Video Transcript

In the next post, I'll try to post a link to a  video of part of the reading I did at WorldCon.  It's from The Harbors of the Sun and is therefore a bit spoilery.

If it doesn't work, which, let's face it, it probably won't, here's the text I read:

     "You promised them what?" Pearl said to Malachite.  "Have you lost your mind?"

     Ember controlled a wince.  He saw Celadon, seated across the hearth,confine her reaction to a blink.  Seated on the fur beside him, Heart let out a near-silent breath that might have beena repressed hiss.  Bell twitched and Knell went still.  Bone's sigh was more annoyed than anything else.

     Malachite didn't move a spine.  She said, "I value your plain-speaking."

     "Are you trying to be funny?"Pearl said. 

     They were in Pearl's bower, with only the two reigning queens, Celadon, and the Arbora present.  Floret and Vine were casually loitering outside the bower's doorway, making sure no one else came near enough to overhear.  Ember had been a little horrified at the idea of having a private meeting with such a prominent queen in Pearl's bower; he was glad the Arbora had already come through this morning and taken the blankets to air, and rearranged the cushions and the kettle, pot,and tea cups for maximum effect.  But having heard what Malachite had wanted to tell Pearl, Ember was glad of the privacy and the precautions.  The other news that Malachite had brought had been horrifying enough: Song dead, and Bramble and Merit taken captive by groundlings.

     Pearl continued, "You've promised these half-Fell a home in the Reaches. How am I supposed to convince the other queens to allow this?"

     "I haven't promised it yet, but I will," Malachite said.  She was as still as the statue above the queens' hall, but Ember wasn't reassured by that.  Her stillness felt unpredictable, like a predator that could change its mind and strike at any moment. The fact that Pearl was utterly indifferent to the effect was not reassuring.  Malachite added, "And you've handled the other queens well so far."

     Pearl tilted her head, clearly suspecting irony.  "Gathering together to fight off a Fell attack is one thing.  They would have to be idiots not to agree to act."

     Celadon leaned forward. "We need the help of the Fellborn queen.  If we can find out which progenitor is leading the others, it could save many lives--"

     "You don't need to explain your mad plan to me."  Pearl's spines almost rattled in frustration.  She said to Malachite, "You realize I am ill-suited to this role that you've foisted on me.  The other queens dislike me almost as much as I dislike them."

     "You are better suited to it than I am."  This time Malachite did move a spine, and Ember was a little astonished to read amusement in it.

     "A rock is better suited than you are."  Pearl coiled her tail around, considering the problem.  "We need to speak to Zephyr first.  Sunset Water has the closest old bloodline ties to us and she is not unreasonable."

     Malachite said, "You dislike her less than the others."

     Ember bit his lip to hold back an involuntary and undignified facial expression. The Arbora controlled their reactions well, though Ember thought he heard a suspiciously sharp exhalation from Knell.  This whole situation was terrifying.  Malachite had seen the Fell flights gathering in the wetlands outside the Reaches.  It was real, it was happening, it was no longer just a vision.  What Pearl and Malachite decided here might save or doom so many courts in the eastern Reaches.  So much depended on the cooperation of two queens not known for cooperating with anybody, including their own bloodlines.

     It should have been a disaster, except Pearl and Malachite seemed to be getting along fine.

     Pearl's eyes narrowed.  "I may need something to make our alliance stronger.  Zephyr's intimated that another bloodline alliance with us to strengthen the previous one  would be welcomed.  Our royal fledglings and the Sky Copper clutch are too young to decide what they want to eat, let alone choose future mates."

     Ember cleared his throat gently, and Pearl flicked her claws toward him.  He said,"Sunset Water has two unattached daughter queens.  There's a secondary bloodline with at least two consorts just reaching maturity, and maybe one more soon."

     Malachite lifted a claw toward Celadon, who said, "We have several unattached consorts and queens in Opal Night,including myself and Ivory, a daughter queen of Onyx's bloodline.  We can agree to open negotiations on that point."

     Malachite said, "This privilege would extend only to Sunset Water." Pearl's spine flick of acknowledgement was unconcerned.  Ember breathed easier now that that was settled.  Then Malachite said, "I know you didn't want Shade and Lithe to enter Indigo Cloud, that it was your consort's intervention that allowed them in."

     Ember froze.  Malachite hadn't glanced in his direction once but he suddenly felt as if he was a grasseater surrounded by predators.  Heart hissed in a breath and Bone, Bell, and Knell went still. Celadon's glance at Malachite was a combination of appalled and annoyed.

     Pearl was the only one unperturbed.  She said, "I know you know.  I didn't want the last consort of your bloodline in my court either, and look where that got me."

     Bone made a muffled noise and covered his face with his hands.  Everyone else was still frozen.

     Malachite moved that one spine again to the slight angle that just might be indicating amusement, but she kept her gaze locked on Pearl.  Finally Pearl made an annoyed hiss.  She said, "I don't like surprises.  Bone, the one groaning under his breath over there, will attest to that.  Next time you want to fundamentally change the nature of Raksuran life in the Reaches, have your warriors bring me a letter first and give me time to think about it."

     The silence stretched.  Then Malachite said, "Agreed."

     Ember took a much needed breath, and he saw Heart squeeze her eyes shut in relief. Continuing on as if nothing had happened, Malachite said, "Will you be able to deal with the Fellborn queen?"

     "Oh, I'm well used to being forced into decisions against my own better judgment." Pearl flicked her claws.  "It will all be for nothing if your mad plan doesn't work."

     There might have been a tinge of irony in Malachite's voice.  "It isn't my mad plan.  It was the Fellborn queen's."

     Pearl snorted. "I'm sure she thinks it is."