Part 25 (2/2)

Prunes shook his head. Stupid eager-that's what Gid was. If sleth did indeed pay the Koramite a visit, then they'd need more than knives. Had Gid not heard the Koramite's reports of that creature in Whitecliff? They gave Prunes the s.h.i.+vers. And if that thing showed up here, the best thing to do would be to run. Run or hide under a rock. Then Prunes realized he'd sat in the wrong place. ”You need to sit over here,” said Prunes.

”Why?”

”Because that places me upwind of your stinking carca.s.s.”

But Gid gave him a look that said he wasn't moving. After a few moments, Prunes sighed in irritation. The man was an affliction, but it wasn't worth a battle. He picked himself up and found a better spot. ”You've got first watch,” said Prunes. ”If I catch you sleeping, you're going to dance to a hard pipe.”

Gid grunted. ”And who do you think will be my partner?”

But Prunes had already lain back and closed his eyes and wasn't even going to consider giving Gid an answer.

19.

Summons TALEN STOOD IN the house listening to Da relate the tale of what had happened the night before at the fortress in Whitecliff. Da's face was bruised. His throat was worse where the creature had throttled him. It looked like he wore a blue and purple collar. Da finished his tale, his voice broken.

They all stood in silence. Talen glanced at the others. If they weren't going to say it, he would. And he didn't care that the boy and the girl were standing right here with them. ”The evidence, it appears, is overwhelming. The Fir-Noy were not making this rot up.”

Earlier, he hadn't known what to do. He and Nettle had discussed the situation from the moment the girl and boy had gone down into the cellar last night until the sun rose. They could give the girl and boy the benefit of the doubt, as it seemed Da, River, and Ke were willing to do, and a.s.sume huge risks. They could distract the two until Nettle could call the authorities to come collect them. Or they could kill them. But if they were sleth and there was a nest of them out there, then anyone who killed the boy and girl could expect the same retribution that was visited upon the village of Plum. He'd sided with River, and decided to trust her good sense. But it was clear now that had been the wrong choice entirely.

He should have never let her sit in his lap. Never let her kiss him. Lords, her tongue . . .

Surely at any moment now he'd feel a s.h.i.+ft of some kind as some dark trap closed about his soul. He could detect no change in himself, but that didn't mean she hadn't worked some kind of magic upon him with her touch. How could you kiss a sleth child and not be changed?

It was obvious there were now only two options-kill them or bring a hunt. And he preferred someone else face the ire of the nest. ”It's time to give them up,” said Talen.

”No,” Da said, his voice all hoa.r.s.e and broken. ”That will never happen.”

How could Da stand there with that ma.s.sive bruise on his face and say that? Perhaps he was trying to tell Talen it was foolish to talk about such things in front of the boy and girl.

”River and Ke will be back soon enough,” Da said. ”We're going to keep them safe.”

Talen leaned close to his father's ear. ”I can get out and bring help,” he whispered.

”No, son. You'll do no such thing.”

”You want them here? With that woman's beast looking for them?”

”We don't know what that thing was,” said Da.

”Who cares what it was? It rescued her. That's all we need to know.”

”That is not all we need to know.”

It was obvious from the events at Whitecliff that there were powerful masters ruling this nest of sleth. Had they gotten to Da? Had they themselves delivered the boy and girl here?

It was terrible to contemplate, but he wanted to know the situation. ”You can tell me,” said Talen.

”No, I can't. Not right now.”

Which meant Da was involved in some way. ”Have you been threatened by other members of this nest?”

”Son,” said Da. ”Trust me.”

”Trust me,” Talen said. ”If the masters of this nest have something hanging over us, I want to know. I want to help.”

”There are no masters,” said Da. ”No threats. This is very simple. Sugar and Legs are innocent of any offense.”

”Did that monster happen to hit you in the head?”

Da sighed.

Talen glanced over at Nettle for some help, but Nettle looked as concerned as he was. He turned back to his father. ”I'm sorry,” he said. ”But I don't think you're in your right mind. If they're innocent, then let the Questioners absolve them.”

”Talen,” Da said more forcefully. ”You don't know of what you speak. So keep your mouth shut.”

Shut? When they had armsmen seeking their lives, a sleth on the loose, and the children of that sleth standing right there?

”Please enlighten me, father. I can clearly see the troubles these two have cost us. And it doesn't require a Lord's Councilor to multiply such troubles across all the rest of our people. I do not understand why you did not to turn them in.”

The girl stood to the side of Da, cold calculation in her eyes. The boy was looking off into s.p.a.ce, his one eye sliding again. It unnerved Talen. That right there was probably the result of some sleth abomination.

Da's eyes narrowed. ”You'll put a bung in that mouth of yours.”

”Somebody is going to die because of these two. I don't want to be that person.”

”We'll find them another place.” Da's mouth was tight with anger.

Talen wondered if all this speaking hurt him, but someone needed to talk sense.

”Some wicked servant came to fetch their mother, and you want to harbor them.”

Da's anger broke. He lifted up one side of the table and slammed it back down again. A leg gave way and the table slid over to one side. ”I'm about to lose my temper!” he shouted. If his voice had been normal, it would have come out as a bellow. But this voice, as if he were sick, was worse to hear.

Talen was going to say ”don't worry; you've already done that,” but Da's eyes were round as eggs. His face was red.

Years ago Da had let Ke and even River feel the open face of his hand. Ke had many a story; he also harbored much resentment that Talen didn't receive the same good instruction. But Mother had made Da give it up before she died.

Da violently scratched the side of his head. He said, ”I can forgive you your ignorance. But I won't stand your disobedience. Do you truly think I'm such a drooling idiot that I would invite monsters into our house?”

”No,” said Talen, ”But you might blind yourself so you couldn't see the danger. All this time it's been about Koramite oppression, jealous Mokaddians. Well, the facts are staring us in the face, but you won't look at them.”

”You are the one that won't look at them,” said Da. ”What do you think the Questioners will do with them? What do you think the Fir-Noy will demand?”

<script>