Ventus by Karl Schroeder

Karl Schroeder / Ventus / Page 581
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"Thalience rules the world, but thalience is mad."
Jordan had told his tale, and his audience had listened
attentively, all save the queen who seemed listless and
distracted. Jordan knew Armiger, Megan and Galas well; he
could read their expressions and body language, and knew their
interests. He knew what they wanted to hear, and he had been
rehearsing this tale for weeks, all save the climax which he had
just learned himself. He shouldn’t have been surprised that
they would listen.
Armiger’s keen eyes bored into him, and about halfway
through his recitation Jordan began to feel the familiar
sensation of Vision come over him. He let it happen without
interrupting his narrative, although what he saw astonished
him.
He saw a youth, sunburnt and dusty, gripping the hand of
a slim frank-eyed young woman in the amber light of late
afternoon that bathed the cave. He watched his own mouth
move as he spoke, and saw his unfocused eyes--for the first
time he saw himself as others saw him, and also as he was
when in the grip of Vision. And the young man he saw bore no
resemblance to the person he had thought he was.
In his state of trance, Jordan’s face became a calm mask.
His eyes gazed ahead like a prophet’s, open to hidden vistas.
He was bigger than he’d thought; he supposed he’d been
growing in the past few months, but hadn’t paid attention. His