-
[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
his groping hands never reached her. They met an invisible barrier.
Magic. Reivan looked at Servant Kikarn. His disapproving expression softened
as he met her eyes. The corner of his mouth quirked upward. Recovering from
her surprise, she nodded in gratitude.
You can t make me a slave! Devlem bellowed. My family has links with the
noble houses in Genria!
Send in Servant Grenara, she ordered.
The Sanctuary slave-keeper was small in stature, but every step and gesture
suggested he was a man who was used to being obeyed. He made the sign of the
star to Reivan and Kikarn then turned his attention to Devlem, his eyes
narrowing as he assessed the merchant.
Come with me, Devlem Wheelmaker.
Devlem glared at the man. If you think I m going to just follow you out of
here like a mindless arem you re& you re&
The man shrugged. That is up to you. Some accept it with dignity, others have
to be tied up and dragged.
At the word dragged, Devlem s angry glare faltered. He took a step back from
the slave-keeper, then straightened his back and stalked out of the room.
Grenara followed him out.
When the door had closed, Reivan let out a long sigh.
Thank you, Servant Kikarn, she said.
He looked at her in mock puzzlement. For what, Servant Reivan?
She smiled. It seems I ve earned myself an ally here.
That s more than enough work for today. I ll see you tomorrow morning.
Kikarn inclined his head and made the sign of the star. Leaving him to tidy
the room, she left by the second door.
The corridors of the Lower Sanctuary were all but empty. Most of the Servants
had retired for the evening. Though Reivan longed for rest she did not head
toward her rooms.
Several corridors and stairs later she reached the Upper Sanctuary. Torches
lit the way to the main courtyard. Emerging into the night air, Reivan paused
to muse at the sight before her. In the center of the yard, where a fountain
cooled the air during the day, a large tent now stood. Lamps inside the tent
cast the shadows of a woman and child on the cloth walls. Voices within formed
strange, highly pitched incomprehensible words. Reivan moved to the tent flap.
May I come in? she called.
Yes, Imenja replied. We were just talking about Imi s home. It sounds like
a fascinating place.
Reivan pushed aside the door flap and stepped inside. The Elai child was
resting her elbows atop the wall of the fountain, which was now full of sea
water carried up by slaves. Her skin looked even darker in the lamplight. When
Reivan recollected the drawings of sea folk in the Thinkers books she was
amazed at their inaccuracies. This child had no fish tail or flowing locks of
hair. She was completely hairless and had a pair of normal legs.
Almost normal, Reivan corrected. Imi s hands and feet were disproportionately
large, and between her fingers and toes was a thick webbing. Other distortions
in the girl s body suggested further differences. Her chest was broad for a
child. Reivan would not have been surprised to learn that the Elai had much
larger lungs than normal humans.
The artists who had drawn such fanciful illustrations would have been
disappointed by Imi. All in all, the distortions and hairlessness did not make
for an attractive race. Not even the pretty tunic she now wore could hide
Page 149
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
that. As the girl smiled, displaying slightly pointed white teeth, Reivan had
to suppress a shudder.
Reivan, Imi said, speaking slowly.
Imi, Reivan replied. How are you feeling?
Imenja translated. The girl glanced at her peeling skin and a look of sadness
clouded her face as she replied.
She is feeling stronger, Imenja told Reivan. She has certainly been through
a lot. Captured by fishermen then by pirates, both who made her work for them.
Then she was sold to the merchant is it done?
Yes. He claims she is an animal, so he wasn t breaking any law. He left with
the slave-keeper.
Good. Stupidity is no excuse for cruelty. None of her captors attempted to
talk to her. They fed her only raw fish and left her to dry out. The Elai
Imi said something. Imenja smiled and spoke to the girl, then turned back to
Reivan.
The Elai need to spend some time in salt water each day. They eat a variety
of food, like we do. Not just produce from the sea. She paused. You ll never
guess who she is.
Reivan chuckled. No, I d say that s unlikely.
Imenja turned back to regard Imi. She is the daughter of the Elai king.
Surprised, Reivan looked down at the child. The girl smiled uncertainly.
How did she come to be captured by humans?
She slipped away from her guardian to go looking for a gift for her father.
Does he know she was captured?
Maybe. Maybe not. What is certain is that he won t be the only Elai
celebrating when she is returned to her people.
Unless her capture was arranged by his enemies.
Imenja frowned. That is possible.
You ll have to be careful when you return her.
Me? Imenja s eyebrows rose. Why do you think I ll be taking her home?
Because she is a king s daughter. She was sold to someone living in our land.
If she returns and tells her story, we will be blamed in part for her ordeal
unless a great demonstration of apology is made. And, Reivan smiled, because
the Elai were never involved in the war, there is no lingering resentment
barring you from introducing them to the Five.
Imenja stared at Reivan in surprise and approval. You re right. She looked
at Imi and smiled. I should take her back myself. And you will have to come
with me. I ll have to convince Nekaun, of course, but the possibility of
gaining an ally will probably sway him. If we are successful nobody will dare
object if I make you my Companion.
Imi stared back at Imenja. She spoke, her strange words forming a question. [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ] - zanotowane.pl
- doc.pisz.pl
- pdf.pisz.pl
- matkadziecka.xlx.pl