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Aura.
 Don t cry, Mama. It doesn t hurt so much now, the girl said.
 By the Flame, her father grunted, gripping the cudgel in both hands now.  What sort of sorcery is
this?
 What s he saying? Why is he still angry? Alec whispered.
 Stay calm, Seregil told him quietly. Then, to the man,  It s a healing, that s all. See? Your girl is
better. She ll be up tending the goats for you before the next full moon.
 That may be, but I still don t like the look of your little one, there. I ve never seen a natural child do
such things, or look like that. He s a demon, sure enough. How do I know you re not a pack of
necromancers, come for my soul?
Seregil held up his hands in a gesture of peace.  No, we re not. I swear it by Sakor.
 What does it matter what they are? He healed our Saria! his wife cried, clinging to her daughter s
hand. The younger girls had retreated to a corner and were clinging to each other there, watching Seregil
and their father with wide, frightened eyes.
 What now? Alec murmured, staying close to Sebrahn; he didn t have to understand the words being
spoken to tell that the situation was going sour.
 Let me handle it, Seregil muttered back in Skalan.  Master Karstus, we ve done you a good turn
tonight, and we ask nothing in return but a scrap of food and some directions. We re making for the
coast.
The man s eyes narrowed.  So that s how it is, is it? If I was to look at your right arm, what would I
see, eh?
Seregil glanced at the bruised and fearful wife.  You were a slaver yourself?
 Never! Karstus pushed back his right sleeve and showed Seregil a large double brand, gone white
with age. Then he shifted on his pallet and stuck out his left leg. It was just a stump.  I was born to
slavery, me, and kept until I was no use anymore. I found my woman starving on the road after her kind
master freed her and turned her out with nothing. He pushed himself up on his good leg with the help of
the cudgel.  Do you think you re the first escaped slaves to break for the Strait?
Seregil looked sharply over his shoulder at Ilar.  Did you know?
 No, I swear it.
  For what that s worth, Alec muttered.
 How far is it to the coast? Seregil asked the man.
 Two or three days, maybe.
 Any towns?
 Just steadings like this one, far as I know. Goats are the only things that thrive out here. Goats and
freedmen.
Seregil retrieved his bundle from Ilar and took out a few pieces of the silver jewelry he d found in the
attic, and one of the little gold lockets.  If slavers come by here, will this be enough to make certain you
never saw us?
 That sword of yours is enough, Karstus replied, scowling.
Seregil tossed the trinkets on the closest pallet.  For your girls, then. And any advice you d give.
 Due south should bring you to the coast. There s a little port along there somewhere, called Vostaz.
Slave takers ll be thickest there. South and west will get you to the ocean in three days or four, maybe.
There are some fishing villages  round there. If you re handy at stealing and sailing, you might get off. The
takers ll be watching there, too, but there s less of  em.
 Is there no better way? Ilar demanded.
 Not for any purebloods like you two, or that yellow-haired boy. Or that. He made another sign at
Sebrahn.
Seregil held out his branded arm.  Do you know anyone who can fix this?
Karstus shook his head.  There ain t enough money in that pack of yours to buy that of anyone in this
part of the world. We ve seen too many drawn and quartered who tried.
His wife leaned close and whispered in his ear. He scowled at her, then shook his head.  Do what you
will, woman!
Tiel went to the makeshift kitchen at the back of the room and placed a loaf of coarse bread and some
sausages into a clean rag.
Alec went to her and held out the cheese they d stolen.  I m sorry we took this without asking.
But she only raised an eyebrow at him, then cut half and added it to the bundle. Knotting it, she put it
in Alec s hands.  We ve enough to spare, brothers. Thank you for saving my daughter. I ll always be
grateful, and so will she.
 What clan are you, sister? asked Seregil.
 Akhendi.
 I know the khirnari there. Can I bring any word to your people?
She gave him a sad smile and shook her head.  Tell them that Tiel ä Elasi is dead.
Her words haunted them as they set out again.
 They re so poor. I feel guilty, taking their food, Alec said, though the smoky aroma of the goat
sausage in Seregil s bundle was already making all of them hungry.
 We gave them back their daughter, Seregil said with a shrug.
 And you think that will make any difference if the slave takers come pounding on their door? Ilar
scoffed.  There s always a bounty, you know, as well as swift retribution for those who aid runaways.
 Then it would be better for them to keep their mouths shut, wouldn t it? said Alec.
Seregil looked over at Sebrahn, riding placidly on Alec s back again.  This rhekaro scared them both,
even after he healed the girl, and he s too strange to forget. That might make it worth their while.
 You should have killed them, then, Ilar muttered.
 Aren t you the bloodthirsty one, these days?
 Oh, how that wounds me, coming from you!
 I only kill when I have to. I don t enjoy it. He gave Ilar a dark look.  Well, not usually. As for killing
those poor starvelings, it s no different than stealing Yhakobin s horses.
 You could have burned the house. [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]