A Game of Thrones 4-Book Bundle

Xaro’s flowery protestations of passion amused her, but his manner
was at odds with his words. While Ser Jorah had scarcely been able to keep his
eyes from her bare breast when he’d helped her into the palanquin, Xaro hardly
deigned to notice it, even in these close confines. And she had seen the
beautiful boys who surrounded the merchant prince, flitting through his palace
halls in wisps of silk. “You speak sweetly, Xaro, but under your words I hear
another
no.
”
    â€œThis Iron Throne you speak of sounds monstrous cold and

hard. I cannot bear the thought of jagged barbs cutting your sweet skin.” The
jewels in Xaro’s nose gave him the aspect of some strange glittery bird. His
long, elegant fingers waved dismissal. “Let this be your kingdom, most
exquisite of queens, and let me be your king. I will give you a throne of gold,
if you like. When Qarth begins to pall, we can journey round Yi Ti and search
for the dreaming city of the poets, to sip the wine of wisdom from a dead man’s
skull.”
    â€œI mean to sail to Westeros, and drink the wine of vengeance from the skull of
the Usurper.” She scratched Rhaegal under one eye, and his jade-green wings
unfolded for a moment, stirring the still air in the palanquin.
    A single perfect tear ran down the cheek of Xaro Xhoan Daxos. “Will nothing
turn you from this madness?”
    â€œNothing,” she said, wishing she was as certain as she sounded. “If each of
the Thirteen would lend me ten ships—”
    â€œYou would have one hundred thirty ships, and no crew to sail them. The
justice of your cause means naught to the common men of Qarth. Why should my
sailors care who sits upon the throne of some kingdom at the edge of the
world?”
    â€œI will pay them to care.”
    â€œWith what coin, sweet star of my heaven?”
    â€œWith the gold the seekers bring.”
    â€œThat you may do,” Xaro acknowledged, “but so much caring will cost dear.
You will need to pay them far more than I do, and all of Qarth laughs at my
ruinous generosity.”
    â€œIf the Thirteen will not aid me, perhaps I should ask the Guild of
Spicers or the Tourmaline Brotherhood?”
    Xaro gave a languid shrug. “They will give you nothing but flattery and lies.
The Spicers are dissemblers and braggarts and the Brotherhood is full of
pirates.”
    â€œThen I must heed Pyat Pree, and go to the warlocks.”
    The merchant prince sat up sharply. “Pyat Pree has blue lips, and it is truly
said that blue lips speak only lies. Heed the wisdom of one who loves you.
Warlocks are bitter creatures who eat dust and drink of shadows. They will give
you naught. They have naught to give.”
    â€œI would not need to seek sorcerous help if my friend Xaro Xhoan Daxos would
give me what I ask.”
    â€œI have given you my home and heart, do they mean nothing to you? I have given
you perfume and pomegranates, tumbling monkeys and spitting snakes, scrolls
from lost Valyria, an idol’s head and a serpent’s foot. I have given you this
palanquin of ebony and gold, and a matched set of bullocks to bear it, one
white as ivory and one black as jet, with horns inlaid with jewels.”
    â€œYes,” Dany said. “But it was ships and soldiers I wanted.”
    â€œDid I not give you an army, sweetest of women? A thousand knights, each in
shining armor.”
    The armor had been made of silver and gold, the knights of jade and beryl and
onyx and tourmaline, of amber and opal and amethyst, each as tall as her little
finger. “A thousand lovely knights,” she said, “but not the sort my enemies
need fear. And

my bullocks cannot carry me across the water, I—why are we stopping?”
The oxen had slowed notably.
    â€œKhaleesi,”
Aggo called through the drapes as the palanquin jerked
to a sudden halt. Dany rolled onto an elbow to lean out. They were on the
fringes of the bazaar, the way ahead blocked by a solid wall of people. “What
are they looking at?”
    Jhogo rode back to her. “A firemage,
Khaleesi.
”
    â€œI want to see.”
    â€œThen you must.” The Dothraki offered a hand down. When she took it, he
pulled her up onto his horse and sat her in front of him, where she could see
over the heads of the crowd. The firemage had conjured a ladder in the air, a
crackling orange ladder of swirling flame that rose