Music of the Distant Stars by Alys Clare

Author:Alys Clare [Clare, Alys]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Ingram Distribution
Published: 2011-04-01T06:00:00+00:00

TWELVE

Hrype watched as the man who was his mentor and friend studied the girl. Hrype had been looking out for an opportunity to bring the two together for some time now, and the need to discover more about the household of Ida’s former mistress had presented the perfect excuse to bring Lassair here.

Hrype was almost certain now that Lassair had a quite extraordinary gift. He knew that Edild felt the same, although she was hesitant to say so because she feared that her love for the girl was making her see things that were not truly there. Bringing Lassair to meet Gurdyman was the test: the sage had schooled and trained many young men and women, and he always recognized talent if it was there. Hrype might still be wrong about her, but he did not think so.

He studied her, reaching out with his senses and testing her mood. She was afraid – well, that was only natural, since even someone with a fraction of her gift would sense what Gurdyman was and fear it – but she was also excited and extremely curious. He looked at Gurdyman, and just for a heartbeat Gurdyman looked at him and one eyelid closed in a swift wink.

She had, it appeared, passed the first test.

Gurdyman was speaking to her. Hrype relaxed and began to listen.

‘I have almost finished down here,’ the sage was saying, ‘and indeed I had hoped to have concluded my work before you arrived, in which case I could have been upstairs ready to greet you.’

‘But—’ Lassair began, only to blush and cut off whatever remark she had been about to say.

Gurdyman looked kindly at her. ‘But?’

‘I thought – well, I saw the cot over there –’ she nodded towards the little bed – ‘and I assumed you lived down here. All the time, I mean.’

Gurdyman chuckled. ‘It was a reasonable assumption, but wrong,’ he said, still smiling. ‘However, very often my work demands that I spend many hours here in my little crypt, and then I am grateful to be able to restore myself with short periods of sleep. Now –’ he turned away from Lassair and went back to his workbench – ‘let me just see how this is progressing . . .’

Nothing happened for quite some time. Hrype, used to Gurdyman’s ability to forget everything and everyone when his attention was focused on an experiment, stood still, enjoying the moment of restorative calm. He was aware of Lassair beside him trying, not very successfully, to quiet her breathing and restrain her impatience.

Presently, Gurdyman nodded, muttered something and blew out the candle beneath the glass container. He spun round, rubbing his hands together, and, catching sight of his guests, gave a start. Recovering quickly, he said, ‘Dear me, I do apologize. I had momentarily forgotten you were there.’ Then he blew out all but one of the other candles and, picking up this last one, led them out of his cellar, along the passage and back up the steps.

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