[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

tall in their saddles, some of the finest light cavalry on the continent. Geoa
dismounted, as did Aejys. They met in the middle. Geoa's thoughtful gray eyes
looked heavy with inner conflicts, almost sad. Fifteen years older than Aejys,
but still too young by Sharani standards of aging for the white streaking her
black hair. She clasped Aejys' arm, pulling her into an embrace that she held
for several minutes. Then Geoa gave her a pat on the back, pulling away.
"Come on," Geoa said. "We have to talk..." She led Aejys out of earshot of
the troops, settling cross-legged on the ground. "This is hard..." she sighed
heavily. "Go on, sit down." She gestured next to her.
Aejys' stomach knotted with fear. "Ladonys?"
"And Laeoli."
"No," Aejys protested, "I've had letters ... she was safe..." She felt her
body go numb, the bottom of her stomach seemed to dissolve into yawning
emptiness. "I "
"Those letters ... whoever sent them ... lied," Geoa said sternly. "Laeoli
was slain by the shifter and bears that attacked Ladonys. They found her body
the night of the equinox, washed up on the shore of the Arris River. The same
night Ladonys died."
Page 270
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
Aejys began to shake hard. She clutched her hands, pressing them into her
stomach, feeling a scream rising in the center of her being, forcing its way
up like a rock-hard fist through her throat, into her mouth. It broke across
the gathered companies, shattering their thoughts, ending their conversations,
tumbling their world into uncertainty.
Tamlestari kicked Emrindi into a gallop, breaking from the company before
anyone could stop her. She flung herself from the saddle at Aejys' feet,
gathering the screaming, weeping woman in her arms.
Aejys shoved Tamlestari away, growling, "Get away, you stupid shit!"
Tamlestari stared at Aejys, and then threw her wombmother a questioning
glance. Geoa shook her head, and then nodded that she should leave. Tamlestari
turned to Aejys again. "I love you, Aejys... Please, let me..."
"I hate you. Do you hear me? I HATE YOU!" Aejys screamed, lifting her fist as
if to strike the youth.
Tamlestari recoiled, moving away, weeping now herself.
Geoa took her arm, leading her back to the assembled units. "Let her be.
Laeoli and Ladonys were both slain."
"Ma'aram," Tamlestari said, letting herself be led, "mei Amita is dead also."
Geoa released Tamlestari, pressing her hands to her face. "I've known. In my
heart. I've known." She started on and Tamlestari followed, catching at her,
making her pause.
"What more?" Geoa asked calmly, but the strain was showing.
Tamlestari bent close to her ear, whispering, "I'm carrying Aejys and
Brendorn's child."
"You're... WHAT?" Geoa stood thunderstruck. "Does anyone know this child is
Aejys'?" She reached out to touch her daughter's conspicuously swollen
stomach.
Tamlestari smiled sadly, shaking her head. She did not bother trying to
explain that all of Vallimrah knew, but that their policy of "don't tell the
humans" made it a publicly kept state secret. Nor would she tell her 'lasah
that her ma'aram was, after a fashion alive, since Geoa had long ago
remarried. That would be cruel and needless. The Sharani were as little
inclined to gossip as the Valdren.
"Keep it that way," Geoa said with more sternness than she meant. "I need to
think this through."
Tagalong and Laurelyanne passed them on foot.
* * * *
Geoa sent most of Aejys' units under Hanadi's leadership and all of her own
on to Iarwind, her capital. She took Tamlestari with her, trying to just take
a little joy at the prospect of her first grandchildren.
Tagalong, Laurelyanne, and ten Valdren rangers, set up camp close to where
Aejys sat weeping and cursing into the night.
Page 271
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
Tagalong sat beside Aejys, patting now and again.
"If I'd taken them with me..."
"Huh uh. Kaethreyn woulda had every soldier in the entire kingdom chasing
us."
"Margren dies, Tag," Aejys' voice had a dead, broken quality to it, yet now
and again, Tagalong heard something else, something disturbing, a thin thread
of stone-cold resolve and a freezing fatalistic anger.
Tagalong's eyes filled with tears and she started patting Aejys again.
Laurelyanne squatted in front of them with a tall bottle of liquor and three
small glasses. She poured the liquor, setting the first small glass in front
of Aejys, folding the ha'taren's hands around it.
"What did you put in it?" Aejys asked suspiciously.
"Just whiskey," Laurelyanne replied, lifting her glass, "we're all drinking
it." She downed her glass like a veteran and refilled it.
Tagalong kept looking from one to the other, then slammed her drink down her
throat and grabbed the bottle, pouring another.
Aejys watched Laurelyanne down her second glass and frowned at her. Finally,
convinced that the drink held only whiskey, she swallowed it. It had scarcely
gone down her throat when she swayed and tumbled forward, collapsing against
the mage who settled her gently to earth.
Tagalong stared, glancing from her glass to Aejys. "Father of Stone!" she
yelped. "I thought ya said ya didn't spike it! What am I drinkin'?"
"Whiskey, Tag, just whiskey," Laurelyanne answered tiredly. "I spelled her
glass." She stood up, lit her staff with a word, and waved it at their camp.
Borian Silverwing and another ranger came, lifted Aejys up, and bore the
unconscious mon away.
Tagalong grabbed the bottle, thinking seriously about killing it.
"I just couldn't bear it," Laurelyanne said as they walked, "Listening to
such grief... I lost a grandchild and my youngest son... If Aejys doesn't kill
her, I think I will."
"Yer gonna hafta beat me ta her."
They broke camp quickly heading for Iarwind. Borian rode with the unconscious
Aejys on his lap, cradled like a child, his face grim as he thought about his
murdered cousins.
* * * *
"Hello."
Hanadi started sharply from her thoughts, throwing stars sliding into her
hands as she turned to face the window and the cloaked person sitting there.
Just moments ago she had sent Brundarad to check all the rooms in their wing,
so she faced the intruder alone.
"Hsahhh! Is that any way to greet me?" Talons pulled her hood back.
Page 272
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
"Little scamp you are," Hanadi said, sheathing her daggers. "What is it you
are doing here?"
Talons told her the story. Hanadi listened in silence, her face growing
steadily more grim. "I cannot believe Archer is dead... She was always so
skilled."
"I watched the shifter and his bears tear her apart. She counted for two of
them."
"And those letters? Who was it sent them?" Hanadi demanded.
"I assume it was Sorrow or Laeth, the shifter versions." Talons pulled five
slender sealed packages from beneath her cloak, handed them to Hanadi, and
reached back for the last, which was open. "I took captives. Grandsire
interrogated them. They're identical," she said, nodding at the packages. "The
open one is for you. Get them in the right hands immediately. This is the last
five. Everyone else who needs to has them. I'll find you again in Rowan."
Talons turned in the windows. "Back to the war," she said and dropped out of
sight.
Hanadi read just the first few pages before stalking out the door.
"Sa'necari. Lots of sa'necari," she muttered uncharacteristically. She spotted
Tagalong walking ahead of her. "Tag! You, Tag!"
Tagalong cocked her head as she turned, catching the odd note in Hanadi's
voice. "What's up?"
"This is, that's what," Hanadi shoved the open document into Tagalong's
hands. "Get Laurelyanne, both read it, then make Aejys read it."
"Aejys is sleeping..."
"Wake her!"
Tagalong blinked. "Okay."
"How do I find the Mar'ajan?"
"Dunno. Haven't been in Iarwind in years."
"Hmnph!" Hanadi snorted, then whistled for Brundarad. The huge animal came [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]