Part 10 (2/2)

”What do you mean?”

”My way happened to be your way. That's what I mean.”

Jair frowned slightly. ”But you didn't know where I was being taken.”

”East. Where else would a Gnome patrol with a prisoner be going?”

Jair's frown deepened. He couldn't argue with that. Still, none of what the Weapons Master had said did much to explain why he had bothered to rescue Jair in the first place.

”I still don't see why you helped me,” he pressed.

A faint smile crossed the other's face. ”I don't appear to you to possess a particularly humanitarian nature, is that it?”

”I didn't say that.”

”You didn't have to. Anyway, you're right-I don't.”

Jair hesitated, staring at him.

”I said I don't,” Garet Jax repeated. The smile was gone. ”I wouldn't stay alive very long if I did. And staying alive is what I do best.”

There was a long silence. Jair didn't know where else to go with the conversation. The Weapons Master pushed himself forward, leaning into the fire's warmth.

”But you interest, me,” he said slowly. His gaze s.h.i.+fted to Jair. ”I suppose that's why I rescued you. You interest me, and not many things do that anymore...”

He trailed off, a distant look in his eyes. But an instant later it was gone, and he was studying Jair once more. ”There you were, bound and gagged and under guard by an entire Gnome patrol armed to the teeth. Very odd. They were frightened of you. That intrigued me. I wanted to know what it was about you that frightened them so.”He shrugged. ”So I thought it was worth the trouble to set you free.”

Jair stared at him. Curiosity? Was that why Garet Jax had come to his aid-out of curiosity? No, he thought at once, it was more than that.

”They were frightened of the magic,” he said suddenly. ”Would you like to see how it works?”

Garet Jax looked back at the fire. ”Later, maybe. The journey's not done yet.” He seemed totally without interest.

”Is that why you're taking me with you to Culhaven?” Jair pressed.

”In part.”

He let the words hang. Jair glanced over at him uneasily.

”What's the rest?”

The Weapons Master did not respond. He did not even look at the Valeman. He just leaned back against the fallen log, wrapped himself in the black travel cloak and watched the fire.

Jair tried a different approach. ”What about Slanter? Why did you help him? You could have left him to the Log Dweller.”

Garet Jax sighed. ”I could have. Would that have made you any happier?”

”Of course not. What do you mean?”

”You seem to have formed an opinion of me as a man who does nothing for anyone without some personal benefit. You shouldn't believe everything you hear. You're young, not stupid.”

Jair flushed. ”Well, you don't like Slanter very much, do you?”

”I don't know him well enough to like or dislike him,” the other replied. ”I admit that for the most part I'm not particularly fond of Gnomes. But this one twice was willing to place himself in danger for your sake. That makes him worth saving.”

He glanced over suddenly. ”Besides, you like him and you don't want anything to happen to him. Am I right?”

”You're right.”

”Well, that in itself seems rather curious, don't you think? As I said before, you interest me.”

Jair nodded thoughtfully. ”You interest me, too.”

Garet Jax turned away. ”Good. We'll both have something to think about on our way to Culhaven.”

He let the matter drop and Jair did the same. The Valeman was by no means satisfied that he understood what it was that had persuaded the Weapons Master to aid either Slanter or himself, but it was obvious he would learn nothing more this night. Garet Jax was an enigma that would not easily be solved.

The fire had almost died away by now, causing Jair to remember that Slanter had gone in search of wood and not yet returned. He pondered for a moment whether or not he should do anything about it, then turned once more to Garet Jax.

”You don't think anything could have happened to Slanter, do you?” he asked. ”He's been gone quite a while.”

The Weapons Master shook his head. ”He can look after himself.” He rose and kicked at the fire, scattering the wood embers so that the flames died. ”We don't need the fire any longer, anyway.”

Returning to his spot next to the fallen log, he rolled himself in his travel cloak and wasasleep in seconds. Jair lay silently for a time, listening to the man's heavy breathing and staring out into the dark. Finally he, too, rolled into his cloak and settled back. He was still a bit worried about Slanter, but he guessed that Garet Jax was right when he said the Gnome could look out for himself. Besides, Jair had grown suddenly sleepy. Breathing the warm night air deeply, he let his eyes close. For a moment, his mind wandered free and he found himself thinking of Brin, Rone, and Allanon, wondering where they were by now.

Then the thoughts scattered and he was asleep.

On a rise that overlooked the Silver River, lost in the shadows of an old willow, Slanter was thinking, too. He was thinking that it was time to move on. He had come this far because that confounded boy had shamed him into it. Imagine, offering him a bribe-that boy-as if he would scoop to accepting bribes from boys! Still, it was well meant, he supposed. The boy's desire to have his company had been genuine enough. And he did rather like the boy. There was a lot of toughness in the youngster.

The Gnome pulled his knees up to his chest and wrapped his arms about them thoughtfully. Nevertheless, this was a fool's mission. He was walking right into the camp of his enemy. Oh, the Dwarves weren't a personal enemy, of course. He didn't care a whit about Dwarves one way or the other. But just at the moment, they were at war with the Gnome tribes, and he doubted that it made a whole lot of difference what his feelings were about them. Seeing that he was a Gnome would be enough.

He shook his head. The risk was just too great. And it was all for that boy, who probably didn't know what he wanted from one day to the next, anyway. Besides, he had said he would take the boy as far as the border-of the Anar, and they were almost there now. By nightfall of the coming day, they would probably reach the forests. He had kept his part of the bargain.

So. He took a deep breath and hauled himself to his feet. Time to be moving on. That was the way he had always lived his life-the way trackers were. The boy might be upset at first, but he would get over it. And Slanter doubted the boy would be in much danger with Garet Jax looking after him. Fact was, the boy would probably be better off that way.

He shook his head irritably. No reason to be calling Jair a boy, either. He was older than the Gnome had been when he first left-home. Jair could look after himself if he had to. Didn't really need Slanter or the Weapons Master or anyone else. Not so long as he had that magic to protect him.

Slanter hesitated a moment longer, thinking it through once more. He wouldn't find out anything about the magic, of course-that was too bad. The magic intrigued him, the way the boy's voice could...No, his mind was made up. A Gnome in the Eastland had no business being anywhere near Dwarves. He was best off sticking to his own people. And now he could no longer do even that. Best thing for it was to slip back to the camp, pick up his gear, cross the river, and head north into the borderlands.

He frowned. Maybe it was just that the Valeman seemed like a boy...

Slanter, get on with it!

Quickly he turned about and disappeared into the night.

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