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.Joori’s arms stiffened about Jacin’s ribs, like he’d forgotten the man was there just as thoroughly as Jacin had.“We have to run,” Joori whispered, soft and low in Jacin’s ear.“We’ve no choice now.I’ve just touched an Untouchable in front of an Adan.”The horrible sense of it got through where even the pain had left gaping holes.Jacin had just doomed Joori with his delirious begging.He could have screamed, he could have torn his own eyes out, he could have punched Joori right in the mouth, because why had he listened when Jacin had begged, why had he risked himself when he knew what he was doing?“You mustn’t try to run,” the man’s deep voice warned, as though he’d heard, except he couldn’t have.“I promise you, you will both end badly, if you do.On the other hand….” Dangled there, like a bright, shiny lure in murky depths, but he didn’t finish the apparent snare.Instead, there was a pause, a shift of boots in the weedy spring growth as the man stepped slowly closer.“It’s a shame your father did not warn you.Tonight would be so much easier.” A heavy sigh.“Death does not follow my steps tonight, fear not, Fen Joori.I have not come to Disappear you or your mother.I have, in fact, done my very best over the years to make sure you are not discovered.”Joori pushed away from Jacin slowly but kept a firm hold on his hand, squeezing every few seconds to renew the sharp bite in his palm.“Why?” Joori asked, tone suspicious and far too brash.“Joori,” Jacin whispered, weak warning, but he couldn’t manage to get his voice to do anything but rasp ineffectively.“Hush, brother,” Joori murmured.“Let me.”Let him what? Talk himself into a noose or worse?“Your father has not told you anything at all, has he?” Jacin opened his eyes to see the man looking down at Joori with what looked like real compassion.“How terrible your Change must have been, unprepared as you were.” His head tilted and his lips tightened—a thin line of anger Jacin couldn’t fathom.“Tell me, how did you manage to keep undiscovered before? Twins, after all.”Because there were no twins anymore, twins meant magic, and if a woman managed to birth them to term, no one ever saw them after.One way or another.Except for Joori and Jacin, but Jacin didn’t count, wasn’t half of a Self, but a void at his brother’s side.“Our father didn’t know,” Joori told the man grudgingly—whether because he was giving away information he thought no one’s business or because he was obliquely defending their father and resented the necessity, Jacin couldn’t tell.Likely both.“The midwife told our parents that Jacin….” He paused, turned a guilty glance on Jacin then a defiant one back up to the Adan.“…that perhaps I had magic once, before we were born, but the Untouchable—” He spat the word.“—nulled it in the womb.”“Hm,” the man hummed, then twitched his dark eyebrows.“I expect all that matters is that it was effective.” He seemed to speak mostly to himself, then shook his head in disapproval.He turned a sharp glance on Jacin.“And your Change?”“What Change?” Joori snapped, insolent.“There’s nothing wrong with him.”Jacin tightened his grip on Joori’s hand, slippery with their blood, hissed, “Joori,” more alarmed by the second at the chances his brother was taking with this stranger who could be the end of him so easily.And what did it matter? What Change? Like the man didn’t already know.Like anyone couldn’t tell just by looking.The man merely chuckled again, no condescension or derision in the pleasant surge of it.“Have it your way, Fen Joori.You are and remain undiscovered, and I am content.” His dark gaze turned serious.“You must keep undiscovered—a redundant warning, I am sure, but one worth wasting breath on.Fate has a use for you.It always does.”“You’re a seer,” Joori said, almost accusing.When the man merely smiled, Joori’s eyes narrowed.“And how have you remained undiscovered?”This time, the man laughed, full and rich from his throat; such a lovely counterpoint to the noise blundering about in Jacin’s head.Jacin was nearly mesmerized.Absorbed and enrapt.What a beautiful man, with his dark eyes and dark hair, that melodic laugh sliding up through his chest and winding all around Jacin in symphonic tones of calm, wordless reassurance.It managed to soothe him where all of Joori’s bravado and selfless shielding had not.“It helps that Fate’s voice is not quite so obvious as trembling earth,” the Adan told Joori.“I have remained undiscovered simply because I do not wish to be discovered, and am careful to prevent it.”Joori’s head cocked to the side.“Would they Disappear you too, if they found you?” His tone was less harsh than a moment ago—real interest, rather than blatant testing of boundaries.The Adan shrugged, unconcerned.“I expect that would depend on who discovered me.Some would keep quiet for a price, others would bleed me just as dry as any Jin, though my blood would do them little good.I have no Jin in me.” Incredibly, he looked almost saddened by the statement.“They might perhaps manage a shadow charm or two, maybe even a weak healing serum, if they’re skilled enough, but nothing worth the time and expense to those who seek profit in such things.”“And the Courts?”“The Courts would put an end to me quite thoroughly and painfully, I expect.Yet more painfully, if it were discovered that I have deliberately hidden Jin magic from them.”“Then why—?”“And that is all I have time for, young Fen-seyh.The moons ripen, and I cannot linger.Please—go and fetch your father.There is still the matter of my fee.”“Fee for what?” Joori pressed, though he stood, dragging Jacin to his feet with a crushing wrench to his hand, pulling together the thoughts threatening to scatter apart.“What does my father owe you?”“I think….” The man paused, sighed and shook his head.“That is a question I leave to your father to answer.But I will thank you now for the care of your brother, and warn you once more—keep your magic cloaked deep, and watch over your mother.I do not see that she will be your inadvertent betrayal, but even Fate is changeable and one must take no chances.”Joori stared for a long moment, shaking his head in bewildered fascination.“Who are you to thank me for caring for my own brother? What are we to you, and why are you—?”“Your father, Fen Joori.” Snapped out this time, stern and cool, where a moment ago it had been warm and friendly.“I will not ask again.”Joori scowled, distrustful, but he reached for Jacin and tugged him to a stumbling step behind him.“Leave your brother,” the man ordered.“I would speak with Fen Jacin-rei.”“Jacin,” Joori corrected automatically, then he realized what he’d said and shut his mouth.He peered angrily at the man and more contritely at Jacin.“Such a useful thing, hope,” was the man’s only retort, small smile bending cryptic.Playing with them, but… not.It gave Jacin a strange, exhilarated little shiver, before the drone fuzzed out whatever sense he’d been trying to make of it.Joori.Right.Protect Joori from his own tongue.“Go,” Jacin murmured, giving Joori a little shove.“Before your mouth manages to slit your own throat.”“Jacin, you—” Joori cut himself off with a growl, peered from the man to Jacin again, then stepped in close.“I don’t trust him.He’s not here to protect us, he wants something, and the gods only know what Father promised him, or why [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]