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Nikko gave a weary nod. "I know."
"You should toss his butt out."
Nikko shook his head at Finn. "I'm supposed to be enforcing the laws and
customs ... not breaking them."
"Laws and customs change, Nikko," Cahira said. "When I
was young they would have stoned Merissa to death for sleeping with a
sa'necari ... much less bearing his cub."
Kynyr winced inwardly. Every time someone mentioned changing customs, the
first example they gave was always
Merissa. "Isranon was a good mon."
"Was he?" A wisp of irritation crept into Cahira's voice. "I
wouldn't know. I've always stayed away from the sa'necari ...
including the Dark Brothers. What freedoms we have, we
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gained from the Sharani conquest. Thirty years of Sharani rule. If not for
them, the sa'necari would still be demanding a ritual tithe of our young."
Cahira threw a hard glance at the young wolves, as if daring them to disagree
with her.
"Gram..." Kynyr tried to derail it, but could not think of what to say.
"No. You listen to me. The Rebellion was Claw's dream. He paid for it with the
lives of his sons. And it got him nothing."
"The clans would like to be rid of both of them," said Finn.
"If not one, it will be the other. I, for one, would rather have the Sharani
than the sa'necari."
Nikko ruffled Moss' ears. "I agree with Cahira. After all, the secret
histories..."
Cahira made a disparaging noise. "The secret histories are just the wishful
braggadocio of the elders and the clan chieftains, claiming responsibility for
the deeds of others. You should know better than to take them seriously,
Lawgiver."
The door opened and female voices filled the air. Moss gave a yelp, made a
flying leap from Nikko's lap onto the bed, and clambered over Kynyr to the
pile of pillows behind him.
Then the little dog spun about barking and snarling with astonishing ferocity.
Merissa halted with Darmyk by the hand and stared at
Moss. Her gaze dropped to Kenly and she grasped the big cat by the collar,
turned him about and put him out of the room.
"Darmyk, tell Kenly to wait outside. He's scaring Moss."
Darmyk slipped his hand from his mother's grasp and hugged his cat, making
growly noises in the cat's ear. Kenly
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gave an unhappy rumble and settled on a rug beyond the door.
Aisha, Fianait, and Searlait, who had been following her, stepped over and
around Kenly. Cahira got to her feet. Her eyes met Aisha's briefly as if in
silent objection. Then she straightened her skirts and went to the door.
"Please, excuse me. I have things to do in the kitchen."
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Finn jumped up. "I got things to do. I'll be back in a bit."
He went after Cahira.
Merissa settled into the chair that Finn had vacated. "Your grandmother
doesn't like us."
Moss calmed down the moment the door closed, and began licking Kynyr's ear.
"Cahira's just a bit..." Kynyr groped for a word that would not cost him in
hurt feelings. "Odd. She's a bit odd."
"She always was, if you ask me," Aisha snapped.
Silence descended and remained until Darmyk broke it by crawling onto Kynyr's
bed. He planted a wet kiss on Kynyr's cheek and said something he could only
have gotten from his grandfather. "Crotchety bitches. Don't listen to them."
Everyone stared at Darmyk for an instant and then laughter erupted all over
the room.
Kynyr hugged Darmyk. "Smart cub."
"I know it." A pleased smile of childish superiority spread across Darmyk's
face, and he nestled against the injured guardsmon. His robe gaped open and
Kynyr's eyes went to the wine-stain birthmark on the cub's chest that had
given
Darmyk his nickname. Kynyr stroked the birthmark and
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chuckled with a wink at the assembled females. "You are so right, Little
Bear."
* * * *
Finn sat across from Cahira at the kitchen table. "I saw how you looked at
them."
Cahira took the tea kettle from the stove and poured hot water over the little
ball in her cup. The fragrance of mint tea filled the room. She let it steep
and fetched sugar and fresh cream before answering Finn. "You're far too
observant, Finn."
"I guess. Comes from growing up with the Dreaded Horde.
Ignore the warning signs and get thunked with a hair brush."
"Do you dislike them so much?"
Finn shrugged, an impish smile stirring the corners of his lips. "Nah. I love
'em all. But I'm much happier without them."
"Why did you follow me?"
"You made me a promise and I've been waiting a week for it." Finn ticked the
days off on his fingers. "Nah, week and a half."
"You're not going to let me off?"
"No. If I'm gonna keep my promise to the Dreaded Horde, there can't be secrets
when it comes to Kynyr."
"What promise is that?"
"That I'd keep him safe. So far I ain't done very good at it."
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When the mood was on him, Finn could speak with the aplomb of a noblemon, but
most of the time, he preferred to relax and not worry about it.
"Take my tea to the study for me. We'll talk there. I don't want to be
overheard."
Finn did as Cahira asked and they were soon settled into a small room on the [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]