The Glass of Dyskornis by Randall Garrett

Author:Randall Garrett [Garrett, Randall]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 978-1-625670-28-1
Publisher: Jabberwocky Literary Agency, Inc.
Published: 2013-08-29T04:00:00+00:00

12

“THYMAS!”

I yelled it at the top of my voice, scaring Tarani into a quick retreat, and sending the bird fluttering up. The girl ordered: “Lonna, bring Thymas.” The white bird circled a few turns, then took off westward.

“If it took that loaded caravan of yours two seven-days to get to Thagorn, we should be able to ride to Chizan from here in about a third of that time …”

I was talking to myself, mostly, as I tied together the packs I couldn’t help thinking of as “saddlebags.” A Rider held their joining rope across his thighs when he traveled, so that the heavy rope would not chafe his sha’um’s back.

“My only chance to save Volitar is by facing Molik alone,” Tarani cried. “If you come with me, you’ll be killing Volitar!”

I kept working, ignoring her.

She came over to me and grabbed my arm. “If you don’t care about Volitar, what about Thymas. What do you think it will do to him, to learn the truth about Molik?”

“Thymas claims to be an adult,” I snapped, “though he doesn’t show it much when he’s around you. If you’re so worried about shocking him, maybe you’d better tell him yourself, before Molik rubs it in his face.

“I am going to Chizan,” I told her. “And you are going with me, because you are my key to Molik. If you want me to order Thymas to stay behind, I’ll do that. I’m sure he’ll be glad to ride back to Thagorn and leave us alone together.”

I shrugged off her hands.

“Sure he will,” I said. “Thymas will be behind us all the way. He’ll disobey my orders, break his promise to his father, and effectively exile himself from Thagorn. He’ll think it’s worth it, too, if he can have you at that price.

“You can have a wonderful, wandering life together,” I continued savagely. “And that should suit you just fine. You’ll have a sha’um for the star of your show.”

I had finished tying my packs, and Thymas’s too. Looking around, I found the backpack Tarani had used. I picked it up and tossed it to her. “Thymas will be here in a minute,” I said. “Get ready to go.”

She caught the bag awkwardly, then threw it to the ground.

“No!” she yelled. Her hands were shaking, and her eyes were gleaming slits of black. Her lips were drawn back from her teeth, exposing the canine tusks.

“Put that travel bag on,” I said. I kept my voice soft, but I was in no mood to accept interference, and I tried to make that clear to her.

“There is nothing you can do to force me,” she said. “Without me, you’ll never get close to Molik. That’s not a threat—it’s the truth.”

Molik has her uncle, I thought. And Thymas has her affection, or trust, or maybe even love. But I don’t have any hold on her, is that it? I’ve already wasted the only thing that might have worked—the chance of telling Thymas about Molik.

There’s always physical force, I considered briefly.

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