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.“Ah, Morrigan.There you are,” Shayla cal ed from across the room.Morrigan stopped and made a quick curtsy in the general direction of the head table.“Sorry to make you wait.I’l just join the other priestesses at—”Shayla made an imperious gesture.“No, no, no.You must join us.” She paused, then added with a frown, “Birkita, too, of course.” Then she turned her attention to Kai.“The Stonemaster and Master Sculptor steadfastly refuse to reveal to us the purpose of their unexpected visit until our new High Priestess joins us.” Shayla was talking to Morrigan, but her gaze barely touched on the High Priestess.Instead she smiled back and forth from Kegan to Kai.She gave the Stonemaster a coquettish, under-her-eyelashes glance.“Tonight Kai’s face is even more unreadable than usual.”Then she swung her flirtatious gaze around to Kegan.“And our centaur friend is being unusual y closemouthed.I cannot begin to guess what patron they are here for, which real y is rather teasing of both of them.” As she spoke, she gave Kai a pout and touched his arm, which made the soberfaced Stonemaster glance around nervously and look obviously uncomfortable.When Morrigan continued to hesitate, Birkita whispered to her, “Refusal wil only draw more attention to you.”Reluctantly Morrigan changed direction to the head table, and was further disconcerted to see that the only places left empty were two spots directly across from Shayla and Kegan.She sat quickly and motioned immediately for a server to bring her something to eat and drink while she kept her eyes averted and her face turned away from the way-too-familiar-looking horse-man who sat across from her.“When did you become High Priestess, Morrigan?”Kegan’s voice—so like Kyle’s that it made her stomach clench—was deep and emotionless.Morrigan looked up and the intensity with which he was staring at her completely belied his tone.Meeting his gaze, it seemed that she had somehow said or done something to upset him deeply.“I, wel.Um.I became High Priestess just—just a few days ago,” she managed to stutter, completely thrown off-balance by his soul-piercing gaze.“I was here four cycles of the moon ago.I did not see you with the other priestesses then, and no mention was made of Adsagsona choosing another High Priestess,” Kai said.He too was watching Morrigan with an incredibly focused expression.“Most especial y we had no news of the coming of a Light Bringer,” Kegan said.“You didn’t see her and you didn’t hear about her because she wasn’t here.” The sultry tone had left Shayla’s voice, making her annoyance at the men’s interest in Morrigan obvious.“Yes, Adsagsona gave her to us,” Perth chimed in.Morrigan thought he made her sound like a crappy present given to an unwanted stepchild.“Yes, yes, yes.Birkita foretold it.She waited in the Usgaran until Morrigan appeared.And now you know the story of our new Light Bringer and High Priestess.” Shayla paused, col ected herself, and then continued with a smile for Kai and Kegan, which was completely wasted on its intended victims because neither sets of eyes had left Morrigan’s face.“Stonemaster, you promised you would reveal the reason for your visit when the High Priestess joined us.” Shayla leaned into Kai, al owing her breast to graze his arm.“Morrigan is here, so let us not waste time with chatter.”Morrigan decided she’d seen subtler moves on MTV rap videos.With an obvious effort, Kai took his gaze from Morrigan.Ignoring Shayla, he spoke past her to the centaur.“Kegan, wil you make the announcement, or shal I?”“I’m just the sculptor.You’re the Stonemaster and messenger,” the centaur said.“Very wel.” Kai stood and walked up the short steps to stand in front of the mosaic of Adsagsona.He waited for the room to quiet.It wasn’t until then that Morrigan noticed how tired and dirty he looked.Several strands of his long brown hair had come loose from the tie that held the rest of it back.His clothes—leather pants with a plain linen shirt tucked into them and a wel -tooled leather coat—were travel-stained and rumpled.His eyes were shadowed by fatigue and his face was heavily lined.Not that he wasn’t a handsome man—he definitely was, even for an older guy, with his broad shoulders, square, strong jaw and kind face [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]