The Coming Of Wisdom Read Online Free PDF Page A

cropped short like a child’s. There was a hairclip precariously balanced in it, but no ponytail resulting. He was grubby, but not as filthy as Nnanji, and innocent of bloodstains. Remembering Nnanji’s story, Quili could guess that Novice Katanji had sworn to the code of the swordsmen only the previous day. Nnanji must be his mentor, for surely no Seventh would take a First as protégé. Yet perhaps this unconventional Shonsu was capable of even that.
    “You are welcome also, novice,” Quili said.
    His big eyes’ regarded her solemnly. “Your gracious hospitality is already evident, apprentice.” Then those eyes dropped, to linger over her cloak.
    Quili glanced down and saw that the right side was stained, the faded yellow cloth marked by streaks of grease, and even perhaps blood, where Nnanji had hugged her against himself. She looked up in mingled shame and anger, as Novice Katanji turned away with a deliberate smirk showing on his face. Impudent little devil!
    “No more strays, sailor?” Lord Shonsu was addressing the two men still in the boat. “Then you will come ashore for food and rest before you seek to return?”
    “Oh, no, my lord.” The captain was a fat and obsequious man. He would probably be very glad to be rid of so strange a cargo. To carry a Jonah reputedly brought good fortune to a vessel and normally the Goddess sent it home again promptly, but Lord Shonsu would be an unnerving passenger.
    “We must not keep Her waiting, my lord,” the sailor explained.
    “May She be with you, then.” Shonsu reached in a pouch on his harness and flipped a couple of coins down. They glinted in the sunlight. Free swords paying gold to mere boatmen?
    “There we are, apprentice. Seven of us looking for a bite of breakfast.” Lord Shonsu had turned to Quili again with high good spirits. He was amused—her astonishment must be showing. Two swordsmen, two slave women, a boy, a baby, and a beggar? What sort of army was that?
    Then the menacing frown snapped back, and he stared along the jetty at the road vanishing into the notch of the gorge. He swung around to Nnanji.
    “Transportation?”
    Horror fell over Nnanji’s face, and he jerked to attention. “I forgot, my lord.”
    “
Forgot
? You?”
    Nnanji gulped. “Yes, my lord.”
    For a moment Shonsu’s eyes flicked to Quili, then back to Nnanji. “I suppose there has to be a first time for anything,” he said darkly. “Apprentice, we have a problem. I assume that we need to climb at least as high as the top of that cliff?”
    “I am afraid so, my lord.”
    Shonsu turned back to the boatmen, who were fumbling with sails. “Wait! Toss up a couple of those pallets . . . and the awning. Thank you. Good journey!” He stooped to untie a line. Nnanji jumped for the other, watching to see exactly what Shonsu did and copying him.
    Kandoru would never have played at being a deckhand, nor a porter, yet now this incredible Seventh gathered up the pallets and tarpaulin and went striding landward along the jetty, the astonished Quili having to trot to keep up with him.
    “Apprentice, can you find us a wagon? The old man can probably manage, but Cowie . . . ” He smirked again as he said that name. “Dear Cowie has lost one of her sandals. I should hate her beautiful soft feet to be damaged.”
    “I am sure I can find a cart, my lord,” Quili said. A cart for a lord of the seventh rank? And would there be any men left to harness the horse? She had watched it being done often enough . . . 
    “That would do very well,” Shonsu said cheerfully. They had reached the land, where the jetty stood above dry shingle. Quickly he spread the tarpaulin over the planks, then he jumped down and put the pallets below it. As his companions arrived, he reached up and lifted them down effortlessly. “We shall be comfortable enough in here until you return.”
    “I shall be as quick as I can, my lord.”
    “There’s no hurry. I need to have a private talk with