cheeks. "He will come for you. Soon. I will not be able to stop him. Think beyond the present moment."
She felt her legs go out from under her, collapsing her backward against the washstand. "Should I run?" she wondered aloud.
"Where would you go?"
She bit her lip. Nowhere—she had nowhere to go. She could not even risk trusting Uncle Rened, for the wealthy merchant had great ties to the Racho court. And after the insult she had dealt him last night, he would quite likely turn her over to the Emperor simply to buy court favor. No, she had nowhere to go.
"Stay with me," the governor urged. "We can search your memories together. Maybe there is something you have forgotten. Something that would show the Emperor that you are trying to help. That you are no threat."
"I don't help murderers."
He sighed. "Do you know any other way to survive?" He reached forward, clasping her hands in his. "When the soldiers come—and they will come—what else can you do?"
She shook her head and reluctantly withdrew her hands from his. "Quite likely die, for I know nothing." She searched his face, looking for some hope, some answer different from the future he had already described.
Why do you look to him for hope? Aren't we the only hope?
She didn't know how to answer the egg, especially since it was right. She would get no help from this man. As governor and Dag Racho's dragon-hunter, he was the last person she would ever trust. So she walked away from him, dropping wearily onto her pallet.
"I must dance tonight, and I can't do that unless I get some more sleep. Thank you for the breakfast, Governor. I am sorry I cannot help you further."
He didn't say anything at first, merely watched her with an infinitely sad expression etched onto his face. Then, eventually, his shoulders dropped the tiniest fraction and she knew she had won.
"Contact me," he said softly. "If you think of anything or need any help, send me a message. I will help you any way I can."
To which she could only reply, "Thank you."
"It will not be enough," he warned. "Not unless you take the initiative. Do not let Dag Racho find you first. Otherwise, he will always believe you're hiding something."
"I'm not," she repeated wearily, desperately trying to suppress her fear.
"But he will not believe you. And he is the ruler of this land." The governor paused, as if waiting for her to change her mind. She almost did. He looked so kind, his expression so sad, that she was tempted despite all logic. But before she could make up her mind, he spun on his heel and left.
* * *
Natiya knew he watched her dance.
She would have known he was there even if he hid himself in the back room and watched from one of the darkened alcoves. But he had not. Talned had walked him to the center front table, chatting up the new governor as much as he dared. But apparently the dragonhunter wasn't very talkative, for Talned soon slunk away. Monik had equally little success, for it seemed the man wasn't very hungry either. She served him a bitter dakla and watched him from the sidelines as he nursed his drink and kept his attention on the curtain. It was as if he knew Natiya stood right behind it, watching him.
Perhaps he did. Perhaps he felt the same itch on his skin that she felt on hers. Perhaps her scent followed him, clinging to his clothing and hair, just as his scent tormented her. And perhaps her words, her attitude, her very image had rooted in his thoughts just as he stood like a large statue within hers. Indeed, she could barely think without bumping into him.
Should she eat before work? The pokoti he'd brought her for breakfast still lingered on her tongue.
Did she have enough money to pay rent and buy thread to fix her costume? He had nice clothing and lots of coins to buy food. What would it hurt if she allowed him to spend some of it on her?
Was Dag Racho truly rounding up all the people connected with dragon lore? Or had that been said simply to frighten her, to gain power
She felt her legs go out from under her, collapsing her backward against the washstand. "Should I run?" she wondered aloud.
"Where would you go?"
She bit her lip. Nowhere—she had nowhere to go. She could not even risk trusting Uncle Rened, for the wealthy merchant had great ties to the Racho court. And after the insult she had dealt him last night, he would quite likely turn her over to the Emperor simply to buy court favor. No, she had nowhere to go.
"Stay with me," the governor urged. "We can search your memories together. Maybe there is something you have forgotten. Something that would show the Emperor that you are trying to help. That you are no threat."
"I don't help murderers."
He sighed. "Do you know any other way to survive?" He reached forward, clasping her hands in his. "When the soldiers come—and they will come—what else can you do?"
She shook her head and reluctantly withdrew her hands from his. "Quite likely die, for I know nothing." She searched his face, looking for some hope, some answer different from the future he had already described.
Why do you look to him for hope? Aren't we the only hope?
She didn't know how to answer the egg, especially since it was right. She would get no help from this man. As governor and Dag Racho's dragon-hunter, he was the last person she would ever trust. So she walked away from him, dropping wearily onto her pallet.
"I must dance tonight, and I can't do that unless I get some more sleep. Thank you for the breakfast, Governor. I am sorry I cannot help you further."
He didn't say anything at first, merely watched her with an infinitely sad expression etched onto his face. Then, eventually, his shoulders dropped the tiniest fraction and she knew she had won.
"Contact me," he said softly. "If you think of anything or need any help, send me a message. I will help you any way I can."
To which she could only reply, "Thank you."
"It will not be enough," he warned. "Not unless you take the initiative. Do not let Dag Racho find you first. Otherwise, he will always believe you're hiding something."
"I'm not," she repeated wearily, desperately trying to suppress her fear.
"But he will not believe you. And he is the ruler of this land." The governor paused, as if waiting for her to change her mind. She almost did. He looked so kind, his expression so sad, that she was tempted despite all logic. But before she could make up her mind, he spun on his heel and left.
* * *
Natiya knew he watched her dance.
She would have known he was there even if he hid himself in the back room and watched from one of the darkened alcoves. But he had not. Talned had walked him to the center front table, chatting up the new governor as much as he dared. But apparently the dragonhunter wasn't very talkative, for Talned soon slunk away. Monik had equally little success, for it seemed the man wasn't very hungry either. She served him a bitter dakla and watched him from the sidelines as he nursed his drink and kept his attention on the curtain. It was as if he knew Natiya stood right behind it, watching him.
Perhaps he did. Perhaps he felt the same itch on his skin that she felt on hers. Perhaps her scent followed him, clinging to his clothing and hair, just as his scent tormented her. And perhaps her words, her attitude, her very image had rooted in his thoughts just as he stood like a large statue within hers. Indeed, she could barely think without bumping into him.
Should she eat before work? The pokoti he'd brought her for breakfast still lingered on her tongue.
Did she have enough money to pay rent and buy thread to fix her costume? He had nice clothing and lots of coins to buy food. What would it hurt if she allowed him to spend some of it on her?
Was Dag Racho truly rounding up all the people connected with dragon lore? Or had that been said simply to frighten her, to gain power
Similar Books
![Hillerman, Tony - [Leaphorn & Chee 03]](https://fs.dianahicksbooks.com/452618/thumbs/152x264/hillerman-tony-leaphorn-chee-03.jpg)
