* Author : Martha Wells

* Narrators : Wilson Fowlie, Rish Outfield, M.K. Hobson, Tina Connolly, Graeme Dunlop, Dave Thompson, Big Anklevich and Kevin Powe

* Host : Graeme Dunlop

* Audio Producer : Peter Wood

*

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Originally appeared in the author’s ebook story collection “Between Worlds: the Collected Ile-Rien and Cineth Stories” which was done for the group author Kickstarter “Six by Six” (six story collections by six different authors).

Rated PG-13 for some violence.

With a special full-cast reading!

* Wilson Fowlie as the Narrator

* Big Anklevich as Amadel

* Rish Outfield as Reynard

* Kevin Powe as Nicolas

* M.K. Hobson as Lady Shankir-Clare

* Tina Connolly as Belina Shankir-Clare

* Dave Thompson as the Mystery Man

* Graeme Dunlop as Idilane

The story takes place in Martha’s Ile-Rien universe, in which she’s written five novels and several short stories. Find out more!

Night at the Opera

by Martha Wells

Reynard Morane was at his usual table in the Cafe Baudy, a somewhat risqué establishment built on a barge in the Deval Forest pleasure garden’s lake, when a beautiful man approached his table. This wasn’t an unusual occurrence, especially in this cafe, but this beautiful man was a stranger. He said, “Captain Morane?”

From his features and dark skin, the man was Parscian, a little younger than Reynard but not by much, tall and well-built, and dressed in an elegant but understated way which suggested some level of the upper class. The coat was too expensive for the man to be from a university. For some reason, Reynard attracted a high percentage of men of academic persuasions. “Yes.” Reynard smiled warmly. “Please join me.”

The man hesitated, then drew out the opposite chair. “A friend told me about you.”

“And which friend is this?” Reynard caught the waiter’s attention and lifted his brows. The waiter sized up the situation professionally, then went to the bar for a fresh bottle of wine and glasses.

“A man named Biendare.” The man lowered his voice. “I believe he is known in some circles as ‘Binny.’“

“Binny?” Reynard frowned. This was not encouraging. Binny was not someone who would have recommended Reynard for an assignation. At least not the kind of assignation Reynard had hoped for. Just to make certain, he said, “At the roasted nut kiosk on the Street of Flowers?”

“No, it was in March Street, at a wine bar that also sells fried fish.”

“Right.” Reynard sat up, adjusting his attitude from invitingly indolent to business-like and alert.

The waiter arrived at the table with the bottle and glasses. Reynard sighed and told him, “No.”

“No?” The waiter looked startled, then disappointed. “Oh. Coffee, perhaps?”

“Coffee,” Reynard agreed.

The man cast a puzzled look at the retreating waiter’s back, and Reynard admitted,