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from Gwendith. All right. Give it your best guess.
The ghost eater turned back and studied the upside-down shoes. Then he
reached out and for the briefest of moments laid a hand on each sole, before lifting the
one on the right. There was nothing under it.
Yes! exclaimed Johann. Come on, Gwendith
The ghost eater suddenly lifted the other shoe. There was nothing under it,
either. His right hand slapped down on what had been the empty space under the first
shoe, came back up holding a white sliver of bone between his brown fingers.
Not so quick, deceiver, he said with a tight grin.
Johann went white and scrambled backwards. The ghost eater followed him,
holding out the ear pin triumphantly. When I touched the two shoes, I sent the bhargha
down through them and felt the pin under the one on the right. But when I lifted the
shoe, amazingly it wasn t there!
You cheated, Johann said feebly.
So did you and you used your Way to do it! The ghost eater flung one shoe at
Johann, who hastily ducked out of the way.
Johann? Gwendith gaped at them both.
Johann looked at her, and his face crumpled into a study in wretchedness. How
did you know?
I m not a fool. The ghost eater glanced at Gwendith. Do you remember the dog
yesterday? The one that conveniently attacked me, just in time for Johann to run up and
try to snatch you away? The one that disappeared just as conveniently? I tried to drink
its ghost, but the bhargha couldn t touch it. It was never there at all.
So you tricked me into revealing myself tonight, Johann snapped bitterly.
Fooled me into thinking that you would let us go if I could beat you.
The ghost eater turned away in disgust. As Gwendith said, she comes and goes
as she pleases. What do you think I am, that I d make such a bargain?
Gwendith swallowed against disbelief. Johann? Is it true?
You have to ask, after all that you ve seen and heard? He laughed without
humor. Why is this so hard to accept? Yes, it s true I cast illusions. Make people think
that the six on the die is really a two, or that they ve drawn the Page of Wands instead
of the Queen of Cups.
You use it to gamble? How could you do that?
Your Way is sacred, the ghost eater added, his tone severe and dripping
disapproval. A tool to make a useful life, not to cheat people with.
It s all I had! Johann snapped, glaring at them. Do you think it s been easy,
wondering what s wrong with me that I can do this? Wondering if I m damned or
blessed? If the Wizards gave this to me, or if I m some sort of devil spawn?
Gwendith s mouth quirked. At least it never got you locked away in a
sanitarium.
No. He looked away then, subdued. It was different for me. I ve been able to
do it since I was a child. Father& never saw eye-to-eye with me, you could say. I think
he felt I wasn t manly enough, or some such. You never met him, Gwenny, but he was a
big, strapping, hulk of a brute who won purses wrestling at fairs. He thought he could
beat me into a copy of himself, if only he hit me enough times.
The ghost eater took a quick step back, as if Johann had spoken some
unthinkable obscenity. He hit you? When you were a child?
Johann shrugged uncomfortably. Yes, well, maybe it would have been different
if I d done something to deserve it.
Deserve it? What could a child possibly do to deserve such a thing?
What, your people s children never misbehave?
Of course they do. But no Ahkan i parent would consider striking one as
punishment. The ghost eater shuddered in disgust.
Johann ran his hand back through his hair in a tired gesture. Yes, well, mine did,
and worse than most. I used to be so scared, waiting for him to catch me. I wished more
than anything that I could be invisible, that he would just stop seeing me. And he did.
After that, I learned how to do more, then started gambling down at the tavern. As soon
as I had enough coin to keep me fed for a while, I ran away. I spent the next fifteen
years running.
Sadness touched Gwendith at the wistful tone of his voice. And you never told
anyone?
No. He hesitated. That is, not until I met Rowe. That s my friend in Whitefoam
that I mentioned before. I never met anyone I trusted enough before Rowe.
Rowe& Rowenna? Gwendith wondered. A lover, it sounds like. Is Johann too
much of a rogue to even marry her? Or are they like Beoch and Aerwyn, kept separate
by an inconvenient spouse?
