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！
would call us that？〃
〃He is your liege lord！〃 Carillon hissed through gritted teeth。
〃No；〃 Finn said coldly。 〃He is not。 Shaine of Homana is my persecutor； not my liege lord。〃
〃He persecutes with reason！〃
〃What reason？〃
Carillon's eyes narrowed。 〃A Cheysuli warrior liege man to my uncle the Mujhar stole away a king's daughter。〃 He smiled coldly； as angry as the Cheysuli。 〃That practice； it seems； is still alive among your race。 Even now you steal another。〃
Finn matched Carillon's smile。 〃Perhaps； princeling； but she is not a king's daughter。 Only her father will miss her； and her mother； and that will pass in time。〃
〃My mother is dead；〃 Alix said； and then regretted speaking at all。 She took a careful breath。 〃If I go with you； willingly； will you free Carillon？〃
Finn laughed softly。 〃No； mei jha； I will not。 He is the weapon the Cheysuli have needed these twenty…five years of the qu'mahlin； for all he was boom after it began。 We will use him。〃
Alix's eyes met Carillon's； and they realized the futility of then… arguments。 Neither spoke。
〃e；〃 said Finn。 〃I have men and horses waiting in the forest。 It is time we left this place。〃
Carillon got carefully to his feet； cradling the injured wrist。 He stood stiffly； taller man me black…haired warrior； but somehow diminished before the fierce pride of the man。
〃Your sword； princeling；〃 Finn said quietly。 〃Take up your sword and return it to its sheath。〃
〃I would sooner sheathe it in your flesh。〃
〃Aye；〃 Finn agreed。 〃If you did not； you would not be much of a man。〃 Alix felt an odd tension in his body。 〃Take up the sword。 Carillon of Homana。 It is yours； for all that。〃
Carillon； warily eyeing the wolf； bent and retrieved the blade。 The ruby glinted as he slid the sword home awkwardly with his left hand。
Finn stared at the weapon and smiled oddly。 〃Hate's blade。〃
Carillon scowled at him。 〃My uncle gifted me with this sword last year。 It was his before that。 What do you say？〃
When the Cheysuli did not answer immediately Alix looked
sharply at him。 She was startled to find bleakness in his yellow
beast…eyes；
〃Long before it was a Mujhar's blade it was a Cheysuli's。 Hale made that sword； princeling； and gifted it to his liege lord； the man he had sworn a blood…oath of service to。〃 He sighed； 〃And the prophecy of the Firstborn says it will one day be back in the hands of a Cheysuli Mujhar。〃
〃You lie！〃
Finn grinned mockingly。 〃/ may lie； on occasion； but the prophecy do not。 e； my lord； allow my fir to escort you to your horse。 e。〃
Carillon； aware of the wolf's silent menace； went。 Alix had no choice but to follow。
Chapter Two
Three other Cheysuli； Alix saw apprehensively； waited silently in me forest。 Carillon's warhorse was with them。 She cast a quick glance at the prince； judging his reaction； and saw his face was pale。 Jaw set so tightly she feared it might break。 He seemed singularly dedicated to keeping himself apart from the Cheysuli even though he was in their midst。
Finn said something in a lyrical tongue she did not recognize and one of the warriors came forward with a strange horse for Carillon。 He was being refused his own； and quick color rising in his face confirmed the insult。
〃We know the reputation of Homanan warhorses；〃 Finn said briefly。 〃You will not be given a chance to flee us so easily。 Take this one； for now。〃
Silently Carillon accepted the reins and with careful effort was able to mount。 Finn stored up at him from the ground； then moved to the prince and without a word tore a long strip of wool from Carillon's green cloak。 He tossed it at him。
〃Bind your wound； princeling； I will not lose you to death so easily。〃
Carillon took up the strip and did as told。 He smiled grimly down at the yellow…eyed warrior。 〃When I am given the time； shapechanger； I will see the color of your blood。〃
Finn laughed and aimed away。 He grinned at Alix。 〃Well；
mei jha； we lack a horse for you。 But mine will serve。 I will enjoy the feel of you against my back。〃
Alix； both furious and frightened； only glared at him。 His dark face twisted in an ironic smile and he took the reins of his own horse from another warrior。 He gestured toward the odd gear on the animal's back。 It did not quite resemble a Homanan saddle； with its large saddletree and cantle designed to hold in a fighting man； but served an identical purpose。 Alix hesitated； then placed her bare foot in me leather stirrup and hoisted herself into the saddle。 Before she could say anything to prevent him； Finn vaulted onto the horse's rump behind her。 She felt his arms e around her waist to take up the reins。
〃You see； mei jha You can hardly avoid me。〃
She did her best。 The ride was long and she was wearied from riding stiffly upright before him when at last Finn halted the horse。 She stared in surprise at the encampment before her； for it was well hidden in the thick； shadowed forests。
Woven tents of greens； browns； grays and slates huddled in the twilight； nearly indistinguishable from the trees and under…brush of the forest and the tumbled piles of mountain boulders。 Small fires glowed flickeringly across the narrow clearing。
Alix straightened as Finn reined in the horse。 She turned quickly to search for Carillon； lost among the black…haired； yellow…eyed Cheysuli warriors； but Finn prevented her。 His left arm came around her waist snugly； possessive as he leaned forward； pressing against her rigid back。
〃Your princeling will recover； mei jha。 He is in some pain now； but it will pass。〃 His voice dropped to a provocative whisper。 〃Or I will make it。〃
She ignored him； sensing a slow； defiant and somehow frightening rage building within her。 〃Why did you set your wolf on him？〃
〃He drew Hale's sword； mei jha。 Doubtless he knows how to use it； even against a Cheysuli。〃 He laughed softly。 〃Perhaps especially against a Cheysuli。 But we are too few as it is。 My death would not serve。〃
〃You set a beast on him！〃
〃Storr is no beast。 He is my。 And he only did it to keep Carillon from getting himself slain； for I would have taken his life to keep my own。〃
She glanced at the wolf waiting so silently and patiently by the horse。 〃Your lir！ What do you say？〃
〃That wolf is my lir。 It is a Cheysuli thing； which you could
not possibly understand。 There is no Homanan word for our
bond。〃 He shrugged against her。 〃Storr is a part of me； and I him。〃
〃Shapechanger。。。〃 she whispered involuntarily。
〃Cheysuli；〃 he whispered back；
〃Is any wolfing this fir？〃
〃No。 I am bonded with Storr only； and he was chosen by the old gods to be my lir。 They are born knowing it。 Each warrior has only one； but it can be any creature。〃 He picked a leaf from Alix's hair； even as she stiffened… 〃It is too new for you to understand； mei jha。 Do not try。〃
She felt him slide from behind and a moment later he pulled her from the horse。 Alix stifled a blurt of surprise and felt each sinew tighter as his hand crept around her neck。
〃You may release me；〃 she said quickly。 〃I can hardly run from a wolf。〃
His hand slid from her。 She felt her braid lifted from her neck
and his lips upon her nape。 〃Then you are learning already；
mei