“Yes, Kelly love.”
Her gray eyes widened at the sight of the enameled and inlaid sleigh, the two fidgeting l’lails. “What are you doing?”
“Taking Illyana and myself out for a breath of air. The taste of politics is coating my tongue.”
“In a sleigh?” the girl breathed.
“It’s a logical way to cross snow, and far more pleasant than a snowmobile. Would you like to come?”
“Oh, God, yes.”
They settled into a nest of furs. Tis handed the baby back to Kelly. “Here, you may as well get in practice.” He hesitated, arranged the reins between his gloved fingers. “Unless you choose to terminate.”
“He is all that’s left of Zabb,” Kelly said slowly.
“Which should place you under no obligation. You didn’t know my cousin.”
“I know you loved him enough to be tempted to stay female.”
Tis arched an eyebrow at her. “I obviously taught you too well.”
She looked down at the little girl sleeping in her arms. “Doctor, do I have to go back to Earth?”
“I thought you would wish to.”
“Where would I fit? What would I be? How do I go back to Atoka and tell them I spent a year being a man, and I’ve lived on another planet, and I married and bedded a woman—”
“And now you’re an unwed teenage mother who can read minds,” Tis concluded softly.
She sighed. “Make a great sitcom. It’d be lousy in real life.”
“I totally agree.” Tis shook the reins, clucked to the l’lails, and the sleigh shot forward with a hiss of blades. “Of course you may stay. Taj will act as your protector—”
“Bat’tam’s already offered.” She hit him on the shoulder. “Stop chortling. He says he still hasn’t given up on you.”
“Oh, Ideal!”
“What is all this shit?” Jay looked over the cases and trunks that littered the docking bay at the Ilkazam ship farm.
“I had your clothes packed,” Tis said.
“Oh, goody, now I’ve got the next seventy-five Halloweens covered.”
Mark came wandering out from behind the gigantic ship. In places the rough surface blossomed into fantastic many-faceted crystals extruding like jeweled flowers from the body of the ship. Mark reached up and gently touched one long finger of crystal. It broke off with a high chiming sound, and Mark’s cheeks burned red with embarrassment. Tis shifted Illyana onto a hip, hurried to his friend’s side, and embraced him.
“It’s a gift. Don’t worry, Sundiver read your admiration and wanted to give you a memento.”
Smiling with delight, Mark bowed awkwardly to the ship. “Thanks … uh, well, thanks.”
“And while we’re on the subject of mementos.” Tis gestured to a servant, who offered a strongbox identical to the one that had paid off Jay.
The ace shook his head. “I don’t need pay, man. Some things you do for love.”
“Nonetheless, take it. For Sprout if nothing else.”
Tis crossed to Jay and Hastet. He gestured again, and the servant appeared with a carrying case. Tisianne offered it to Hastet. “I had troops search for several days, but they never located Haupi. Here’s a substitute, if you’re willing to accept her.”
Hastet opened the case, and a wanei stuck its head up, hissed at Jay, and retreated.
“You’re not taking that assortment of feathers and teeth masquerading as a pet, are you?” Jay yelped.
“Oh course,” Hastet said, and accepting the case, she crooned softly to the angry wanei.
“It’s illegal to import animals.”
“It’s illegal to import aliens too,” Tis said with a smile. “It is time, dear ones.”
Jay and Hastet walked up the ramp and into the ship. The bickering never stopped; they also never stopped holding hands. Tis shook his head and smiled up at Mark. The humans’ eyes were filling with tears.
“You always understand.”
Mark blinked rapidly, coughed, looked away. “I know you’re not coming. I don’t understand why.”
Tis had steeled himself for pain. It hadn’t been enough. Mark’s expression tore at his heart. “I’m tired, Mark, and confused, and I want to have my hand regrown, and I can’t run out on them again—”
“But you are coming back sometime. Aren’t you, man?”
“I don’t know.”
Mark looked down into Tis’s face for a long, long time. Finally he said softly. “I don’t know who you are anymore.”
Tisianne walked to the viewport, looked out at the cold and distant stars. Looked back and held out his good hand to Mark. The ace gripped it hard.
“I don’t know either.”
Mark crossed the bay and entered the ship and never looked back. Tis loved him for it. He and Illyana retreated beyond the bay doors, watched as the great ship slid from its berth. Watched long after the final ghost signature had faded.
He looked down and met the very serious aquamarine eyes of his only child. She stretched out an arm and laid a fist against his mouth.
“Come, daughter, let’s go home.”
Glossary
agma—a large, intelligent predatory animal. The challenge to the hunter is that an agma hunts back.
Ajayiz—the ruling council of a Takisian House.
Ajayiz’et—a member of the ruling council.
Amlas—the diplomatic language used only between Houses for negotiations.
ankatai’li—shape-changing insect that appears crystalline when at rest.
bitshuf’di—a neutered psi lord, male or female.
calnite—a bioengineered substance to speed bone reconstruction.
cinara wood—a pungent wood whose smell is reminiscent of sandalwood and honey.
Fel’k—the larger moon of Takis.
ikadah—a warm, sweet drink of Takis. Chocolate is the Earth equivalent.
Ilkazal—the public language of House Ilkazam; uses telepathy and the spoken word.
Intaye—a lady of the Most Bred.
Ishab’kaukab—the living ships of Takis.
jebali—a small nocturnal grazing animal.
ka’et—a stringed instrument whereby sound is formed by striking the strings with hammers that also carry a tone. The player uses a double keyboard.
