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Malthus?"
Malthus strolled to the cabinet. Dust flew in his face when he opened the
cabinet's doors and he sneezed hard. Wiping his face on his sleeve, he raised
his eyes to the contents. He found blood in the magical preserving bottles
crowding several shelves.
"At least you're keeping the larder stocked. The place is too dusty. Don't you
ever clean?"
"Sometimes. Egidius shrugged.  I haven't felt like bothering with it since
Laetus died."
"You've got to stop brooding about it. Malthus took a bottle out and opened
it, drinking deeply of the delicious blood.
"I'm trying. I loved my cousin. I promised him glory and wealth. Now his head
is rotting on the gates to Three Stones."
"I suppose I should be more understanding. Malthus eyes closed and sorrow
turned his lips.  Kynyr Maguire killed Heironim and Alex, wiped out my forces
in Hell's Widow."
Alarm flashed across Egidius dark features.  We're losing, Malthus. We're
losing."
Malthus slapped Egidius across the face, silencing him.  No, we're not. I
haven't played all the cards in my hand yet."
Egidius mastered his panic and sobered.  So what is it you want me to do?"
"Brock Redhand, Claw's brother will be entering the valley from the Creeyan
border. Possibly with an armed company at his back."
"If he knows what's good for him, he will."
"Just so. I want you to send our strongest forces to watch the mountain
passes, catch him entering the valley, and kill him."
"I can do that. Egidius stared off at the wall.  Any idea what he looks
like?"
"Old. He's around a hundred and thirteen years old. Another old geezer of a
wolf. Can't imagine what he thinks he can accomplish at his age."
"But you still want him dead."
"Can't take chances. He could become a rallying point once I've killed Claw
and his grandson Kynyr."
Egidius gaze dropped to his folded hands.  When's Merissa's cubs due?"
"Sheradyn says early spring. Malthus chuckled.  I think she caught the first
time I shoved my stick in."
"You're forty aren't you?"
"Thirty-six. Why?"
"You've got five women pregnant at the same time ... plus Merissa. You're as
fecund as a fourteen-year-old. I'm barely thirty ... yet it's been five years
since I've managed to swell a woman's belly ... and it's not for lack of
trying."
Malthus flashed a knowing smile.  I told you ... talk to my mother. She can
fix you. Remember Heironim?"
"He was your age?"
"Close. Heironim's lineage will live on. All his concubines are big in the
belly ... so are several of his nibari. That's my mother's doing."
"She has a cure? Sa'necari were notoriously infertile at a young age ...
especially the males.
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"Not a cure exactly ... but if your sacks aren't completely dead, she can
reverse it."
"Can you tell if mine are?"
"Give me your wrist. Malthus Read him and smiled.  There's some spark left.
However, no more rites until you've been on the medicine at least a month."
"The rites cause it?"
Malthus shrugged.  Possibly. My mother thinks so."
Getting children had become an obsession with Malthus. It made all his
sa'necari peers envious of him and added to his legend.
* * * *
Pandeena stretched out on her bed at her mother's home. She had come here
because she had not wanted to express her grief around the others, fearing
that it would prove a distraction.  I'm not good at this."
"Is it okay if I come in?"
She heard the young male voice, and then the bark of a small dog an instant
before her face was covered in wet sloppy kisses.
"Moss! She caught the squirmy little dog and sat up with him in her lap.
 Nikko, you're up."
Nikko was tall and lean, his ginger hair more brown than gold. He still seemed
more like a lost little boy than a grown mon as a result of the attack that
had left him for dead and stolen his memories.  A little at a time. I tire
easy. Navaryn says it's my heart."
"Come in and sit down."
"Do you want to talk about those tears?"
Pandeena expected the young lawgiver to sit on the chair. Instead he sat on
the edge of her bed, and ran his fingers in the tracks of her tears. He seemed
so sweet and gentle that she had a hard time thinking of Nikko as a lawgiver.
"I'm afraid to, Nikko. Last time I said a name, it caused you to have an
attack."
"I'm stronger now. Moss helps. And some of my memories have started coming
back. I want to see my mother."
Pandeena looked away from him and the tears started again.
"She's dead, isn't she?"
Pandeena gave a small nod.  A few days after they decided you were dead ...
her heart gave out."
Nikko sucked in a deep breath.  I wish someone could have told her I was
alive."
"So do I. But she was already dead when I arrived. I'm sorry."
"She was old. I loved her. Nikko sighed.
"When you remember who attacked you, then I'll see that he never kills again."
"If I remember. Clodagh was always terrified of sa'necari. She used to hide in
her home and stay there whenever word went out that our chieftain was hosting
them."
"You know that she's carrying a sa'necari child."
"Truly? I mean that doesn't sound like Clodagh."
"We think she was raped. There is a death command in her brain and we can't
reach it. She was living like a slut, but we think that was because of
compulsions. Again, we can't reach them. We need to find a yuwenghau with
greater skills than ours."
"Beth. Oh gods mercy, Beth. Nikko doubled over, clutching at his chest. [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

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