Read Online Shadows and Shades (Adventures in the Liaden Universe®) by Sharon Lee, Steve Miller - Free Book Online
Authors: Sharon Lee, Steve Miller
Ads: Link
contract. But not only will I wed a bel'Tarda because of you, I will bring them into the Clan because of you."
Pat Rin froze—what was this ?
She swept on, a child chillingly, absolutely convincing in the role of Clan elder.
"Ah, yes, smirk. I have seen the contracts. Tomorrow, I will sign them. Do you know that the dea'Gauss and bel'Tarda's man of business met this week? No—you might have, had you checked your weekly agendas, but when have you ever done so? Did you know that, between them, they decided that your life was insufficient to Balance the wrong done bel'Tarda?"
There was a laugh then, edgy and perhaps not quite sane. "Do you know that we are forbidden by Korval to kill you? But no matter, cuz, I am to both carry the bel'Tarda's heir, who will replace the man who suicided as a result of your extortion, and to oversee the rebuilding of their business—likely here on Liad!—since the heir and his heir died in the fire. The only proper Balance is to offer our protection, bring them into Korval, and insure that their Line lives on. For you—you nearly destroyed the whole of it! And you?"
Another frightening bow, this one so complex it took even Pat Rin's well-trained eye a moment to decode it: The bow of one who brings news of a death in the House.
Pat Rin, mesmerized, saw the play move on—
"You may see the Delm, if you dare, or you may choose a new name—one that lacks Korval, and one that lacks yos'Phelium. You may eat while you are in this house, you may sleep in this house, you may dress from the clothes you already own— but you will bring me your Clan rings, your insignia, your pass-keys. Bring them to me now. If you will speak to the Delm I will take you, else....
"Hah, and so I thought, " she said, spitting on the rug.
"Remove this rug and bring me the items I named... Know that if you leave— if you go beyond the outside door— it will not readmit you."
With that the girl-woman kicked at the rug and stormed off of it, turning her back and crumpling into the pose Pat Rin had seen before....
"I shall take the rug!" Pat Rin announced with sudden fervor, not certain that she'd heard.
He rolled it quickly, slung it manfully across his back in the carry he had learned so long ago from Luken, and hustled it out into the hall, where he dumped it hurriedly on the back stairs to his loft room, and clicked the mechanical lock forcefully.
He snatched the portable comm from its shelf and rushed back to the door of the display room, where he could see the girl huddled in sobs amid the ribbons that had once bound the cursed rug.
His fingers moved on the comm's keypad and he wondered who they had called. A faint chime came out of the speaker....another—and a woman's voice, speaking crisply.
"Solcintra Healer Hall. Service?"
* * *
THE HEALERS—a plump, merry-faced man and a thin, stern woman—arrived. The woman went immediately to Nova where she crouched and wept against the floor. The man tarried by Pat Rin's side.
"Did you move anything?"
"I took the carpet away, as she commanded," he said. "I locked the carpet knife in a drawer."
The Healer inclined his head. "We will wish to see both, later." He glanced about him and used his chin to point at the ceiling camera. "Is that live?"
"Yes," Pat Rin murmured. "Shall I—?"
"We will want a copy of the recording, yes, sir," the Healer said. "If you could have that done while we are examining your kinswoman, it would be most helpful."
"Certainly," Pat Rin said, and the Healer patted his arm, as if they were kin, or old and comfortable comrades, and strolled away across the floor.
Glad of being given a specific task, Pat Rin moved to the control desk, keeping an eye on the huddled group. The Healers
Pat Rin froze—what was this ?
She swept on, a child chillingly, absolutely convincing in the role of Clan elder.
"Ah, yes, smirk. I have seen the contracts. Tomorrow, I will sign them. Do you know that the dea'Gauss and bel'Tarda's man of business met this week? No—you might have, had you checked your weekly agendas, but when have you ever done so? Did you know that, between them, they decided that your life was insufficient to Balance the wrong done bel'Tarda?"
There was a laugh then, edgy and perhaps not quite sane. "Do you know that we are forbidden by Korval to kill you? But no matter, cuz, I am to both carry the bel'Tarda's heir, who will replace the man who suicided as a result of your extortion, and to oversee the rebuilding of their business—likely here on Liad!—since the heir and his heir died in the fire. The only proper Balance is to offer our protection, bring them into Korval, and insure that their Line lives on. For you—you nearly destroyed the whole of it! And you?"
Another frightening bow, this one so complex it took even Pat Rin's well-trained eye a moment to decode it: The bow of one who brings news of a death in the House.
Pat Rin, mesmerized, saw the play move on—
"You may see the Delm, if you dare, or you may choose a new name—one that lacks Korval, and one that lacks yos'Phelium. You may eat while you are in this house, you may sleep in this house, you may dress from the clothes you already own— but you will bring me your Clan rings, your insignia, your pass-keys. Bring them to me now. If you will speak to the Delm I will take you, else....
"Hah, and so I thought, " she said, spitting on the rug.
"Remove this rug and bring me the items I named... Know that if you leave— if you go beyond the outside door— it will not readmit you."
With that the girl-woman kicked at the rug and stormed off of it, turning her back and crumpling into the pose Pat Rin had seen before....
"I shall take the rug!" Pat Rin announced with sudden fervor, not certain that she'd heard.
He rolled it quickly, slung it manfully across his back in the carry he had learned so long ago from Luken, and hustled it out into the hall, where he dumped it hurriedly on the back stairs to his loft room, and clicked the mechanical lock forcefully.
He snatched the portable comm from its shelf and rushed back to the door of the display room, where he could see the girl huddled in sobs amid the ribbons that had once bound the cursed rug.
His fingers moved on the comm's keypad and he wondered who they had called. A faint chime came out of the speaker....another—and a woman's voice, speaking crisply.
"Solcintra Healer Hall. Service?"
* * *
THE HEALERS—a plump, merry-faced man and a thin, stern woman—arrived. The woman went immediately to Nova where she crouched and wept against the floor. The man tarried by Pat Rin's side.
"Did you move anything?"
"I took the carpet away, as she commanded," he said. "I locked the carpet knife in a drawer."
The Healer inclined his head. "We will wish to see both, later." He glanced about him and used his chin to point at the ceiling camera. "Is that live?"
"Yes," Pat Rin murmured. "Shall I—?"
"We will want a copy of the recording, yes, sir," the Healer said. "If you could have that done while we are examining your kinswoman, it would be most helpful."
"Certainly," Pat Rin said, and the Healer patted his arm, as if they were kin, or old and comfortable comrades, and strolled away across the floor.
Glad of being given a specific task, Pat Rin moved to the control desk, keeping an eye on the huddled group. The Healers
Similar Books
