Read Online Crystal Rose by Maya Kaathryn Bohnhoff - Free Book Online

hesitated, then
opened himself, revealing a thick stew of confusion and not a little
embarrassment. He said, “Must you send, Aine?”
    “Must I send Aine,” she repeated, laying subtle stress on
the name.
    “I’ve grown fond of her.” He searched her face, eyes direct.
“But you know that, don’t you?”
    Taminy smiled. “Most people wouldn’t have noticed, but you
do scrap a lot.”
    He blushed. “I suppose we do. It’s uncertainty, I guess. We’ve
not spoken of it, even to each other. Most of our conversations, as you’ve
obviously noticed, seem to be Aine thrusting and me parrying. She’s a
strong-willed girl.”
    “Like Meredydd.”
    Wyth could hide neither his surprise nor his wistfulness at
the mention of that name. “I . . . In some ways, yes. She is like Meredydd.
Though she’s more sure of herself than ever Meredydd was . . . No. I’m wrong in
that, aren’t I? Meredydd knew what she wanted . . . It wasn’t me. It couldn’t
have been me. She was destined for the Meri. She . . .” He shook his head.
    “It’s still difficult for you to talk about.”
    He took a deep breath. “Some days. Some nights. Some
moments. Yes. Meredydd is still with me. And when the Meri speaks to me, it’s
Meredydd’s voice I hear.”
    “You asked if I must send Aine. The answer is ‘yes, I must.’
Listen,” she insisted, when he opened his mouth to protest, “and I’ll tell you
why I must.” She glanced past him into the hall. “Please close the door and
come back to the fire.”
    He did as bidden and they sat before the great stone hearth,
knee to knee; she, holding his elongated hands; he, trying to read her eyes.
    “I didn’t lie when I said Aine and Iseabal were the most
ready.”
    “I didn’t mean—!”
    “Shush! Now, Airleas has a powerful Gift, and Gwynet and
Eyslk are purer channels. But Airleas must stay here with me, and Gwynet is too
young for this task, and Eyslk is just discovering her Gift.”
    “There’s still Phelan.”
    “Phelan lacks the native talent. He’ll do his best work for
you in the academics when he’s fully trained.”
    “What about Skeet? I know he Speakweaves as easily as he
speaks aloud. He seems as comfortable with the Art as you do.”
    “Yes. But Skeet must also stay here—for my benefit,” she
added when his lips moved to ask why. “The only other people I could send would
be Desary, who would draw immediate suspicion in Creiddylad . . . and you.”
    “Me?”
    “You’ve the Gift and the power and the discipline. Do you
wish to finish your work in Creiddylad?” Now he wanted to look away and could
not. She held his eyes tighter than she held his hands.
    “But . . . but, Taminy— Mistress .
The Meri, Herself, made me Weard to the Covenant.”
    “Aye, she did.”
    “You are the
Covenant. The embodiment of it. To leave your side would be an act of betrayal.
Nor can I complete my work apart from you. The collection of the ancient texts
is all but finished. What I commit to writing now must fall from your lips.”
    “This is all true,” she agreed. “So you see, I’m left with
Aine and Iseabal.”
    He grimaced and nodded. “I do see.”
    She smiled at him. “Go to Catahn,” she said. “He’s looking
for you. He’s in your study just now.”
    When he was gone, she wondered if she might have been just a
bit more honest with him. Aine was a good choice for Creiddylad, but Desary was
better. She was more disciplined, more comfortable with her aidan, which was
unusually strong, and she was more confident in her ability to use it. And it
really wouldn’t have been too difficult to disguise the Hillwild girl to pass
among lowlanders. She already knew and had used a Weave that changed the color
of her startlingly black eyes. She knew, also, how to lose her Gyldan accent.
But, of the two, it was Aine who reminded Wyth of his lost Meredydd, and Wyth
who reminded Aine that she was only a Lorimer’s daughter.
    oOo
    “Airleas!” Gwynet