按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
〃Go on through；〃 she said。 〃Have a good flight。〃
Caimbeui took our papers and walked past without saying a word to her。 I followed； trying hard not to give a smug grin。 I failed。 Oh； well。
Just as we reached the door to the loading ramp； I heard a motion behind us。 I looked over my shoulder in time to see the customs elf tossing a scared…looking troll to the floor as if he were a rag…doll。
All brawn； no brains。 Some things never change。
The flight to Portland was about two and a half hours。 I didn't make small talk with Caimbeui。 I was afraid I might blurt out that he'd been in my dream； and then I'd have to listen to him crow about that for the rest of the flight。
He was a conceited bastard under the best of situations…I didn't want to think about how obnoxious he would bee if I told him。
And what was going on with my dreams anyway？ I hadn't dreamed of Ysrthgrathe in several nights scared me because if he wasn't ing to me through that window； where was he going to e from？
Was he already here and waiting for me？ Waiting to rip my life apart again？ Or had I just dreamed him up？ Pulled him from my nightmare past as surely as I had pulled him to me all those millennia ago？ I wasn't sure now。 No； I had to be sure。 The fate of the world was riding on me。 There was no room for mistakes。
We sank into the gray clouds as we made our approach to Portland。 From up in the golden sky to down into the rain and muck。 I could barely make out the green land below as we popped in and out of the clouds。 Rain smeared the double…paned windows。
〃How are we going to get the Council to hear us？〃 I asked。
〃I'm going to petition the High Prince；〃 he replied。
〃Lugh Surehand？〃 I asked。 〃I didn't realize you were on such close terms。〃
Caimbeui looked away。
〃Don't tell me；〃 I said。 〃He has no idea that we're ing； does he？〃
〃I'm sure he knows we're ing。 There's very little that goes on in Tir Taimgire that he doesn't know。 But I haven't contacted him directly。 I thought it would be better to wait until we're actually in Portland。〃
〃Why？ And stop fidgeting。〃
〃I'm not fidgeting。 I don't fidget。 That's an awful word。 Fidget。 You make me sound like a three…year…old。〃
〃If the age fits。〃
He ran a hand through his hair； dislodging the band that held his ponytail。 Then he cursed when the band got tangled up in his hair。 The more he tugged at it； the worse the snarl became。 I slapped his hand away and gently began to work it loose。
〃It's Aithne； isn't it？〃 I asked。 〃You're worried that when Aithne knows I'm in Portland； he'll do everything he can to see that I'm not heard。〃
I was surprised to see him look so embarrassed。 The band came loose and I ran my fingers through Caimbeul's hair to make sure there weren't any more tangles。 It was as silky as I remembered； cool on top and warm near the nape of his neck。 It was an odd moment； filled with promise and regret。 Then I pulled my hands away and held out the band to him。 His fingers slid over mine as he took it； and lingered there for a moment。
〃It's been so long； and he still hasn't forgiven me；〃 I said。 〃I know I have no right to expect that he would； but all the same there's the hope in me that he might。〃
Caimbeui took my hand and gave it a little squeeze。 〃He attends his grudges like a jealous wife。 Age hasn't tempered him。 It's only made him more of what he is。 But isn't that the way it is with all of us？〃
〃I suppose。 But what about you and Ehran？ I know you engaged in the Game some time ago。 Did that resolve any of your differences？ Or did it merely let you keep them simmering for another hundred years or so？〃
〃Simmering； my sweet； simmering always。 I never like to bring things to a boil。〃
I held his hand tightly for a moment； then released it。
〃I seem to remember a time or two when that wasn't the case。〃
〃You are an evil woman； Aina。〃
I just smiled at him； then went back to looking out the window。
We passed through Tir customs easily。 Whatever mojo Caimbeui had worked with his friend； it breezed us through the usual tediousness of the bureaucracy。 I'd made it a point in the past to avoid Tir Taimgire at all costs。 Oh； I'd been here a few times； but always as quickly and discreetly as possible。 Though I knew Aithne would never act against me directly； I wasn't about to force the issue。 Tir Taimgire was； after all； his baby。 He'd cooked the idea up with Sean Laverty； Lugh Surehand； and Ehran。 They'd moved with a purpose and precision to establish the Tir that preempted anyone who might have stood in their way。 Not that I would have been foolish enough to try。 I like to think that I've developed some measure of sense in roy old age。
They tricked the Salish…Shidhe Council into giving over part of their land to the elves。 Oh； I had to admire their cunning。 Like all good mundane magic； it was done with clever distractions and sleight of hand。
It was Ehran who did the initial dirty work。 And how he must have enjoyed the charade…posing as an Amerindian…Walter Bright Water…newly released from the Pyramid Lake Re…Education Center。 He pretended that his wife and children had died there； then deceived the tribal elders with his knowledge of Cascade Crow tribal rituals。 The treachery of it astounds。
Perhaps I am letting my history with Caimbeui color my ments； for his and Ehran's relationship is a bitter one from long ago。 The enemy of my friend is my enemy。 Not that Ehran had the slightest idea of my opinion of him； of course。 That would be foolishness of the first water。
Anyway； eventually； he received a place on the S…S Council； and parlayed that into his final plan。 He encouraged the segregation of metahumans； saying that Awakened individuals were better off away from humanity and their prejudices。 But； at the same time； he encouraged the Salish…Shidhe and the other Native American Nations to wele metahumans into their territories。
This brought metahumans into NAN and the Salish…Shidhe territories in ever…increasing numbers over the years just before the establishment of the Tir。 Before Bright Water disappeared （faking his death； by the way。。 Something I know he is quite proficient at）； he encouraged the metahuman population to segregate itself into the southern region of the Amerindian territories。 They did so； and this was the beginning of what would later bee Tir Tairn…giro。
Of course； Aithne and the others hadn't been sitting by doing nothing； but they did let Ehran have all the fun。 After 〃Walter Bright Water's〃 death； they appeared on the scene and began to lead the 〃renaissance in the south。〃 By the time there was a formal declaration of independence by the Tir； the Salish…Shidhe was no longer a cohesive power and there was nothing NAN or any other nation could do to stop them。
By this time； of course； Ehran had re…emerged as himself。 The rest； as they say； is history。 The Tir went on to be recognized by every other nation； with the notable exception of Aztlan。 But then they are both special cases unto themselves。
Now they had set themselves up as Princes； no less。 Of course； that is