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.A dog rose from guarding another chamber and challenged her with a soft growl.“It’s all right, fella,” she said as she approached.“I don’t want to go into your master’s room.”The dog settled down again.It watched her walk by with only its twitching nose indicating it was interested in the bowl of stew.She hurried to the end of a hall and turned down a gloomy passageway lit by one flickering sconce.A door at the end opened, and she hastened to where Regidor waited.“I don’t like this place, Kale,” he said as he took the bowl.He crossed to a stool and sat down quickly, already spooning the broth into his mouth.“Mmm.This is good.”She sat on the edge of a hard cot covered with a thick, scratchy blanket.“What don’t you like about the manor? Is it just because they put you off in seclusion? That’s Dar’s idea of a joke.”“No.” Regidor slurped a big chunk of potato off his spoon and smacked his lips as he chewed.“Remember I told you about being able to see something about people.I think it has to do with how much at peace they are with their existence.” He was devouring the stew at an impressive rate, talking all the while.“But you’ve been shut in this room by yourself.”He shook his head again.“No, I’ve been strolling the hallways.”“Regidor!”“Don’t worry.I had my tail curled around and tucked into the belt under the robe.I had the cowl up over my head.My arms were crossed and hidden in the sleeves.I looked just like a monk on a meditative walk.”She’d seen him practicing his disguise.He strolled with a measured step, his head bowed, and his entire person enveloped in the clerical robes.Granny Noon had provided the costume, and Kale felt positive it held secret qualities.Regidor had grown at a phenomenal rate.He stood taller than she now, and his tail, which had been such a cumbersome nuisance to him when he was just weeks old, now fit the rest of his body.He looked so much like an o’rant it made her wonder where meech dragons had come from.They were neither one of the high nor the low races.“What did you see?” she asked.“Most of the inhabitants of this manor are just what they seem, hard-working servants.But a few vibrate with an expectation of great wealth.Some battle with memories of misdeeds.Others shy away from contemplation of what exactly they must do to gain this fortune.”His spoon paused over the bowl.“And the glimpse I got of the master of this manor…” The meech dragon shuddered.“He’s evil.The drive to fulfill his desire roils out a hue of turbulent purples and black.The colors clash and spark, setting off streaks of lightninglike disturbance in the air around him.”Regidor set the spoon down in the near-empty bowl.“It troubles me, Kale.There is strength in this man I can’t explain.”“One of Risto’s minions?”Regidor nodded soberly.“One would assume.”The loft of the stable functioned as guestroom to the visiting servants.Only Dar, as Librettowit’s valet, had a room inside.With their stomachs full of delicious supper, all the travelers were ready for a good night’s rest.Bardon and Bruit bedded down at one end where a couple of low-ranking stableboys also slept.At the other end of the loft, Toopka and Kale curled up on a coarse blanket with the moonbeam cape spread over them.The minor dragons hid in their pocket-dens.In the middle of the night, Kale awoke.She listened for some unusual noise that would have roused her from a very pleasant sleep.Soft snoring filtered between the floorboards.A horse stirred and blew.Another horse stomped nervously, bumped the gate of its stall, and snorted.She sat up.A window spread a broad band of moonlight across the loft.Ghostly white hay almost divided the room in half, but Kale could see the men sleeping beyond.Bardon, wake up!The lehman hunched a shoulder and relaxed again on his pallet.Bardon, wake up!He sat up and looked across the space, directly at her.There’s something down below.Something besides the horses and stable-hands.Bardon pulled on his boots, drew his sword from the scabbard beside his pallet, and shifted silently to his knees.He crawled toward the edge.She followed his lead and crept to meet the lehman at the top of the ladder.At first she saw nothing but shadows.“There!”Her eyes followed Bardon’s pointing finger.A shadow moved.She held her breath.A form moved away from the wall and crossed to the large barn door.He stood inside with the door slightly ajar, his attention riveted on something outside.What is he? she asked.“A ropma.”Kale tried to remember anything she knew about ropmas.Other than they were one of the seven low races and usually occupied themselves herding animals, she knew nothing.They’re harmless, right?“He could be.”What do you think he’s doing here?“You’re the one who can find out.”Me?Kale felt the ripple of exasperation from her comrade.“Kale, go into his mind and find out why he’s here.”Oh!She pressed her lips into a straight line and instantly threw up a guard so Bardon would not hear her fuming.Of course, she should have thought of it first.No more stupid mistakes.My thoughts belong to me and Wulder.I stand under Wulder’s authority as I search for truth.She concentrated on the shadowy form by the door.His thoughts were simple.Only one thing mattered at this moment to the ropma.He must follow orders.He’s waiting for someone, Bardon.“Who?”That’s not clear.It’s someone he’s never seen before, and that’s hard for him.He has a very simple thought pattern.“Who is he waiting for?”She bit back an angry retort.It wasn’t easy plucking an answer from a mind that had only a vague notion.Instead of snapping at Bardon, she focused on the man-beast below.Small.Covered in hair.Important.Nice clothes.Kale’s hand moved over to Bardon’s arm.Her fingers dug into his sleeve.Bardon, he’s waiting for Dar.29DIRTWhat should we do?“Intercept Dar.”Good idea.Kale turned away from Bardon and faced the house.Not that she needed to in order to reach Dar with her mind, but Bardon always flustered her.Most of the time his cool, trained attitude reminded her that he had been in Paladin’s service since he was a child.And she hadn’t even completed three weeks of training.Dar, where are you?“In my chambers.Why? What’s wrong?”There’s a ropma here in the barn waiting for you.“He’s early.”You’re expecting him? She turned to Bardon.He’s expecting him.His face looked as though he’d swallowed a peppernut.“Yeah, I heard.”Kale took a moment to gloat.So are you going to quit denying you can mindspeak?He looked away, deliberately studying the dark form below them.“Dar, this is Bardon.”You don’t have to tell him who you are.He can tell by your voice.“Be quiet, Kale.”Kale stifled a giggle.I am being quiet.I haven’t spoken a word.“You know what I mean.Leave me alone.This is not the right time to harass me.”Kale allowed the seriousness of their situation to sober her.She nodded.Bardon ignored her.“Dar, what do you want us to do with this ropma?”“Keep him from getting caught.He isn’t the ripest berry on the bush.I’ll be there as soon as I can.By the way, his name is Dirt.”Kale furrowed her brow.Dirt?Bardon put his hand over hers.Her fingers still rested on his sleeve, and she felt a flush go up her neck as she realized she’d been holding on to him all this time.“I’ve never met a ropma, but according to the books, the parents name their children after things in their natural surroundings—grass, cloud, rock, stone, rain, bird, bug.”Kale listened to Bardon’s steady voice in her mind.How quickly he returned to a state of control [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]