Would you have told me? she inquired in place of the questions she really
wanted to ask.
He nodded vigorously. Oh, yes. As soon as we were away. His face fell.
Although it looks like we won t be going back to Fort Ironwood, will we?
You can, she replied gently. But there s nothing for me there.
I ll stay with you, as I promised. But what about Beoch? Won t you even send
him word?
She folded both her hands carefully on her knees, to keep them from tightening
into fists. Beoch s better off without me.
He was truly worried about you. Johann hesitated, then sighed. I think he felt
guilty for, uh, leaving only to have you kidnapped while he was gone.
Hardness closed around Gwendith s heart. In her memory, she again saw her
husband slipping out the door with the baker s widow, unable to wait long enough to
spare her the humiliation of being left alone at a party. I don t care, she said, cold as
the night outside. I don t care if I ever see him again.
***
Colonel Talys stepped into his own quarters at Fort Reed and felt as though a
tremendous weight had lifted from his shoulders. He took a deep breath, enjoying the
familiar scents of home: smoke, wool, and cedar. The ride from Fort Ironwood had been
a long one, and he had left Beoch down in the barracks, suffering from a very sore
backside. The rest of the men, all of whom had been recruited by Talys some months
before, had exchanged sympathetic glances over the suffering smith. But Beoch himself
hadn t complained, only grimly gone where he was told. No doubt he felt the pain was
only a just punishment for letting Gwendith vanish.
I got your letters, Donia said from behind him.
He turned to his wife with a smile, eager and grateful for her welcoming embrace.
He kissed her lips, then rested his head against her glossy black hair, while her brown
hands stroked his back. For most in the military, marrying a native would have been
tantamount to career suicide. But it was Donia who had first made him aware of the
power within himself and had shown him how to use it. After that, he no longer needed
to worry about expressing his love for her.
I missed you, he said.
I missed you as well. She leaned back to study him. A flower stuck out from
behind one ear, and earth from her potted plants stained her sturdy hands. That was [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
zanotowane.pl doc.pisz.pl pdf.pisz.pl akte20.pev.pl
from Gwendith. All right. Give it your best guess.
The ghost eater turned back and studied the upside-down shoes. Then he
reached out and for the briefest of moments laid a hand on each sole, before lifting the
one on the right. There was nothing under it.
Yes! exclaimed Johann. Come on, Gwendith
The ghost eater suddenly lifted the other shoe. There was nothing under it,
either. His right hand slapped down on what had been the empty space under the first
shoe, came back up holding a white sliver of bone between his brown fingers.
Not so quick, deceiver, he said with a tight grin.
Johann went white and scrambled backwards. The ghost eater followed him,
holding out the ear pin triumphantly. When I touched the two shoes, I sent the bhargha
down through them and felt the pin under the one on the right. But when I lifted the
shoe, amazingly it wasn t there!
You cheated, Johann said feebly.
So did you and you used your Way to do it! The ghost eater flung one shoe at
Johann, who hastily ducked out of the way.
Johann? Gwendith gaped at them both.
Johann looked at her, and his face crumpled into a study in wretchedness. How
did you know?
I m not a fool. The ghost eater glanced at Gwendith. Do you remember the dog
yesterday? The one that conveniently attacked me, just in time for Johann to run up and
try to snatch you away? The one that disappeared just as conveniently? I tried to drink
its ghost, but the bhargha couldn t touch it. It was never there at all.
So you tricked me into revealing myself tonight, Johann snapped bitterly.
Fooled me into thinking that you would let us go if I could beat you.
The ghost eater turned away in disgust. As Gwendith said, she comes and goes
as she pleases. What do you think I am, that I d make such a bargain?
Gwendith swallowed against disbelief. Johann? Is it true?
You have to ask, after all that you ve seen and heard? He laughed without
humor. Why is this so hard to accept? Yes, it s true I cast illusions. Make people think
that the six on the die is really a two, or that they ve drawn the Page of Wands instead
of the Queen of Cups.
You use it to gamble? How could you do that?
