Part 20 (2/2)

'Did you get back to your own people?”

'Eventually.” There was no point in lying. He had already told Mr Snow the whole story. Or most of it.

'They weren't too pleased to hear that the Plainfolk weren't as stupid as they thought.”

'Did you tell them about me?”

The lie tripped easily off his tongue. 'No, I didn't.

You're my secret weapon. When I'm with you I feel as if I could conquer the world.” That part, at least, was true.

'Perhaps you are meant to,' she whispered. 'Is that what Cadillac has seen in the stones?”

'He has seen many things.”

Steve felt his skin p.r.i.c.kle. 'Such as... ?”

'That you would return in the guise of a friend, with Death hiding in your shadow, and carry me away on a river of blood. Is that why you have come back? To take me down into the dark world of the sand-burrowers beneath the deserts of the south?”

'Are you crazy? I came back to be with you!” He squeezed her fingertips. 'Are you sure the stones said I would take you back to the Federation?”

'No. Cadillac didn't say where to. Just that you would carry me away.”

'That's right,' said Steve hurriedly. 'That's why I'm here now because I promised Mr Snow I would get both of you out of here I The rest makes sense. I am in the guise of a friend because I'm hoping to do a pretend-deal with these people. As for the ”death hiding in my shadow”, I'd say that fits the hidden power you poured into the quarterstaff. Take it from me, it's lethal. I'm sure these j.a.ps won't let us get away without a fight, so maybe I will carry you away on a river of blood. But that blood will be running out of the veins of the Iron Masters. And the only place you're going is back where you belong.”

'I belong to you, cloud warrior. As long as we are together I do not care where you take me. But Cadillac must go back to the Plainfolk.”

'You're both going back. Trust me.”

She drew her finger down over his lips and found the tip of his tongue.

'Do you think Talisman would put his power into your hands if you meant to harm us?”

It's not Talisman I'm thinking about. It's the other people in this game. And they're not using the same rule book...

Steve answered with another dry laugh and changed the subject.

'Amazing, isn't it - the way things work out? I came to the trading post because I wanted to be the first to welcome you back. I must have spent hours pacing up and down that beach, staring at those boats, willing you to appear. Why didn't you show yourself?”

'I was not allowed to do so. In the last two months I have seen almost nothing of the outside world.”

'Who's been keeping you locked up - this guy Yamas.h.i.+ta?”

'When I was on the boat, yes. But since I came to Ne-Issan with Cadillac I have been held by another.”

'Held how? Who by?”

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