Necessity's Child by Sharon Lee & Steve Miller

Author:Sharon Lee & Steve Miller
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Publisher: Baen
Published: 2013-02-05T05:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

“No, go! I will follow.” Rys collapsed—he hoped it looked as if he leaned—against the rough wall. “In a moment, I will follow.”

Udari had kept pace with the dog, so it was to Rafin these things were said, and sharply.

The other man hesitated and cast a glance over his shoulder at Udari and Malda, who were crossing the Port Road and entering the long shadows thrown by the empty tollbooths.

“Go!” he snapped again. “The child . . .”

Rafin made his decision with a sharp nod.

“Stay here. We will come back for you.”

Then he turned, loping away on two good, long legs, a swift shadow passing through the shadows—and vanished.

Rys closed his eyes, shaking, his shattered leg on fire, his muscles gone to water. He remained upright only because he was caught between the tension of crutch and wall. If either moved, he would fall, and become prey, to those who would beat him . . .

. . . hard laughter while they stamped on his hand, and kicked him, time and again, and he screamed at last, unable to rise, to fight, to move, one arm over his head, broken with a kick, and another . . .

“Well met, Rys Lin pen’Chala.”

A woman’s voice shattered the . . . memory. He gasped, eyes snapping open, straightening against the wall so that the crutch might be brought in, if—

The woman standing before him smiled, her attitude gentle and without threat. She extended a hand and gently cupped his cheek, as if it were her right. Her fingers were cold.

“Well met,” she said again, in the blessed language of home. “I might have guessed that you would elude the Dragon.”

* * *

“Mr. Golden.” Nova fixed her henchman in her eye. “Would you care to explain your part in this tangle?”

“My part?” He came into the room and dropped into the chair beside her desk. “My part’s simple enough, ma’am, and just like the boy said. I saw a child-on-the-street and since I’m a duly appointed law enforcement officer, accordin’ to the way things are standin’ right now, I saw that there was some law to be enforced.” He gave her a grin. “Just doin’ my duty, ma’am.”

Nova sighed. “The tangle I refer to is Kezzi’s arrival in this office on Syl Vor’s . . . arm. I wonder that you failed to use your considerable address, Mr. Golden, to intervene.”

He sighed. “Well, see, I didn’t get to use any of that address, and if I’d’ve tried, ain’t neither one of ’em woulda heard me, they were that hot under the hair. What I piece together is that the girl might’ve taken Silver’s pen—there was a bit of byplay about did she need it, which she didn’t say she did or didn’t, precisely. What I figured was that he was bringin’ her to have you put the fear o’winter into her, very insistent that she see his ma—your pardon, ma’am—that his ma see her.”

Nova resisted the urge to rub her forehead.

“Thank you, Mr.

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