Part 16 (1/2)
”In that case, let usthe idea of our fighting the Kwanyi into ht, Valeria Sohts we've passed otherwise”
She sniffed ”If I do lower reat loutish Cimmerian to my bed, the least he can do is not to throw it in ht”
”Where would you have ave an even hed ”I've no quarrel with the Ichiribu, and we'll reach the sea faster if ait until the rains A ith the Kwanyi see the time as any”
”Better than most If half they say of Chabano is true, his eye is on an e hioes unchecked”
”They're not my friends,” Valeria protested, but to Conan the protest seemed feeble Like hiood fight, even more so when one owed a debt as she and he did to the Ichiribu
Moreover- ”I've been thinking,” he said ”If Dobanpu thinks it well, we can explore the tunnels beyond the Ichiribu island If they reach to the Kwanyi shore of the lake, we can cliht”
”What of the Golden Serpents?”
”What of theood men at our side, no serpent will pass Besides, the more Golden Serpents, the more fire-stones”
”Indeed” For a reenish hue as her pirate's soul warht of such booty
Geyrus, the First Speaker, assumed the pose of meditation Out of respect, Ryku did the saesture would deceive the First Speaker, but it ht delay an open breach
If the First Speaker really intended to come down from Thunder Mountain to meet Chabano, only a little delay would be needed The presence of Kwanyi warriors, added to his o skills, would ht intend for him
The twothat Ryku began to suffer fro li Ryku e of a full Speaker What had not been taught, Ryku had contrived to learn on his own, as well as certain arts that not even the Speakers acknowledged
This had taken its toll of his body, however He had gone sleepless as of ten
as not, endured thirst, hunger, and both great and little pain, and driven his body to its uttermost limits Or what he had believed were its utteran the final steps to the Speakers' arts Now he knew that he had been hardlyhimself a man
It seemed that the ain to half-bright before the First Speaker broke the posture When Ryku saw Geyrus's eyes, he wished it had indeed taken that long, or even longer
”Ryku, I ae of the Ichiribu you have gathered fro what the Kwanyi know as I have been in studying the Speakers' arts You have praised my zeal in the second I ask for no praise in the first matter if my best has been less than you wished, but I swear-”
”Do not use vain oaths in the Cave of the Living Wind,” Geyrus said sharply
That was asking of Ryku what the other Speakers hardly seemed to ask of themselves Did Geyrus ? Or did the First Speaker know so Wind that he had not told Ryku?
That second thought made the air of the caves seem even more chill than coe for soht let him find the answer to that question He knew-as surely as he kneas alive- that Geyrus would not tell him freely, if at all
”If I can use no oaths, rown sharp, Ryku”
”I trust that ht to coo to meet Chabano I believe he iven the opportunity to do so without his warriors knowing it”
”They still fear the God-Men?”
”Yes”
”As indeed they ought to,” Geyrus said, rising to his feet As always, he was taller than one expected, seeing histhey must have shrunk his limbs ”Very well If Chabano thinks to trade rotten fish for fresh, he ht to thinkRyku to follow The Silent Brother returned to the posture of hts veryless ofthe Ichiribu than he had expected to do? This seemed not unlikely Doubtless he had spies in the herdlands and fieldlands, even on the island itself Just as certainly, those spies ht have fallen prey to the Ichiribu, or sies to their master
It would be as well to learn about this Geyrus would not forever contain his wrath if he learned he had ain If Ryku learned the truth before hissilence in return for protection
Ryku doubted that Geyrus would challenge Chabano hi else Geyrus was old, and his judgirl, but he was not yet a fool
Whichprepared to use the arts of a full Speaker, so that whichever side he chose to aid would have cause to be grateful to him
The lamp bowl held mixed tallow and fish oil, with herbs cruht she had sanko and Erily Conan was as indifferent to it as he was to every other discoreat and small
Valeria marveled that a man could learn such endurance But then, Conan had learned in the harsh school of a life where one endured or died Even when he was a free youth in his native Cimmeria, its stony fields and sobund winters ive the warriors of the Ichiribu any knowledge of our fighting arts that they wish to learn in order to make themselves a better match for the Kwanyi on land,” Conan said ”You have also seen howfroanko said ”You used the words 'wish to learn'? Not 'need to learn' ”
”I have a pretty fair and wide experience of war, and do on a golden stool and fondling my concubines”
”No doubt this displeased your concubines,” Eue now to s enough to be Valeria's daughter, at other tirandmother
”The Kwanyi are there and I a here, I' that they are children in war Chabano has not made the Kwanyi invincible But there are war skills that I can teach, those that will save the Ichiribu anko nodded ”I am sure of that Conan, I will proclai war skills I ask only one favor in return”
”What is it?”
”Give over this notion of ht and through who-knohat evil ic, to strike the Kwanyi”
Emwaya turned and stared at her betrothed Then she spoke sharply, words that Valeria did not understand but whose anko had surprised Emwaya, and she was even estion
Ement on for sohter, that Seyganko much wished to be elsewhere, and that Emould slap her betrothed's head from his shoulders for a Shemite brass piece
Neither Conan nor Valeria offered Eanko went unmolested until the woman ran out of breath Valeria reanko's arer had wearied her more than it had hiained her strength
”Conan,” Seyganko said He took what seeht before he found his next word ”It seems that Emwaya believes, as you do, in the n a teood reasons for this, Valeria sought to do likewise