Read Online Shadows and Shades (Adventures in the Liaden Universe®) by Sharon Lee, Steve Miller - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Sharon Lee, Steve Miller
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returned to his task, comforted by the routine and her silent presence—
"What were your plans for that rug?"
"Eh?" Pat Rin blinked, and looked up at the sudden Healer. "Truly, sir, it is not my place to have plans for it. I do not hide from you that it is an extremely valuable carpet, even if the stain cannot be removed, and that it belongs to Line yos'Galan."
"Stain?" murmured the Healer, tipping his head to one side. "There is no stain, young sir."
Pat Rin felt the hairs rise along the back of his neck.
"Most assuredly," he said, moving round the desk and marching toward the rug in question, "there is a stain."
"Here," he said, arriving. He swept a hand downward, his eyes on the Healer's face. "Only look here and you will see where the fringe has—"
The Healer was watching his face, calmly. Pat Rin looked down.
There was no brown stain marring the wave of ivory fringe. He bent, stroked the supple woolen nap which had scant hours before been stiff with—blood. Del Ban yos'Phelium's blood.
"I believe that the most excellent yos'Galan will not favor this rug, young sir," the Healer murmured. "Perhaps you might take charge of it." He raised his hand as if he had heard Pat Rin's unspoken protest. And perhaps, thought Pat Rin, he had.
"I will speak with your cousin on the matter, for it comes to me that such a rug, gotten at such cost, ought not to be destroyed, no matter the pain it has unwittingly brought to a daughter of the House." The Healer cocked his head. "Keep it by, do."
Pat Rin bowed.
"Very well," the other said, with a sigh. "I leave you now, sir. A pleasure to make your acquaintance."
"Wait—" Pat Rin put out a hand as if he would physically restrain the man.
The Healer paused. "Yes?"
"My cousin Nova—what ailed her? Will she mend? How shall— ?"
"Peace, peace," the Healer laughed. "The Masters must have their chance at diagnosis, but it seems to me that your cousin has a very rare talent in the dramliz spectrum."
Dramliza . Pat Rin closed his eyes. "What talent?" he asked, 'round the pain in his heart.
"Why, she remembers," the Healer said, as Pat Rin opened his eyes. "That's all." He gave the carpet one more long glance.
"I really must—ah, a moment, of your kindness!" He leaned forward, and before Pat Rin knew what he intended, had cupped the injured cheek in a warm and slightly moist palm.
There was a small tingle—and the pain flowed away, leaving only warmth.
The Healer stepped back, placed his hand over his heart and bowed.
"Peace unto you, Pat Rin yos'Phelium. Long life and fair profit."
"Healer—" Pat Rin began.
But the Healer was gone.
* * *
PIN'WELTIR HAD GONE some hours ahead of the rest, pleading another appointment, which seemed odd at that hour of the morning—but who was Pat Rin yos'Phelium to comment upon the arrangements of a mere acquaintance? He did note, privately, that pin'Weltir had not recalled this second appointment until Luken had roundly trounced him at piket, lightening his brash lordship's purse by a considerable number of coins.
Still, and excusing the early departure of a guest not much missed in his absence, Pat Rin counted this first party in his own establishment a success. He was quite sincerely exhausted by his hostly duties, yet exhilarated.
The last, late-staying guest bowed out, and the door locked, Pat Rin moved down the hall to the room he had made his study. There, as he expected, he found his foster father, seated in Pat Rin's reading chair, thoughtfully gazing at the ivory-and-green carpet.
Pat Rin hesitated in the doorway. Luken looked up, face roguish in the soft yellow light.
"Well, boy-dear! Well, indeed. A most
"What were your plans for that rug?"
"Eh?" Pat Rin blinked, and looked up at the sudden Healer. "Truly, sir, it is not my place to have plans for it. I do not hide from you that it is an extremely valuable carpet, even if the stain cannot be removed, and that it belongs to Line yos'Galan."
"Stain?" murmured the Healer, tipping his head to one side. "There is no stain, young sir."
Pat Rin felt the hairs rise along the back of his neck.
"Most assuredly," he said, moving round the desk and marching toward the rug in question, "there is a stain."
"Here," he said, arriving. He swept a hand downward, his eyes on the Healer's face. "Only look here and you will see where the fringe has—"
The Healer was watching his face, calmly. Pat Rin looked down.
There was no brown stain marring the wave of ivory fringe. He bent, stroked the supple woolen nap which had scant hours before been stiff with—blood. Del Ban yos'Phelium's blood.
"I believe that the most excellent yos'Galan will not favor this rug, young sir," the Healer murmured. "Perhaps you might take charge of it." He raised his hand as if he had heard Pat Rin's unspoken protest. And perhaps, thought Pat Rin, he had.
"I will speak with your cousin on the matter, for it comes to me that such a rug, gotten at such cost, ought not to be destroyed, no matter the pain it has unwittingly brought to a daughter of the House." The Healer cocked his head. "Keep it by, do."
Pat Rin bowed.
"Very well," the other said, with a sigh. "I leave you now, sir. A pleasure to make your acquaintance."
"Wait—" Pat Rin put out a hand as if he would physically restrain the man.
The Healer paused. "Yes?"
"My cousin Nova—what ailed her? Will she mend? How shall— ?"
"Peace, peace," the Healer laughed. "The Masters must have their chance at diagnosis, but it seems to me that your cousin has a very rare talent in the dramliz spectrum."
Dramliza . Pat Rin closed his eyes. "What talent?" he asked, 'round the pain in his heart.
"Why, she remembers," the Healer said, as Pat Rin opened his eyes. "That's all." He gave the carpet one more long glance.
"I really must—ah, a moment, of your kindness!" He leaned forward, and before Pat Rin knew what he intended, had cupped the injured cheek in a warm and slightly moist palm.
There was a small tingle—and the pain flowed away, leaving only warmth.
The Healer stepped back, placed his hand over his heart and bowed.
"Peace unto you, Pat Rin yos'Phelium. Long life and fair profit."
"Healer—" Pat Rin began.
But the Healer was gone.
* * *
PIN'WELTIR HAD GONE some hours ahead of the rest, pleading another appointment, which seemed odd at that hour of the morning—but who was Pat Rin yos'Phelium to comment upon the arrangements of a mere acquaintance? He did note, privately, that pin'Weltir had not recalled this second appointment until Luken had roundly trounced him at piket, lightening his brash lordship's purse by a considerable number of coins.
Still, and excusing the early departure of a guest not much missed in his absence, Pat Rin counted this first party in his own establishment a success. He was quite sincerely exhausted by his hostly duties, yet exhilarated.
The last, late-staying guest bowed out, and the door locked, Pat Rin moved down the hall to the room he had made his study. There, as he expected, he found his foster father, seated in Pat Rin's reading chair, thoughtfully gazing at the ivory-and-green carpet.
Pat Rin hesitated in the doorway. Luken looked up, face roguish in the soft yellow light.
"Well, boy-dear! Well, indeed. A most
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