[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

 No. Not like I can do. Up there. A night hawk rides the winds.
He examined the sky.  Either you re dreaming or your eyes are better than
mine.
 Neither. I m not using eyes, Nakivas. I feel the wild spirit in my soul so I
know he is there. She smiled with deep relish in the surprise she was going
to hand him.  Here s a trick none of yours can match. Watch.
She slid into the hawk s body, the old skills coming back with increasing
ease, and brought him swooping down. The bird curved in a tight circle above
their heads then dropped to earth beside Nakivas s knees.  What do you want
him to do? Amusement trembled in her voice.
Nakivas eyed the hawk a little nervously, though he concealed his wariness
behind a faint amused smile. The big bird was a deadly fighter with a strong
hooked beak and hefty razor-sharp talons.  My knife. Have him bring it.
 Walking or in flight?
 In his beak. Walking.
 Done. Minutes later the hawk tottered awkwardly back to them, the knife
held firmly in his beak.
Nakivas took it, not trusting his fingers so close to that beak, but
unwilling to seem afraid.
The hawk took off as Aleytys released him, screaming his pleasure in his
freedom.
 Interesting, he said coolly.  But what use is that to me?
Aleytys lifted her brows.  Milk my mind as well as my talents? Shame,
Nakivas, trying to squeeze two for the price of one.
He rubbed his nose and looked thoughtfully at the sky.  I see little use for
that admittedly unusual gift. He was silent a minute.  The clans come to this
place next month. Under truce. The slave market.
 Interesting, she murmured.  And when they leave? They go where?
 Here and there.
 Hm. I have tauteassa, the gift of reading emotions.
 Ah. He considered her intently, eyes tracing her outlines through the loose
robe she had pulled around her.  A useful gift. I see I must keep a cool head.
You can tell a lie from the truth?
 Yes.
 Shading of truth from full truth?
 More difficult but possible.
 Say a prisoner was being questioned. More than lie or truth, could you sniff
other trails? Say the weak points in a defense? Or& . He shrugged.
Page 65
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
 Emotions are seldom simple things. A man can be afraid for many reasons, or
confident for others. But& given time and enough questions, yes. Properly used
a great deal of information can be gathered. Accurate information. She folded
her hands and watched him.
 And if one were bargaining? He chuckled. A quiet amusement filled him,
along with a powerful desire for the power she represented. He knew what he
was radiating, struggled with it briefly, then shrugged off a sudden sense of
malaise, an uneasiness foreign to the driving self-confidence that usually
possessed him.
 Yes. Aleytys smiled brilliantly.  Given a few other factors, it can be an
unbeatable edge in bargaining.
 Ah. He stared down at his hands, opening and closing them on his knees.
 The hyon& . He broke off.  Him. He wishes to return to his birth clan?
 It may be so. She flashed a smile at Burash and rested her hand on his,
slightly distracted for a moment by her too-tense physical awareness of him.
Nakivas watched this exchange with considerable interest.
 If this could be arranged, one with tunteassa might perhaps be willing to
aid the hiiris in bargain with a stranger?
 It might be so. She rubbed her forefinger across her lips as she considered
his face then probed deeper. He seemed reasonably sincere with the offer.
 Arranged?
 One of the clans might be persuaded to give passage.
 Ah.
 It s a long and dangerous journey. A healer would be useful.
 Ah.
 A healer might also find much honor among the clans. He tapped his fingers
gently on the hard wiry muscles of his thighs.  It will be difficult to
persuade any hiiri clan to give sanctuary to one who so closely resembles
those they hate. The honor of the healer might perhaps make the necessary
difference. A healer who would remain among me hiiri to serve their needs.
Aleytys sighed and stretched.  Agreed, she said softly.  But the healer has
needs also. One season.
Nakivas narrowed his eyes, pursed his lips, and angled for as much as he
could get  Value for value. A long service for a long trek.
 Hm. Shorten the trek. Abruptly she abandoned the sidling around.  Take
Burash and me to the star city and I ll give you a season s aid in healing and
bargaining and whatever use you find for my gifts.
She felt his intense satisfaction. He took her sudden capitulation for
weakness.  A year.
 No. Don t be silly. After I see Burash safely on his way back to his island
I ll come with you for one season. Or I find my own way.
He sighed.  Very unfair. Done. One season and I see you and your friend safe
as far as the star city.
Page 66
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
 Oh. You want to do it the other way around.
 Seems to me you ll be happier that way. You can keep an eye on him and make
sure he gets where he wants to go.
 Good. She smiled at him, feeling a glow of response even though she
realized that he had deliberately provoked the feeling in her.  I agree. One
thing. The kipu ll be hot after me and every cityqueen win have her greedy
fingers clawing the hills. [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]