Wrede, Patricia C - [Lyra 04] by Caught in Crystal

Author:Caught in Crystal [Crystal, Caught in]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2012-08-28T15:13:44+00:00

The man was tall and lean, with gray eyes and dark hair that was just beginning to show streaks of gray. Kayl watching him closely as he talked, letting her companions ask most of the questions.

“Yes, I know the mountains well,” he told Beshara. His voice was smooth as currant wine, and surprisingly deep for such a lean man. “I’ve lived in them all my life.”

Kayl blinked. Was there an undercurrent of anger in his last few words? Her eyes narrowed and she leaned forward as Beshara smiled and said, “Would you feel capable of acting as our guide, then?”

“I’m capable enough,” the man said pleasantly, “but I’m no guide. I can direct you, though, if that’s what you need.”

“That is what we need. Among other things,” Beshara murmured.

“This is ridiculous,” Barthelmy snapped. “Ask him what we want to know, or let him go, but in the stars’ name stop sidling around the question!”

“Barthelmy.” Evla put a soothing hand on her arm.

“She has a point,” Kevran said quietly.

Beshara glanced at him and shrugged. “Oh, very well, do as you like.”

Kevran turned to the dark-haired man, who had been watching the exchange with interest. “We are, as you may have guessed, searching for something. We know it is somewhere in the Windhome

Mountains, and we suspect that it is… unusual.”

“Not much of a description,” the man commented.

“No, but we are hoping you can suggest a place to start looking.” Kevran smiled wryly. “The Windhome Mountains are a lot to search, otherwise.”

The dark-haired man hesitated. “There’s a place I know of,” he said, and stopped.

“Tell us. Please,” Varevice said.

“It’s a valley, a little less than two weeks’ ride north and east of here,” the man said reluctantly.

“There’s a tower… It’s an evil place; no one lives there. Those who know of it avoid it.”

Kevran exchanged glances with Beshara and Varevice. “It’s somewhere to start, and it’s in the right area,” he said. He turned back to the dark-haired man. “Can you tell us how to find it? We’ll pay well for the information.”

The man looked startled, and his eyes darkened. For a moment, Kayl thought he was going to refuse; then he said, “I will tell you how to reach the valley, but I will not take your money for it.”

“So?” Beshara raised an eyebrow, then shrugged. “As you wish. Are you lettered? Write out your directions, then, and give them to Kevran there in the morning, and we will thank you for it.”

The man nodded and turned away. As he passed Kayl on his way out, she heard him mutter, “For this, there should be no thanks.”

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