Part 106 (2/2)
Looking over her shoulder, stunned, Tony saw Greg-Donnet Genetics Master wink at him. ”Don't fret, son. Don't give it a second thought.”
Deep in the Paris Basin swamps, a boy woke as the paddles splashed and the inflated craft pushed through rattling reeds to an open pool. He saw the kindly face of Lady Mabino Dreamspinner looking down at him. When he struggled upright he caught sight of old Finoderee snoring back in the stern and two rugged dwarves in obsidian half-armour stretching and scratching mosquito bites and taking long swigs from a drinking skin.
”Mother? Father?” the boy called. And then the memories returned and he gasped with the renewal of terror and cried, ”Where are they? And my brothers and sisters? What's happened?”
Mabino bestowed a reproving look on him. ”Behave yourself, Sharn-Ador. You aren't an infant but a Warrior Youth. We believe your siblings are safe enough with Galbor's wife, Habetrot. But since she's not very adept at farspeech, we'll-”
”Where are my Mother and Father?” the boy asked in a tight voice.
”They are secure in Te's Peace, having travelled the Warrior's Way. We are very proud of them. Now you may weep for a short time, as is fitting.”
Later, he lifted his reddened face and looked across the sunlit marsh. Mallards were swimming there, and immature greylag geese, and one enormous cob swan who dominated the others.
”He is their king,” the child said, das.h.i.+ng away his tears. He watched the black-and-white bird cruise about with neck proudly curved and wings lifted above his back. ”I'll be a king, too, some day! Did you save my armour and sword?”
The stalwart dwarves guffawed and bent again to the paddles.
Mabino tightened her mouth in pretended disapproval. ”It's in the back of the boat. But don't go crawling over Papa Finoderee and wake him. He's just managed to drop off to sleep after a very bad night.”
”Yes, my Lady,” said Sharn-Ador. He settled back against the boat's pneumatic gunwale and watched the swan until it had vanished from sight astern.
The Heretic seemed to fly out of the heart of the rising sun and along the wake of the great schooner, to land on the afterdeck, where Alexis Manion greeted him without surprise.
They introduced themselves. Alex said, ”I've tracked you for three hours. Welcome to Kyllikki.”
”Fa.r.s.ensed me into the sun?” Minanonn let his astonishment show. ”That's no mean feat. You must be a power to reckon with.”
Alex chuckled. ”I was, but that's ancient history.”
”Funny, you could say the same for me.”
The man who had been Marc Remillard's closest confidant during the Metapsychic Rebellion looked up at the former Tanu Battlemaster. ”You like coffee, high pockets?”
”Don't mind if I do, shrimp. You Lowlives are a hopelessly corrupting influence.”
”It seems to me I've heard that line before.” Alex turned around and beckoned. ”Right this way to the galley and let's talk. Enjoy the peace and quiet while you can. When the women and children wake up, this d.a.m.n s.h.i.+p turns into a floating circus.”
Basil Wimborne looked at Chief Burke and Chief Burke looked at Commander LeCocq, who shrugged.
”That's the last?” Burke said, without believing it. ”The very last one?”
”So it seems,” the officer said.
”How many?” Basil enquired. ”I lost count after the third day.”
”A total of eleven thousand, three hundred and thirty-two,”
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