Read Online Wolf's-own: Weregild by Carole Cummings - Free Book Online
Authors: Carole Cummings
Ads: Link
me lose you so soon after I got you back."
Fen murmured something Umeia didn't quite catch, but it sounded too close to, “I'm already lost,” so she pretended she hadn't heard it at all.
Joori must have heard it, though, because he winced then pushed himself back, stood, and swiped at his face with the crook of his elbow. Jaw set again, he directed a level look at Malick for a long, long moment, hands fisting then flexing as Malick merely looked back. No smugness, no challenge—nothing at all but steady resolve and confidence as Fen wilted into him again, shutting his eyes and shuddering quietly. The xsinzaua was kicking in, thank all the gods. With a deep breath, Joori dragged his glance away, shot it quickly around the room, nodded to Umeia, and left.
Silence lurched into the room, uncomfortable, until Umeia shook herself and peered at Samin, then jerked her chin. Without a word, Samin left, too, casting one last look at the bed as he pulled the door shut.
Malick gave Fen a careful jostle, sighing a little when Fen didn't so much as twitch in response. “He's out,” he said quietly.
Good.
"All right, then,” Umeia sighed. “If we're done with the melodrama, let's see what we're dealing with. I'll get the boots, you get the shirt.” She shook her head in dismay as Malick laid Fen out on the bed and she looked him over, taking in all the tears in wet fabric and the no doubt gory wounds waiting for her to uncover. “We'd better just cut off the trousers. Honestly, Malick, what were you thinking?"
Malick's mouth tightened as he sliced through the ties on the tunic that had started the whole mess. “I was thinking he'd been manipulated enough."
"Lovely,” Umeia retorted sourly and braced herself to tug the un-mangled boot off. “And trying to manipulate him into coming ‘round to your way of thinking never once occurred to you, I'm sure, what with your motivations being all pure and innocent."
"His father sold him, Umeia.” Angrier than Umeia would have guessed, the statement pushed out through his teeth and caustic, hands pausing on Fen's chest and curling into fists. “Sold him to fucking Asai when he was still a child. Now, if you want to tell me Asai's motivations are pure and innocent, and Wolf would approve, I'll be happy to—"
"And you're going to tell me that indulging his every whim—even the ones that might kill him—has nothing whatever to do with trying to gain his trust for yourself? You're going to tell me that you didn't basically sneak him out tonight under my nose because you knew he was in bad shape and I wouldn't allow it if I knew? You're going to tell me you don't plan to use and manipulate him and his brother, and those children, if you have to, just as much as As—"
" Do not put me in the same sentence with Asai,” Malick seethed. “I've got shit choices here, Umeia, but at least I don't dress up what I do with lies of salvation and promises I don't intend to keep. I haven't asked of him anything he didn't intend to do anyway, and I won't promise him anything I'm not damned sure I can give him. I can't help that Fen is the best chance I've got of getting Asai, I didn't do this to him, and I'm certainly not going to watch while he goes to the suns for that son of a bitch. Fucking manipulation . You want to talk about manipulation—"
"All right, all right, calm down.” Bloody hell, he was in deep, thrashing and telling himself he wasn't all the way down. Umeia shook her head. “Maybe he will take care of Asai for you. But, Mal... it won't solve all his... problems. And I cannot allow you to use those children. I've sworn. I'll fight you, if you make me."
She would too. Because drawing Asai out before he was ready, holding out as bait the very leverage they all knew he needed, was exactly the sort of thing Malick would do, what he probably should do, and what she should let him do. But he'd brought Fen to her for a reason, and maybe he hadn't known what that reason
Fen murmured something Umeia didn't quite catch, but it sounded too close to, “I'm already lost,” so she pretended she hadn't heard it at all.
Joori must have heard it, though, because he winced then pushed himself back, stood, and swiped at his face with the crook of his elbow. Jaw set again, he directed a level look at Malick for a long, long moment, hands fisting then flexing as Malick merely looked back. No smugness, no challenge—nothing at all but steady resolve and confidence as Fen wilted into him again, shutting his eyes and shuddering quietly. The xsinzaua was kicking in, thank all the gods. With a deep breath, Joori dragged his glance away, shot it quickly around the room, nodded to Umeia, and left.
Silence lurched into the room, uncomfortable, until Umeia shook herself and peered at Samin, then jerked her chin. Without a word, Samin left, too, casting one last look at the bed as he pulled the door shut.
Malick gave Fen a careful jostle, sighing a little when Fen didn't so much as twitch in response. “He's out,” he said quietly.
Good.
"All right, then,” Umeia sighed. “If we're done with the melodrama, let's see what we're dealing with. I'll get the boots, you get the shirt.” She shook her head in dismay as Malick laid Fen out on the bed and she looked him over, taking in all the tears in wet fabric and the no doubt gory wounds waiting for her to uncover. “We'd better just cut off the trousers. Honestly, Malick, what were you thinking?"
Malick's mouth tightened as he sliced through the ties on the tunic that had started the whole mess. “I was thinking he'd been manipulated enough."
"Lovely,” Umeia retorted sourly and braced herself to tug the un-mangled boot off. “And trying to manipulate him into coming ‘round to your way of thinking never once occurred to you, I'm sure, what with your motivations being all pure and innocent."
"His father sold him, Umeia.” Angrier than Umeia would have guessed, the statement pushed out through his teeth and caustic, hands pausing on Fen's chest and curling into fists. “Sold him to fucking Asai when he was still a child. Now, if you want to tell me Asai's motivations are pure and innocent, and Wolf would approve, I'll be happy to—"
"And you're going to tell me that indulging his every whim—even the ones that might kill him—has nothing whatever to do with trying to gain his trust for yourself? You're going to tell me that you didn't basically sneak him out tonight under my nose because you knew he was in bad shape and I wouldn't allow it if I knew? You're going to tell me you don't plan to use and manipulate him and his brother, and those children, if you have to, just as much as As—"
" Do not put me in the same sentence with Asai,” Malick seethed. “I've got shit choices here, Umeia, but at least I don't dress up what I do with lies of salvation and promises I don't intend to keep. I haven't asked of him anything he didn't intend to do anyway, and I won't promise him anything I'm not damned sure I can give him. I can't help that Fen is the best chance I've got of getting Asai, I didn't do this to him, and I'm certainly not going to watch while he goes to the suns for that son of a bitch. Fucking manipulation . You want to talk about manipulation—"
"All right, all right, calm down.” Bloody hell, he was in deep, thrashing and telling himself he wasn't all the way down. Umeia shook her head. “Maybe he will take care of Asai for you. But, Mal... it won't solve all his... problems. And I cannot allow you to use those children. I've sworn. I'll fight you, if you make me."
She would too. Because drawing Asai out before he was ready, holding out as bait the very leverage they all knew he needed, was exactly the sort of thing Malick would do, what he probably should do, and what she should let him do. But he'd brought Fen to her for a reason, and maybe he hadn't known what that reason
Similar Books
