Fred Saberhagen by The Water of Thought

Author:The Water of Thought [Thought, The Water of]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Published: 2011-08-25T21:31:09+00:00

VIII

Twenty-four hours after drinking the Water of Thought, Brenda felt its madness leaving her. When she was sure, she got to her feet and limped through the woods back toward the Warriors' Village. Now she could face Morton or Kaleta or Magnuson without fear of hurling herself at them like a love-starved spinster in a bad comedy.

Her obsession had been one of love and lust for Boris, and she could see now how she had almost killed him by trying to help him. And then, when he had to run for his life, she had slapped him. But he knew what the Water of Thought was; he would understand and forgive her; though the Water seemed to be easier on Earth-descended women than on their men. After one day of it, she wondered how Boris had endured it for five.

Several times during the day, parties of scowling warriors had come upon her in the woods, only to jabber contemptuously and hurry on, almost ignoring the alien female with the flat forehead, close-set eyes, and what they must think disgustingly soft skin.

But what mattered was that Boris had not yet been captured. The last search party, outward bound and looking even angrier than the first one, had passed Brenda not ten minutes ago.

Brenda hugged that knowledge as she limped slowly into the village. She had considered trying to get away and reach the colony, but she could not walk ten miles a day with this ankle. And she wanted to stay where she would know if anything happened to Boris.

A few children played in the dust of the village common, and women passed to and fro, stolidly engaged with their eternal chores. Brenda was one of the tribe now, and the women nodded to her and smiled across the barrier of language.

"Brendal" It was Jane, her face showing relief, running toward her. "Brenda, honey. Oh, I'm glad you're all right."

"Where are the others?" Taking the weight off her ankle, Brenda sat down on a log which served the village as a bench. 72

"Your boyfriend is gone."

Brenda tried to appear surprised. "He got away?"

Jane's eyes searched hers. "Maybe you know about it already. All the men were wild about it, and Don was worse than any of the Kappans. Magnuson, too. They're all out chasing after Boris, but they haven't caught him." Jane, her face troubled, sat down beside Brenda. "Eddie was killed, in the ordeal." I m sorry.

"Yes. He was married, anyway." Jane pulled her arm from Brenda's touch. "Honey, I have to confess something. It must have been that drug that made me do it. When I heard that Boris had gotten away, I—I was hoping that they'd catch him. In fact I ran around here screaming like some terrible ... I wanted to see him dead, and you too, just because he was yours, and you had something I didn't." Jane began to cry. "I don't suppose you can understand."

"Oh, Janey, it was that awful drug. I know. It

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