Kib’r—a relative of past seven degrees.
kuket—darling, sweetheart, but it is a diminutive usually applied to children.
La’b—a sexual toy.
lawmerates—male or female Takisians who have been surgically altered to the opposite sex.
Lilistizkar—a visiting day in the women’s quarters.
l’lail—a riding animal.
merrida—darling, used between lovers.
MIS—Mentatic Intelligence Service.
pful—Takisian vegetable.
Raiyis—the ruler of a Takisian House.
Raiyis’tet—the rulership of a House.
ral—a milk-producing ruminant. Its coat produces a fine, soft wool suitable for weaving.
Rarrana—the women’s quarters, purdah.
re’ba’bi—a stringed instrument played with a bow.
Sham’al—the common speech of Takis. Sometimes called industry speak.
shujukis—a large flying mountain predator that has been trained to carry riders.
silamum—a cold effervescent fruit drink.
sinau soup—a bean soup with a sharp citrus flavor.
sinde—a powerful, short-tempered creature raised for its meat.
sithi beans—a highly flavored spice used in desserts.
spetza—a s
parkling sweet wine.
stirpes—a member of the Tarhiji who has been adopted by a psi lord. Degree of relationship is roughly that of a cousin, and they are not permitted to breed with the Zal’hma at’ Irg.
Tarhiji—the mind-blind majority population of Takis.
Tiana—the smaller moon of Takis.
vacu—a foul and rather disgusting creature whose name is used as an epithet.
Vayet—the public language of House Vayawand.
vindi—cousin. A form of polite address not indicating a literal relationship.
wanei—a small house pet.
ysan—a hot, bitter beverage.
Zal’hma at’ Irg—the psi lords, the Most Bred of Takis.
zanjabiil—a badgerlike creature.
The Wild Cards Universe
The Original Triad
Wild Cards
Aces High
Jokers Wild
The Puppetman Quartet
Aces Abroad
Down and Dirty
Ace in the Hole
Dead Man’s Hand
The Rox Triad
One-Eyed Jacks
Jokertown Shuffle
Dealer’s Choice
Solo Novels
Double Solitaire
Turn of the Cards
The Card Sharks Triad
Card Sharks
Marked Cards
Black Trump
Deuces Down
Death Draws Five
The Committee Triad
Inside Straight
Busted Flush
Suicide Kings
The Mean Streets Triad
Fort Freak
Lowball
High Stakes
The America Triad
Mississippi Roll
Low Chicago
Texas Hold’em
Knaves Over Queens
About the Editor
GEORGE R. R. MARTIN is the author of the international bestselling A Song of Ice and Fire series, which is the basis for the award-winning HBO series Game of Thrones. Martin has won the Hugo, Nebula, Bram Stoker, and World Fantasy Awards for his numerous novels and short stories.
Visit him online at georgerrmartin.com, or sign up for email updates here.
Twitter: @GRRMSpeaking
About the Author
MELINDA M. SNODGRASS studied opera in Austria, graduated from the University of New Mexico with a degree in history, and went on to law school. She has worked on staff on numerous shows in Hollywood, including Star Trek: The Next Generation. In addition to being coeditor of Wild Cards, she is also the executive producer of the Wild Cards TV show in development.
Visit her online at melindasnodgrass.com, or sign up for email updates here.
Twitter: @MMSnodgrass
Thank you for buying this
Tom Doherty Associates ebook.
To receive special offers, bonus content,
and info on new releases and other great reads,
sign up for our newsletters.
Or visit us online at
us.macmillan.com/newslettersignup
For email updates on Melinda M. Snodgrass, click here.
For email updates on George R. R. Martin, click here.
Contents
Title Page
Copyright Notice
Dedication
Map
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-one
Chapter Twenty-two
Chapter Twenty-three
Chapter Twenty-four
Chapter Twenty-five
Chapter Twenty-six
Chapter Twenty-seven
Chapter Twenty-eight
Chapter Twenty-nine
Chapter Thirty
Chapter Thirty-one
Chapter Thirty-two
Chapter Thirty-three
Chapter Thirty-four
Chapter Thirty-five
Chapter Thirty-six
Chapter Thirty-seven
Chapter Thirty-eight
Chapter Thirty-nine
Chapter Forty
Chapter Forty-one
Chapter Forty-two
Chapter Forty-three
Chapter Forty-four
Glossary
The Wild Cards Universe
About the Editor and Author
Copyright
This is a work of fiction. All of the characters, organizations, and events portrayed in this novel are either products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.
WILD CARDS X: DOUBLE SOLITAIRE
Copyright © 1992 by George R. R. Martin and the Wild Cards Trust
All rights reserved.
Cover art by Michael Komarck
Map by Jennifer Hanover
A Tor Book
Published by Tom Doherty Associates
120 Broadway
New York, NY 10271
www.tor-forge.com
Tor® is a registered trademark of Macmillan Publishing Group, LLC.
The Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is available upon request.
ISBN 978-1-250-16813-9 (trade paperback)
ISBN 978-1-250-16812-2 (ebook)
eISBN 9781250168122
Our ebooks may be purchased in bulk for promotional, educational, or business use. Please contact the Macmillan Corporate and Premium Sales Department at 1-800-221-7945, extension 5442, or by email at MacmillanSpecialMarkets@macmillan.com.
First published in the United States by Bantam Spectra
First Tor Edition: December 2019