Ventus by Karl Schroeder

Karl Schroeder / Ventus / Page 134
was far away, watching through another set of eyes. His other
hand brushed leaves aside; he stumbled, and Jordan tried to put
his right hand out to steady himself. It worked!--he grabbed a
branch. But then the hand let go again, before he willed it. No,
he was not controlling this body, only reacting in synchrony
with it.
"So it is with reluctance and in full awareness that this
decision will please no one, that I have to tell you the official
position of the house of Boros." Yuri frowned around at the
assembled family members. "In the interest of eventually
returning a true monarchy to Iapysia, we must support
parliament at this time."
The path wound down a hillside, and there on a shoulder
of the hill, under tall trees, sat a cabin. Extensive gardens were
carved out of the brambles at the bottom of the hill, where a
small stream wound through this wooded ravine.
Armiger paused, breath heaving. He felt conflicting
impulses--to avoid this place, since he was not strong and his
body might not survive a hostile encounter--or to seek help for
it now. He was desperately ill, tired and wounded.
He stood shifting from foot to foot, aware of jabs of pain
every time he moved. Where else could he go? Would he
walk to the edge of the world? Or until the Winds found him
and wrapped him in their own unwanted embrace? That
prospect was daunting.
A gasp from behind him caught Armiger by surprise, and
he tried to turn, only to lose his footing. With a raw shout he
tumbled down the slope, quite helpless. At the bottom he lay
wondering at his weakness. Never, even in the tomb, had he
felt this way. His energies were failing from the effort it took