Read Online Roberson, Jennifer - Cheysuli 08 by A Tapestry of Lions (v1.0) - Free Book Online Page A

learned from
this?"
                Kellin looked straight back.
"Not to run in Mujhara."
                After a moment of startled silence,
the Mujhar laughed aloud, folding bare bronzed arms across his chest with no
pretensions at maintaining a stem facade, even before the others. Kellin gaped
in surprise; what was so amusing, that his grandsire would sacrifice his
dignity before the others without hesitation?
                "I had expected something else
entirely." Brennan said at last, "but I cannot fault your statement-
There is truth in it." Amusement faded. "But there is also
Rogan."
                Kellin's belly clenched. He nodded
and stored at his boot toes. "Rogan," he echoed. "I meant not to
make him worry."
                "Tell him that."
                "I will."
                "Now."
                Kellin looked up from the ground and
saw Rogan in the doorway just behind his grandsire.
                The man's face was haggard and gray,
his eyes reddened from sleeplessness. Kellin thought then of the aforementioned
repercussions, Rogan's own question regarding what would become of him and the
Mujharan Guard if harm came to Kellin.
                "I am unharmed," Kellin
said quickly, grasping the repercussions as he never had before. "I am
whole, save for my lip, and that I got myself when I fell down."
                "And your cut hand; Rogan told
me." Brennan extended his own. "Let me see."
                Kellin held out his hand and allowed
his grandsire to examine the cuts. "Filthy," the Mujhar commented.
"It will want a good cleaning when we return, but will heal of its
own." His yellow eyes burned fiercely. "You must know not to test
others, Kellin. No matter the provocation. If you had not been so quick—"
                "But I knew I was," Kellin
insisted; couldn't any of them see? "I watched him. I watched the knife. I
knew what it would do,"
                Brennan's mouth crimped. "We
will speak of this another time. For now, I charge you to recall that for such
a serious transgression as this one, you endanger others as well as
yourself."
                Kellin looked again at Rogan. He
tugged ineffectually at his ruined jerkin. "I am sorry."
                The tutor nodded mutely, seemingly
diminished by the tension of the night. Or was it the Lion, biting now at
Rogan?
                "Well." The Mujhar cast a
glance around the room. "It is to be expected that you smell like the
Midden, or a midden—though I suppose it is less your own contribution than that
of everyone else."
                Kellin nodded, scratching at the
fleas that had vacated his pallet to take up residence in his clothing.
                Brennan considered him. "I
begin to think you are more like my rujholli than I had believed
possible."
                It astonished Kellin, who had never
thought of such a thing. "I am?"
                "Aye. Hart and Corin would have
gotten themselves thrown into a room just like this, or worse, for about the
same reason—or perhaps for a crime even worse than thievery—and then waited for
me to fetch them out." He looked his grandson up and down. "Are you
not young to begin?"
                Ashamed again, Kellin stared hard at
the ground.
                Softly, he said, "I did not
expect you to come."
                "Hart and Corin did. And they
were right; I always came." Brennan sighed. "You did expect someone."
                "What else?" It startled
Kellin. "You would not leave me here!"
                Brennan eyed him consideringly.
"I did leave you here. I knew where you were last night."
                "Last night It was
preposterous. "You left me here all night?"
                Brennan exchanged a glance with
Rogan. "In hopes you might