Excerpt from Ch. 31 of THE ORACLE'S QUEEN, coming from Bantam July 2006
Copyright
2006 Lynn Flewelling. Do not copy or repost. It's just for you, folks!


(Tamir visits the Oracle at Afra and finds several Aurenfaie emissaries waiting
for her
there.)

The two younger men in the dark green sen'gai came forward last. The older one
looked
no older than twenty or so, and the younger one was hardly more than a boy, but
that was
no measure with the 'faie. They might be two hundred years old, for all she
knew. They
were also two of the handsomest men she'd ever seen, and her heart tripped a
beat as the
taller of the two smiled and bowed to her in Skalan fashion.

"I am Solun í Meringil Seregil Methari, second son of the Khirnari of Bôkthersa.
This is my
third brother, Corruth í Meringil."

Corruth took her hand and bowed. He appeared younger than Tamír, and he looked a
bit
shy. "I am honored to meet a queen of Skala. My clan stood with your ancestor
against
Plenimar in the Great War."

"I am honored to meet you," Tamír replied, feeling a bit shy herself. The beauty
of these
men, even their voices, seemed to weave a spell, making her heart race. "I—that
is, I
understand you are not here by chance?"

"Our seers claimed there was a queen in Skala again, one who bears the mark of
Illior,"
Solun replied.

"I see for myself that you are indeed a woman," said Khair of Khatme. Do you
still bear the
mark?"

"Your birthmark," Arengil explained. "It's one of the signs we're to know you
by. That, and
that moon-shaped scar on your chin."

Tamír pushed back her left sleeve, showing them the pink birthmark on her
forearm.

"Ah, yes! Is it as you remember, Arengil?" the Khatme asked.

"Yes. But I'd have known her without them, if only by those blue eyes."

"But you've only just arrived, and you have business of your own here," Solun
interjected.
"You should eat and rest before we talk."

"Please, won't you join us?" Tamír said a bit too hastily, and saw the annoyed
look Ki gave
her.

***