shook his head regretfully. “There would be just as many the next day, Inos. Maybe if you made a general proclamation …” But his face said it wouldn’t work.
“Why haven’t I heard?” she demanded angrily.
“Far as I know, he’s been doing very well. He thrashed Nev, and Oshi. “
Shed seen young Oshi. “That was Gath did that? Gods!”
” ‘Stremely well. But you know jotnar-it’s always one-onone with them.”
Not always, just usually. And he hadn’t added the obviouswhen imps resorted to violence, they fought in packs. If the imp boys started in on Gath, also, then sheer numbers would overcome his occult ability to dodge.
Oh, Rap! I need you!
“Inos … ” Lin chewed his mustache again. “Gath has second sight, doesn’t he?”
Whatever Lin knew, everyone would know, but the secret was obviously out now. “He has a slight prescience, yes.”
Lin tried vainly to hide his satisfaction at this confirmation. “Well, then! He didn’t say he wouldn’t be at the dinner. Only that Brak wouldn’t.”
Inos felt a huge relief. “That’s right! And he knew there wasn’t going to be any wine! He came in after I told Kadie that, didn’t he?” Today, at least, Gath was going to win again.
But tomorrow, and the day after?
She needed her husband, but Gath needed his father much more.
How long until Rap came home? Where was he, and what was he doing?
2
“Wake up NOW!” Hardgraa said, slamming the cabin door. Ylo grunted. He had been fast asleep, but he had always had the knack of going into or out of sleep quickly. That did not mean he wished to leave his warn bunk.
“You are wanted on deck in five minutes, ” the centurion said. “You will be there. I think you will find it chilly with no clothes on, but please yourself. “
Ylo stretched and rubbed his eyes. “Your mother plied her trade in ditches and paid her customers. What clothes? Where are we? What time is it?”
“Those clothes. Somewhere on Cenmere. About an hour after breakfast. “
Ylo sat up and scratched. A century or so ago, this rotten hulk had been a fancy craft, plying the luxury trade on Cenmere, bearing aristocrats to and from their grand lakeside mansions. Now she leaked and creaked and swilled putrid fluids around in her bilges just the sort of ship a dwarf would choose! The cabin was shabby and stale-smelling. Nevertheless, he had slept extremely well, and he did not feel in the least bit seasick, which was remarkable.
He had left his mail surcoat and_ his wolfskin draped over the chair. A heap of other garments had been laid on top of them. “I’m a civilian now?” he demanded, noting that Hardgraa was garbed in doublet and hose and a warm-looking cloak. “We all are, stupid.”
“Who made those-the dwarf?”
“Ha! Wed all look like mine workers if he had. No, the faun did. They’re plain, but they’re good stuff.”
Ylo reluctantly threw off the covers and swung his feet down to a cold and dirty floor. “Shaving?”
Hardgraa whipped out a dagger and offered it hilt first. “Lots of water outside. Bucket and rope on deck.” He had obviously shaved recently, and without nicking himself. Ylo had never understood how he ever managed to do that, even with hot water and soap, because his face had the texture of tree bark. It might be as tough. Perhaps he used sandstone.
“I’ll think about it.” Ylo began dressing. If Shandie really had ordered him on deck in five minutes, then the centurion would not be bluffing about delivering him there ready or not.
Hardgraa leaned back against the door. “You’ll miss that wolfskin, won’t you? Girls will take longer?”
“At least another ten minutes.” Ylo shivered into the shirt. “You do realize that the imperor is now deposed? Legally he can’t give us orders anymore. “
Hardgraa grinned menacingly. “He can give me orders!”
“Somehow I thought you would see it that way.”
The centurion tested the edge of his dagger with a horny thumb.
“Why haven’t I heard?” she demanded angrily.
“Far as I know, he’s been doing very well. He thrashed Nev, and Oshi. “
Shed seen young Oshi. “That was Gath did that? Gods!”
” ‘Stremely well. But you know jotnar-it’s always one-onone with them.”
Not always, just usually. And he hadn’t added the obviouswhen imps resorted to violence, they fought in packs. If the imp boys started in on Gath, also, then sheer numbers would overcome his occult ability to dodge.
Oh, Rap! I need you!
“Inos … ” Lin chewed his mustache again. “Gath has second sight, doesn’t he?”
Whatever Lin knew, everyone would know, but the secret was obviously out now. “He has a slight prescience, yes.”
Lin tried vainly to hide his satisfaction at this confirmation. “Well, then! He didn’t say he wouldn’t be at the dinner. Only that Brak wouldn’t.”
Inos felt a huge relief. “That’s right! And he knew there wasn’t going to be any wine! He came in after I told Kadie that, didn’t he?” Today, at least, Gath was going to win again.
But tomorrow, and the day after?
She needed her husband, but Gath needed his father much more.
How long until Rap came home? Where was he, and what was he doing?
2
“Wake up NOW!” Hardgraa said, slamming the cabin door. Ylo grunted. He had been fast asleep, but he had always had the knack of going into or out of sleep quickly. That did not mean he wished to leave his warn bunk.
“You are wanted on deck in five minutes, ” the centurion said. “You will be there. I think you will find it chilly with no clothes on, but please yourself. “
Ylo stretched and rubbed his eyes. “Your mother plied her trade in ditches and paid her customers. What clothes? Where are we? What time is it?”
“Those clothes. Somewhere on Cenmere. About an hour after breakfast. “
Ylo sat up and scratched. A century or so ago, this rotten hulk had been a fancy craft, plying the luxury trade on Cenmere, bearing aristocrats to and from their grand lakeside mansions. Now she leaked and creaked and swilled putrid fluids around in her bilges just the sort of ship a dwarf would choose! The cabin was shabby and stale-smelling. Nevertheless, he had slept extremely well, and he did not feel in the least bit seasick, which was remarkable.
He had left his mail surcoat and_ his wolfskin draped over the chair. A heap of other garments had been laid on top of them. “I’m a civilian now?” he demanded, noting that Hardgraa was garbed in doublet and hose and a warm-looking cloak. “We all are, stupid.”
“Who made those-the dwarf?”
“Ha! Wed all look like mine workers if he had. No, the faun did. They’re plain, but they’re good stuff.”
Ylo reluctantly threw off the covers and swung his feet down to a cold and dirty floor. “Shaving?”
Hardgraa whipped out a dagger and offered it hilt first. “Lots of water outside. Bucket and rope on deck.” He had obviously shaved recently, and without nicking himself. Ylo had never understood how he ever managed to do that, even with hot water and soap, because his face had the texture of tree bark. It might be as tough. Perhaps he used sandstone.
“I’ll think about it.” Ylo began dressing. If Shandie really had ordered him on deck in five minutes, then the centurion would not be bluffing about delivering him there ready or not.
Hardgraa leaned back against the door. “You’ll miss that wolfskin, won’t you? Girls will take longer?”
“At least another ten minutes.” Ylo shivered into the shirt. “You do realize that the imperor is now deposed? Legally he can’t give us orders anymore. “
Hardgraa grinned menacingly. “He can give me orders!”
“Somehow I thought you would see it that way.”
The centurion tested the edge of his dagger with a horny thumb.
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