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accepted.”
“Oh?” He cupped his hand in a way that I disliked. “I, then, offer your life to you, if you’ll swear to serve me.”
“No.”
His eyes narrowed. “You would die?”
“I assume you refer to something quicker than old age?”
“I do, Rifkin.”
“So you say. I won’t believe it until I experience it, of course. I doubt I’d be able to believe it then.”
Small sparks began to dance in his palm. “You have two choices. Make one.”
“No.”
“You doubt I would kill you?”
“I think if you intended to, you would’ve already tried.”
Talivane nodded, and the sparks disappeared. “You’re right.”
“Then play no more games with me,” I said, wondering if anyone else noticed that the smell of fresh sweat had joined the odors of my jacket.
“You order me?” He seemed more incredulous than affronted.
“I advise you.”
“A fine distinction.”
I sighed. “You’ve been trying to learn about me with your little tests, witch lord. You think that understanding me will give you power over me. I’ll offer you understanding, then, and you may take it as power, if you can. Along the coast of the Ladizhar those who try to take another’s life forfeit all right to their own. If I ever believe you are sincere in any threat made against your sister or me, I’ll kill you and think no more about it.”
“A bold statement, Rifkin.“
“You wouldn’t say that if you knew me, Gromandiel. I’m not fond of death.” I sipped my wine. “I’ll offer another bit of knowledge to you, the First Step of the Path: The reason for the world is life, and the reason for life is the world.”
“Typical circuitous mysticism.”
“That’s because you hear my words, but not what they imply. If life is the purpose of the universe, premature death is heresy. For me to tell you that I would kill—”
“But you have killed,” Naiji noted.
“Only those who attempted to kill others. Were I wiser, I might’ve found a better way to escape the bear and avert the Spirits.”
Talivane turned to his sister and sadly shook his head. “This is the fighter you bring me?”
“If he can stop Komaki without killing, I, at least, would be content, dear brother. And if he can’t...” Naiji smiled at me. “Then our pacifist will have to slay as many of the Duke’s warriors as the most kill-mad of our band.”
Talivane patted his lips with his napkin. “Our conversation takes a rather morbid turn.”
“It’s not as if we’re sure Komaki will attack,” Naiji told me. “We only suspect it. My brother sent a message by pigeon to Queen Janiavy just yesterday, asking her to sustain the peace.”
“It didn’t arrive,” said Kivakali.
Talivane stared at her.
“The cook dreamt of a small bird shot with a green arrow,” she explained hesitantly.
“The cook,” Talivane said with a sneer.
Naiji laid her hand on his arm. “Dovriex is almost as good a seer as he is a chef.”
Talivane still watched his wife. “Green, you said?”
Kivakali nodded.
“Your father’s color.”
“Yes.”
“I never should have married you.”
She gnawed her lip. “I...”
“Yes?”
“I don’t aid him against you.”
“Of course not. You’re too cowardly for that.”
She stood and threw her napkin at him. It fell short of his plate. “I also know my duty!” Her eyes had filled with tears. “I...” Her features were etched in anguish as she glanced at each of us. “Please, excuse me,” she gasped, then covered her face and ran from the room.
Talivane sighed as he brushed aside Kivakali’s napkin. “I might enjoy her outbursts more if they were more original.”
“She suffers,” I said.
“Who doesn’t?”
“In the south, unhappy alliances are easily ended.”
“I won’t surrender her dowry, Rifkin. Nor will I return Komaki’s daughter to him.”
Naiji, seeing my expression, said, “The old king forced the marriage on us, partly to prevent war, partly to keep my brother from
“Oh?” He cupped his hand in a way that I disliked. “I, then, offer your life to you, if you’ll swear to serve me.”
“No.”
His eyes narrowed. “You would die?”
“I assume you refer to something quicker than old age?”
“I do, Rifkin.”
“So you say. I won’t believe it until I experience it, of course. I doubt I’d be able to believe it then.”
Small sparks began to dance in his palm. “You have two choices. Make one.”
“No.”
“You doubt I would kill you?”
“I think if you intended to, you would’ve already tried.”
Talivane nodded, and the sparks disappeared. “You’re right.”
“Then play no more games with me,” I said, wondering if anyone else noticed that the smell of fresh sweat had joined the odors of my jacket.
“You order me?” He seemed more incredulous than affronted.
“I advise you.”
“A fine distinction.”
I sighed. “You’ve been trying to learn about me with your little tests, witch lord. You think that understanding me will give you power over me. I’ll offer you understanding, then, and you may take it as power, if you can. Along the coast of the Ladizhar those who try to take another’s life forfeit all right to their own. If I ever believe you are sincere in any threat made against your sister or me, I’ll kill you and think no more about it.”
“A bold statement, Rifkin.“
“You wouldn’t say that if you knew me, Gromandiel. I’m not fond of death.” I sipped my wine. “I’ll offer another bit of knowledge to you, the First Step of the Path: The reason for the world is life, and the reason for life is the world.”
“Typical circuitous mysticism.”
“That’s because you hear my words, but not what they imply. If life is the purpose of the universe, premature death is heresy. For me to tell you that I would kill—”
“But you have killed,” Naiji noted.
“Only those who attempted to kill others. Were I wiser, I might’ve found a better way to escape the bear and avert the Spirits.”
Talivane turned to his sister and sadly shook his head. “This is the fighter you bring me?”
“If he can stop Komaki without killing, I, at least, would be content, dear brother. And if he can’t...” Naiji smiled at me. “Then our pacifist will have to slay as many of the Duke’s warriors as the most kill-mad of our band.”
Talivane patted his lips with his napkin. “Our conversation takes a rather morbid turn.”
“It’s not as if we’re sure Komaki will attack,” Naiji told me. “We only suspect it. My brother sent a message by pigeon to Queen Janiavy just yesterday, asking her to sustain the peace.”
“It didn’t arrive,” said Kivakali.
Talivane stared at her.
“The cook dreamt of a small bird shot with a green arrow,” she explained hesitantly.
“The cook,” Talivane said with a sneer.
Naiji laid her hand on his arm. “Dovriex is almost as good a seer as he is a chef.”
Talivane still watched his wife. “Green, you said?”
Kivakali nodded.
“Your father’s color.”
“Yes.”
“I never should have married you.”
She gnawed her lip. “I...”
“Yes?”
“I don’t aid him against you.”
“Of course not. You’re too cowardly for that.”
She stood and threw her napkin at him. It fell short of his plate. “I also know my duty!” Her eyes had filled with tears. “I...” Her features were etched in anguish as she glanced at each of us. “Please, excuse me,” she gasped, then covered her face and ran from the room.
Talivane sighed as he brushed aside Kivakali’s napkin. “I might enjoy her outbursts more if they were more original.”
“She suffers,” I said.
“Who doesn’t?”
“In the south, unhappy alliances are easily ended.”
“I won’t surrender her dowry, Rifkin. Nor will I return Komaki’s daughter to him.”
Naiji, seeing my expression, said, “The old king forced the marriage on us, partly to prevent war, partly to keep my brother from
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