Read Online Tahn by L. A. Kelly - Free Book Online Page B

each of them in turn, saying their names. “I have told them we shall have a lesson,” he said. “And then they must rest.”
    He lifted the water pail and turned toward the sound of running water. “Vari,” he said. “Let me show you the stream.”
    The biggest boy rose to go with him. Vari was almost as big as the man but definitely younger, and he walked with a barely perceivable limp.
    None of the rest of the children moved an inch. Netta was amazed by that. No questions? No exploring? They were so young. What kind of hold did he have on them that they should not even act like children?
    When the strange man returned, his hair was dripping wet. He held the pail of fresh water. Vari was behind him, his hands studying the cave passage.
    Their teacher brought the pail and set it in the middle of the circle. “From the youngest,” he said, and all the children rose to take a drink in their due order.
    Netta could see fear in their faces. Was he hard to them? Why were they with him at all?
    As soon as they had all drunk, he separated them into pairs of unequal size. “You who are the smaller, you have been traveling a long time,” he told them. “Suddenly a threatening stranger appears. You who are taller, the stranger is you. Now, traveler, what do you do?”
    “Am I alone?” Briant asked.
    “Good question,” the teacher responded. “You are alone and unarmed except for a knife. Your opponent is armed likewise.” He pulled eight short sticks from a pocket and tossed one to each child.
    Netta was horrified but said nothing. What could she possibly do?
    “He’s so big,” said Temas, who was paired with Stuva. “I don’t wanna fight. Can I scream an’ act like there’s somebody close?”
    “Worth a try,” the teacher replied. “But your adversary has been watching you. He knows there’s no one.”
    “I’ll throw my knife at ’im,” little Duncan said with a vehemence that shocked Netta. What is he doing to these children?
    “Only throw if you know your mark and your opponent without a doubt. If he dodges, you are unarmed.”
    “I’d tell him I just wanna pass, and he’d be wise to be on his way,” Briant said, sounding like a teenager at seven.
    “But he attacks,” the warrior told them. “Go ahead, strangers.”
    All four of the bigger children moved on the smaller ones, and they were suddenly sparring roughly. It was hard for Netta to watch. They fought like it was real, and the man walked among them, shouting encouragement or criticism. After the separate battles, all four of the younger ones were conquered, Temas and Duncan easily. But Rane had bitten his opponent and nearly squirmed away, and Briant had moved handily with his stick before finally being bested by the much bigger Vari.
    “Better,” their fierce teacher told them. “One of these days, you’ll be surviving. Now, why did I wait before calling you up to the cave?”
    They were all quiet until Stuva spoke. “You were checking to make sure it was safe.”
    “What did I find?”
    “It was safe,” Doogan said.
    “No. I waited. Why? What did I see?”
    They were thinking, all but Vari, who smiled and waited.
    “The lady,” Temas said, “an’ her things outside.”
    “Yes. But I waited. Why?”
    “You saw somethin’ that wasn’t here before?” Stuva asked.
    “Indeed.” Tahn nodded his head. “I want you to remember that. Whenever you go out and come in, look. If anything has changed, do not come in as usual. Why? What would it mean?”
    “Somebody else has been here,” Doogan said. “Maybe not a friend.”
    “That’s right. Remember that.” He glanced over at Netta. “That’s enough for now,” he told them. “Drink what you need. From the youngest.”
    He walked over toward Netta. “They will need to rest now,” he said. He turned to leave.
    “Sir,” she called out, and he faced her.
    She quaked inside, wondering how to address this. Why couldn’t she just let it go?
    He stood in silence,