess, he was a grishnard. He had a human upper body withfur below his waist and the two legs and tail of a griffin. Gerardlooked to be in his twenties, powerfully built and tastefullydressed, with hair as black as her coral throne and large, darkeyes. He was one of her watch masters, the lowest ranking of herofficers.

The Priestess changed what shed planned tosay. Have you ever been in my temple, Gerard?

Highness, you know I have not. His soft,low voice resonated in the chamber.

How do you find it?

I have never seen a temple that was notbeautiful. Yours is surpassing so.

The Priestess inclined her head. A goodanswer. Do you know why you are here now?

Because I exercised successfully the commandthat fell to me in an unexpected situation.

The Priestess laughed. A clumsy way ofsaying you killed over fifty pirates with only a half dozensubordinates for aid.

Gerard nodded.

And you brought back prisoners.

Admiral Lamire did that, Your Highness.

Only because you threw them into hislap.

Watch masters cannot technically transportprisoners, Your Highness.

An excellent point, but I do not often haveprinces as watch masters.

Gerards black tufted tail flicked behindhim. Nor do you now, Your Highness.

She waited a moment, but he did not continue.Holovarus is a small but respected kingdom, said the Priestess.As the heir to your fathers holdings, you could have started as alieutenant, if you really wanted a career in the Temple Sea Watch.She spoke gently. Why start at the bottom, Gerard?

His tail flicked again. Surely you know,Lady.

I want to hear it from you.

I have been disinherited, because my choiceof mates was not to my fathers liking. My younger brother willinherit.

She could detect no emotion in his voice, nohint of what he thought about it. Look at me, Gerard.

He raised his head. To look directly at thePriestess was irreverent and impious unless she expressly gaveleave. Their eyes met. She saw him swallow. The High Priestess ofWefrivain rose and came down from her dais. Her robes, like paledragon scales, fell around her, tracing her long curves. Hermahogany hair shone glossy where it tumbled from its silver clasponto her shoulders.

Gerard fell back a pace as she approached, alittle below his height now that she stood on the floor. Have Ioffended, Mistress?

Not at all. My name is Morchella. You havepermission to use it. My captain of Police has been missing for ared month. It is time to consider him dead, and I have decided thatyou will replace him. In that role, you answer only to me. Not toanyone else, including Silveo Lamire. Is that understood?

Gerard nodded, his expression suddenlywooden.

Im putting you in charge of interrogatingthose prisoners, she continued. Find me Sky Town, Gerard.

When he had gone, Morchella went thoughtfullyback into her inner sanctum. She found a wyvern, a sea dragon,gliding around her sacred pool. The animal had a serpentine body,with webbed, clawed feet, and scales that glistened an iridescentaquamarine. He kept his leathery wings folded as he swam, butraised them a little when he spotted Morchella. The wyvern put hisclawed front feet on the edge of the pool and raised his slendersnout. You sent for me, Mistress? His words rasped around longteeth.

Yes. Morchella raised her robes about herand sat down on the edge of the pool to dangle her bare legs in thewater. She had pearl-white fur below her navel and pink pads on hercreamy paws. Hoepali, isnt it? Youre the deity at my temple onHolovarus.

Yes, Mistress.

Ive just spoken with Gerard, the heir.

Hoepali gave a toothy sneer. Not anymore.Hes been disinherited.

Morchella nodded. Your loss; my gain. Hesdone me a great service in the Sea Watchkilled about fiftyResistance pirates after being cut off from his ship in a rowboat.With only the rowers, he boarded the enemy ship while it was busywith the Fang and attacked the pirates. Those on deck diedto the last shelt, but he caught some in the hold and took themprisoner. By the time Admiral Lamire managed to board, Gerard wasable to hand the prisoners over to him without a struggle.

The wyvern laid his head on the pools edgewith a bored expression. Sounds like something he would do.

Does it? Morchella leaned back on her handsand stared at the ceiling. Such a thing from Thessalyns loverIwould not have expected it. She glanced at the wyvern sharply. Doyou know why he married her?

He got her with child, said the wyvernlazily.

Morchella shrugged. If Holovarus is like theother island kingdoms, then it is swarming with court bastards. Twoor three would never stain a royal heir, and theyre certainly noreason for a brilliant young grishnard to throw away hiskingship.

Hoepali heaved a sigh. You dont knowGerard, Highness. Hes in love with his honor. He didnt have twoor three bastards. He had only one, and that was with Thessalyn. Hewas determined to marry her.