Mystic and Rider by Sharon Shinn

Author:Sharon Shinn [Shinn, Sharon]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Romance, Adult, Fantasy, Science Fiction, Adventure, Young Adult
ISBN: 9780441013036
Publisher: Ace
Published: 2005-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

THEY rode out the next morning right at dawn.

No one had slept well in what few hours they had allowed themselves to rest, and they all knew that, with daylight, the townsmen would find fresh courage. So they rose early, left a few coins in payment, and were on their way before most of the town was astir.

“I’m thinking we might want to avoid all towns from here on out and sleep only in camp,” Tayse said, as they trotted past the last house facing the road.

“Except that the point of our entire trip is to discover the mood of the people,” Kirra said. “Hence, we must observe the people.”

“The mood of the people is rabid-dog mean,” Justin said. “Let’s go back to Ghosenhall with our news.”

Senneth smiled but didn’t add much to the discussion. She was feeling odd today and having a hard time deciding if her reactions were physical or emotional. The headache was gone—and she had the clearest, most vivid memory of the feel of Tayse’s hands, chasing the pain away with brute force—and she was only a little tired. But she felt awkward and almost shy, as if she had thrown a tantrum or otherwise behaved badly, and people around her might eye her askance. She covered her uncertainty with her usual stoic mask, but she didn’t feel like contributing much to the conversation.

“No, I believe it’s Nocklyn for us,” Kirra said, “and maybe a trip to Nocklyn Towers.”

“I’d like to see this place Aleatha talked about,” Tayse said.

“What? The Lumanen Convent?” Kirra asked.

He nodded. “Like to judge how many fighting men have gathered under the banner of the Daughters of the Pale Mother.”

Kirra seemed to ponder that. She looked sideways at Senneth, who didn’t bother to voice an opinion. “It’s an interesting idea,” she said. “Maybe on our way down from Nocklyn.”

Tayse looked at her. “And from Nocklyn we go where?”

Kirra laughed lightly. “Where else?”

He nodded. “Gisseltess.”

To see Halchon Gisseltess. Senneth could hardly wait.

They rode in a tight formation this day, Tayse too worried about repercussions from last night’s episode to send scouts before and behind. There were too many of them to ride all abreast, so as the hours passed they spurred forward and dropped back to fall in line next to varying companions. After an hour or two of riding, when she began to feel more normal, Senneth worked her way to the head of the column, next to Tayse. The other four rode a few yards behind.

“Let me know,” she said, “when you think it is safe enough to send Donnal off hunting.”

He glanced over at her, the expression on his face completely neutral. By the way he treated her, he might have been introduced to her this morning and already forgotten her name. “You think we need fresh meat?” he said. “I thought we had enough provisions to see us through another day or two.”

“It’s the raelynx,” she said. “I think I might be able to trust it now to go off on a kill.

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