Your Way is sacred, the ghost eater added, his tone severe and dripping
disapproval. A tool to make a useful life, not to cheat people with.
It s all I had! Johann snapped, glaring at them. Do you think it s been easy,
wondering what s wrong with me that I can do this? Wondering if I m damned or
blessed? If the Wizards gave this to me, or if I m some sort of devil spawn?
Gwendith s mouth quirked. At least it never got you locked away in a
sanitarium.
No. He looked away then, subdued. It was different for me. I ve been able to
do it since I was a child. Father& never saw eye-to-eye with me, you could say. I think
he felt I wasn t manly enough, or some such. You never met him, Gwenny, but he was a
big, strapping, hulk of a brute who won purses wrestling at fairs. He thought he could
beat me into a copy of himself, if only he hit me enough times.
The ghost eater took a quick step back, as if Johann had spoken some
unthinkable obscenity. He hit you? When you were a child?
Johann shrugged uncomfortably. Yes, well, maybe it would have been different
if I d done something to deserve it.
Deserve it? What could a child possibly do to deserve such a thing?
What, your people s children never misbehave?
Of course they do. But no Ahkan i parent would consider striking one as
punishment. The ghost eater shuddered in disgust.
Johann ran his hand back through his hair in a tired gesture. Yes, well, mine did,
and worse than most. I used to be so scared, waiting for him to catch me. I wished more
than anything that I could be invisible, that he would just stop seeing me. And he did.
After that, I learned how to do more, then started gambling down at the tavern. As soon
as I had enough coin to keep me fed for a while, I ran away. I spent the next fifteen
years running.
Sadness touched Gwendith at the wistful tone of his voice. And you never told
anyone?
No. He hesitated. That is, not until I met Rowe. That s my friend in Whitefoam
that I mentioned before. I never met anyone I trusted enough before Rowe.
Rowe& Rowenna? Gwendith wondered. A lover, it sounds like. Is Johann too
much of a rogue to even marry her? Or are they like Beoch and Aerwyn, kept separate
by an inconvenient spouse?
Would you have told me? she inquired in place of the questions she really
wanted to ask.
He nodded vigorously. Oh, yes. As soon as we were away. His face fell.
Although it looks like we won t be going back to Fort Ironwood, will we?
You can, she replied gently. But there s nothing for me there.
I ll stay with you, as I promised. But what about Beoch? Won t you even send
him word?
She folded both her hands carefully on her knees, to keep them from tightening
into fists. Beoch s better off without me.
He was truly worried about you. Johann hesitated, then sighed. I think he felt
guilty for, uh, leaving only to have you kidnapped while he was gone.
Hardness closed around Gwendith s heart. In her memory, she again saw her
husband slipping out the door with the baker s widow, unable to wait long enough to
spare her the humiliation of being left alone at a party. I don t care, she said, cold as
the night outside. I don t care if I ever see him again.
***
Colonel Talys stepped into his own quarters at Fort Reed and felt as though a
tremendous weight had lifted from his shoulders. He took a deep breath, enjoying the
familiar scents of home: smoke, wool, and cedar. The ride from Fort Ironwood had been
a long one, and he had left Beoch down in the barracks, suffering from a very sore
backside. The rest of the men, all of whom had been recruited by Talys some months
before, had exchanged sympathetic glances over the suffering smith. But Beoch himself
hadn t complained, only grimly gone where he was told. No doubt he felt the pain was
only a just punishment for letting Gwendith vanish.
I got your letters, Donia said from behind him.
He turned to his wife with a smile, eager and grateful for her welcoming embrace.
He kissed her lips, then rested his head against her glossy black hair, while her brown
hands stroked his back. For most in the military, marrying a native would have been
tantamount to career suicide. But it was Donia who had first made him aware of the
power within himself and had shown him how to use it. After that, he no longer needed
to worry about expressing his love for her.
I missed you, he said.
I missed you as well. She leaned back to study him. A flower stuck out from
behind one ear, and earth from her potted plants stained her sturdy hands. That was [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]