Book 3 - The Nomad by Simon Hawke

Author:Simon Hawke [Hawke, Simon]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Fantasy, Dark Sun, Fiction
ISBN: 9781560767022
Publisher: Wizards of the Coast
Published: 1994-10-25T07:00:00+00:00

Chapter Seven

It was late when they arrived back at their rooms at the Oasis. Ryana removed her sword belt and flopped down wearily on her bed. Sorak stood by the window, looking out at the night thoughtfully.

"Valsavis is going to be a problem," Ryana said, as if reading his thoughts.

"Yes, I know," Sorak replied, still gazing out the window.

"He wants me," said Ryana dryly. "I know that, too." His response was flat and unemotional, merely a simple acknowledgment of her statement.

She glanced at him, puzzled. "And how does that make you feel?" she asked, carefully keeping her voice neutral. She did not want anything in her tone to dictate the nature of his response.

He turned to look at her. "Do you want to hear me say that I am jealous?" he asked.

"I want to hear you say how it makes you feel," she replied.

"It makes me feel cautiously optimistic." She stared at him with open-mouthed astonishment, unable to believe what she'd heard. Of all the responses he might have given, that was the last one she could ever have expected.

"What?"

"I am still not completely certain," Sorak replied, turning back to stare contemplatively out the window, "but I am growing more and more convinced that Valsavis is an agent of the Shadow King. And if so, then his attraction to you could serve as a distraction from his true purpose. That would be very useful for us."

"Is that all I mean to you?" Ryana asked with a stricken expression. "I am merely of value as a distraction and nothing more?"

He turned back to face her. "Forgive me," he said, contritely. "I did not mean it that way at all." He exhaled heavily. "You know very well how I feel about you, and you know how much you mean to me. But I have no reason to feel jealous of Valsavis. I know what sort of man he is, and I know you, Ryana. Regardless of your feelings toward me, I know that you could never feel anything for such a man."

"He may not care about how I feel," she replied, wryly. "In fact, I doubt it would make much difference to him at all."

"Perhaps not," Sorak said. "A man such as Valsavis usually takes what he wants with no thought for the desires of others. But you are far from a helpless female, and even given that, I have no intention of leaving you unprotected. I think we have both learned our lessons in that regard, thanks to the marauders. But I suspect that Valsavis has never met anyone like you before." He smiled. "If, in fact, there is anyone else like you. Valsavis is a man who thinks very highly of himself. He certainly does not think much, if at all, of others. I would guess that women have either given themselves to Valsavis easily and willingly in the past, or else he simply took them by force. Either one would represent to him merely the satisfaction of his animal desires.

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