Angel of Storms by Trudi Canavan

Author:Trudi Canavan
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Fiction / Fantasy / Epic, Fiction / Action & Adventure, Fiction / Fantasy / Historical
Publisher: Orbit
Published: 2015-11-09T16:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 14

Rielle absently rubbed the sore muscles of her calves as Baluka considered her suggestion, then tucked her feet back into the shade of the small canopy he’d erected for them a few hundred paces away from Lejikh’s wagon. Though not particularly warm, the sunlight here could burn the skin quickly, and Ankari had warned her to keep to the shade whenever possible.

Though the suns were high, most of the Travellers were still asleep. Since night held no risk of skinburn, they preferred to sleep through most of the day and gather at night. Most of the gathering involved music, song and dance, spaced between meals and drinking, and recovering from meals and drinking.

Baluka had kept his promise to teach her some of the Traveller dances. She picked them up quickly and enjoyed their boisterous energy. Half were for couples, the rest ranged from more complicated traditional turns involving several couples swapping partners, to individuals and groups of women or men in more skilled acrobatic performances.

The songs, too, ranged from single to group performances, sometimes watched in appreciative silence by all, other times with everyone joining in. As always, Rielle sang or hummed quietly enough that her lack of ability did not spoil the tune. Baluka sang heartily, admitting it was to make up for his lack of talent.

But it was Marta and Sadeer she admired most. Grandmother and granddaughter, together and apart, pierced the night with passionate, beautiful voices. Sadeer ended her first song by shyly handing a flower to a young man who had watched her with rapt fascination. Her fiancé, Rielle learned later. She also caught the glance Jikari made at a slightly older youth, who either did not notice, or pretended not to. Later she saw the young woman dancing and laughing with two other Traveller men.

After Jikari introduced Rielle to them she leaned close to whisper: “Life is too short for men who ignore you.”

Remembering that now, as Rielle rested under Baluka’s shelter, she was relieved to see that he was listening closely. His brows were creased in thought. When she finished, the lines deepened, then softened again. He pursed his lips, then shrugged.

“It is a good point,” he said.

She smiled, warily triumphant.

His frown returned, though. “If you are wrong… if he and the Raen are the same… do you understand the danger the leaders fear?”

She nodded. “They fear the Raen will end the deal between him and the Travellers.” Their freedom to trade between worlds would be revoked. They would be forced to settle in a world. Perhaps whichever worlds they were in when the Raen’s permission was withdrawn, which meant their people would be scattered throughout the worlds. Though sorcerers were capable of protecting themselves, they could still be in danger if the world they landed in contained stronger sorcerers. “If he is the same person, why would he do that? He gave me a choice. I could have stayed in my world. Is it worse that I choose to stay with you now?”

Baluka sighed.

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