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In this scene, the queen has called Raik to her bedside and presented her newborn son. The woman's dying wish is for Raik to perform a ritual, which must be accomplished in the queen's homeland.

Excerpt from The Last Vhalgenn

I pulled the babe closer and crept backwards, muttering a prayer. I bumped into a wall, turned and threw aside the curtain. A barefoot wisp of a girl sat huddled in the corner, arms around her chest, knees up and skirt over them. Her huge brown eyes were wide and solemn. She unfolded herself and stood. Heavy breasted, she had a slim waist and thick legs. She opened her blouse and held out her hands for the babe. He rooted noisily and latched on to nurse with a satisfied grunt. She smiled down at him.

"A bit young, aren't you?"

She tossed her hair. "I've had seventeen summers, and this ain't the first babe I've e'er given suck."

"What's your name?"

"Estria Luvas."

"Luvas? Clan Ddumach?" My kin. I grunted. Would the women of my clan ever change? Rebels, the lot of us.

Dahr's lady returned with a bundle of clothes. "Here. You'll need to dress and ride. I've a horse ready in the stables and the girl has all the prince needs."

The prince? Orix had been the prince when I was growing up. Even though he was weaned and a toddler when I was born, he'd insisted on trying out what seemed to satisfy his Vhalgenn. We'd shared my mother's milk until I was two and he was four. I wondered which female child of my clan would be given to Dahryc. Estria's perhaps?

I had no time for pondering it then, with the need to hurry prodding me. I stripped off my robe and dressed in the clothes they'd provided. At least they hadn't given me skirts. There was a black shirt, vest, and a coat of leather and heavy woolen pants lined with silk. My own boots, cleaned and polished, went on over clean socks. I strapped on my sword and the belt in which I carried my daggers. The other weapons I hid about my person, much to the amusement of Estria.

"A walkin' blade, you are."

"And don't forget it. Do you have shoes? And a cloak?"

"I'm not soft."

"Can you run over rocks with bare feet?"

She stuck one up. The bottom was more callused than my sword hand.

"Suit yourself, but you'll wear a cloak and no argument. It's cold in the hills and you'll need to cover the babe if it rains."

She growled under her breath. "But unly for 'is sake."

I grabbed up two thick cloaks, wrapped the heaviest around the girl, and tossed the other around my shoulders. In the dark stable yard below, I mounted up, putting the girl in front of me. Dahr's woman assured me we'd be met on the North Road with two fresh mounts and further supplies.

Reins in hand, I settled onto the horse. The animal tossed its head, hot breath sending clouds of mist into the night air.

Dahr's Lady in Waiting handed me up a packet. "Papers in case you need to cross at a border."

"Well planned for such a sudden thing."

"And who do ye suppose arranged for you to bring back dispatches? She feared she was dying and knew you, of all people, would serve the king's heir. She knew you'd let no harm come to him."

I reined in the impatient horse and steadied Estria with an arm around her waist.

"She even chose one of your clan, to honor you."

I had my doubts about that, but kept them to myself. It was our custom to choose a woman from my clan to bear the Vhalgenn for the heir. Just as it was theirs to pass their children through these cursed Gates that I was being sent off in the middle of the night to find.

I nodded to her, and the woman stepped aside. We were off.