The Hunter by Rose Estes

Author:Rose Estes [Estes, Rose]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Speculative Fiction, (¯`'•.¸//(*_*)\\¸.•'´¯)
ISBN: 9780445209701
Publisher: Warner
Published: 1990-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

15

“You do not fight according to the rules,” Uba Mintch observed as he bound Braldt’s arm with strips of tightly woven cloth, winding it back and forth time and again until the pulse pounded within like a savage drum.

“You said there were no rules,” Braldt replied through gritted teeth, trying hard to ignore the pain of the binding that was easily as bad as that of the injury.

“There are no rules in the broad sense, but there are the unspoken rules of civilized people everywhere. It is not civilized to kick one’s opponent in such a place.’

“I was not trying to be civilized,” replied Braldt. “You seem to forget that I was fighting for my life.”

“Batta Flor would not have killed you. The most he would have done was subdue you. Batta Flor is no killer.”

“You said nothing of the sort before the match,” Braldt said angrily. “Why did you not see fit to share this information with me then?”

“Would you have believed me?” Uba Mintch asked calmly as he continued to bind Braldt’s arm. “Would you have fought differently?”

Braldt realized that the old Madrelli was right. He would not have believed him, nor was he certain even now that it was so. He had fought in the only way he had known in order to win.

“How is he?” Braldt asked gruffly, studying his arm, avoiding the old man’s eyes as the last bit of bandage was tucked away. “Is he all right?”

“He will be stiff and in pain for several days,” replied Uba Mintch as he rolled up what was left of the bandage and placed it in a small pouch. “His ears are another matter, they will need much attention if they are not to be damaged for life. How did you know about Madrelli ears? I did not suspect that you Duroni knew so much about us.”

“What are you talking about?” Braldt looked up, curiously. “What is there to know?”

Uba Mintch put down the pouch and he and Braldt regarded each other, searching each other closely.

“You really didn’t know, did you?” Uba Mintch said softly.

“Know what?” Braldt replied.

Uba Mintch shook his head, a small, dry chuckle escaping his thin lips. “Look you here,” he said, turning sideways so that Braldt might study his own fragile, tapered ears, which were so transparent with age that it was possible to see the very movement of the blood as it flowed through the single red artery. Clustered along the edges of the ear under the translucent skin were clumps of what appeared to be whitish crystals.

“Do you see?” asked Uba Mintch.

“I see, but I do not know what it is that I see,” replied Braldt.

“Our masters were not content to alter us through generations of breeding, nor even through the use of the serum, but have made it possible to reconstruct, change, alter our behavior by means of these tiny implants. Here, Sytha, give me Arlin.”

Sytha Trubal willingly gave the small Madrelli into the hands of her grandfather, her arms and legs flailing wildly as usual.

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