The Dancers of Arun by Elizabeth A. Lynn

Author:Elizabeth A. Lynn
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: ereads.com
Published: 1979-01-01T05:00:00+00:00

* * * *

Sefer brought him a drink in a glass goblet: water flavored with lemon. He sipped it cautiously. The lemon taste tingled on his tongue. Compared to what he had just done, the other times he had made use of inspeech were trivial. He wasn't sure he had done anything. Maybe Sefer had done it all.

He cleared his throat. “Did I do that?” he said.

Sefer nodded. “I simply let you in."

“What was it?"

“The deep-probe,” Sefer said. “It's not an act to undertake with impunity. If you're careless, you can hurt someone."

“I didn't—"

“You didn't,” Sefer said. “In fact, you did it very well. Your technique's a little clumsy, but as I said, you didn't hurt me. If you had, you would have felt it too. That's one of the properties of the gift that prevents misuse—it echoes—and when you are in pain, you can't use inspeech, except in reflex. That's the reason, if you over-use, you'll get a headache. The pain destroys your concentration and forces you to relax."

Kerris said, “I used to feel dizzy after linking with Kel. And my eyes hurt."

“Those are common effects,” Sefer said. He patted his stomach. “Some people get sick."

Kerris sipped the lemon-water. He was awed by the buoyant lucidity of Sefer's mind. “Thank you for trusting me,” he said.

Sefer said, “I have no reason not to trust you. You're not a cruel or violent person. I didn't think you would be careless."

“But I'm not—” Kerris thought of all the things he was not: not graceful, not skilled, not whole...

Sefer said, “Kerris, you're not a fool or a weakling. The folk of Tornor did you a wrong if they made you think that of yourself. You're competent and clever—and attractive. If you won't believe me—” his grin had a measure of pure mischief in it—"ask your brother.” He linked, a light firm touch, with Kerris, and fanned a succession of images through Kerris’ mind: Kel smiling, Kel naked, Kel striding across a room, hair like a fiery cloak down his sleek back....

Kerris shivered. “Don't."

The images stopped. “I'm sorry,” said Sefer gravely, but his eyes were amused. “I shouldn't tease you."

Sunlight through the glass window pane made a yellow stain on the white wall. Kerris wondered if Sefer had done that deliberately to disconcert him. Grimly he pulled a pillow over his lap. “Can I do that?” he said.

“Think pictures into someone else's mind? With training you can. What seems to come easiest to inspeakers is sensitivity to others’ feelings, and a kind of awareness we call the scan. It's like running your hand over materials, silk and wood and dirt, and feeling their differences, while the rest of your thought remains outside, detached—only instead of touching silk and dirt you are really touching someone's feelings with your mind."

“May I try it?"

“That's what we're doing here,” Sefer said. He made a beckoning gesture with his hand. “Go ahead."

Kerris extended his thought.

Sefer met him. Keep your touch light, he directed. Kerris touched the cool bright surface of the teacher's mind.

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