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Immediately Kellin conjured a vision of his own hands made by sorcery to stuff
his mouth full of bread until he choked on it. His heart had been stopped
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once; better to eat and drink as bidden than risk further atrocity.
With hands made stiff and clumsy by the weight of too much blood, he unwrapped
the par-
cel. It was a lumpy, tougfi-crusted loaf of Homa-
nan journey-bread. He set it aside carefully, ignoring
Corwyth's interest, and unstoppered the flask. With-
out hesitation he would give nothing to the Ih-
lini, not even distrust he put the flask to his cut lips and poured wine down
his throat.
It stung the inside of his mouth. Kellin drank steadily, then restoppered the
flask. "A poor vin-
tage," he commented. "Powerful you may be, but you have no knowledge of wine."
Corwyth grinned. "Bait me, my lord. and you do so at your peril."
Kellin stared steadily back. "Unless you heal me, Lochiel may well wonder what
you have done to render his valuable kinsman so bruised."
Corwyth rose. "Lochiel knows you better than that. Everyone in Homana and
Valgaard has
236 Jennifer Roberson heard of the Midden exploits undertaken by the
Prince of Homana."
Midden exploits. He detested the words. He de-
tested even more Lochiel's knowledge of them. To forestall his own comment, he
put bread into his mouth.
"Eat quickly," Corwyth said. "We ride again al-
most immediately."
Kellin glared at him. "Then why stop at all?"
"Why, to keep you and anyone else from claim-
ing me inhumane!" With a glint in blue eyes, the young-seeming Ihlini turned
away to his mount, then paused and turned back. "Would you like me
to help you rise so you may relieve yourself?"
Kellin's face caught fire. Every foul word he knew crowded into his mouth,
which prevented him from managing to expell even one.
"Come now," Corwyth said, "it is an entirely natural thing. And, as you are
injured "
"No," Kellin declared.
Blue eyes glinted again. "Hold onto the tree, my lord. It might help you to
stand up."
Kellin desired nothing more than to ignore the suggestion entirely. But to do
so was foolish in the face of his need- Pride stung, but so did his bladder.
"I will turn my back," Corwyth offered. "Your condition presupposes an
inability to escape,"
The comment naturally triggered an urge to prove Corwyth wrong, but Kellin
knew better than to try. If the Ihlini could play with his heart, Kellin had
no desire to risk a threat to anything else.
"Hurry," Corwth suggested. He turned away in an elaborate swirl of heavy
cloak.
"Ku'reshtin," Kellin muttered.
Silence answered him.
237
A TAPESTRY OF Ll(WS
'i
.1
Corwyth's companions escorted Kellin to his horse when it was time to ride on.
Corwyth met him there. "You may ride upright, if you like.
Surely it will prove more comfortable than being tied onto a saddle."
Kellin gritted teeth. "What will it cost me?"
"Nothing at all, I think save perhaps respect for my magic." Corwyth caught
Kellin's wrists be-
fore he could protest. The Ihlini gripped tightly, crossed one wrist over the
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other, and pressed until the bones ached in protest. "Flesh into flesh, Kel-
lin, Nothing so common as rope, nor so heavy as iron, but equally binding." He
took his hands
away, and Kellin saw the flesh of his wrists had been seamlessly fused
together.
Gods Immediately he tried to wrench his wrists apart but could no more do
that than rip an arm from his body. His wrists had grown to-
gether at the bidding of the Ihlini.
He could not help himself: he gaped. Like a child betrayed, he stared at his
wrists in disbelief so utterly overwhelming he could think of nothing else.
My own flesh It sent a shudder of repulsion through his body. My heart, now
this . .. what will
Lochiel do?
"A simple thing," Corwyth said easily. Then he signaled to his companions.
"Help him to mount his horse. I doubt he will resist." Corwyth moved away,
then hesitated as if in sudden thought, and swung back. "If he does, I shall
seal his eyelids together."
They rode north, toward the Bluetooth River, where they would cross into the
Northern Wastes and then climb over the Molon Pass down into
Solinde, the birthplace of the Ihlini, and on to Val-
gaard itself. Kellin had heard tales of the Ihlini
238 Jennifer Roberson fortress and knew it housed the Gate of Asar-Suti.
It was, Brennan had said, the Ihlini version of the
Womb of the Earth deep in the foundations of
Homana-Mujhar.
Kellin rode upright with precise, careful pos-
ture, trying to keep his torso very still. His legs conformed to the shape of
saddle and horse, but his hands did not control the horse. The reins had been
split so that each of Corwyth's companions
minions? led the prisoner's mount. Corwyth rode ahead. [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

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