The Others 03 Vision in Silver Read Online Free PDF Page A
Author: Anne Bishop
passenger hurried up the dock and eased between the sawhorses.
Simon asked.
Ming replied.
Henry said. He walked into the cabin, leaving Simon to follow.
Steve Ferryman was a vigorous, healthy human male, lean muscled like a Wolf rather than bulky like a Bear. His dark hair was clean, and his brown eyes usually held a bright intelligence.
Today the man looked a bit . . . chewed. No, humans wouldn’t say “chewed.” Frazzled. Was that the human equivalent?
“Thanks for meeting me,” Steve said. “Sorry to change the venue without warning, but it was the only way we could talk quietly. And if it becomes necessary, Will is ready to cast off and keep us in the middle of the river in order to avoid uninvited participation.” He blew out a breath. “We have some baked goods from Eamer’s Bakery, and Aunt Lu says the urn has fresh coffee, if you’d like some.”
“What we’d like is the reason you called us here,” Simon said.
Steve rubbed his hands over his face. “The whole village is scared. We are piss-in-the-pants scared, and we need help.”
Simon stopped himself from ducking under the table and taking a sniff, but the aborted motion made Steve smile.
“It’s an expression,” Steve said. “It means we’re very scared.”
Humans had invented some useful swearwords and expressions, but
that
expression wasn’t something Simon would be using anytime soon.
“This fear is because of the
terra indigene
now ruling Talulah Falls?” Henry asked.
“That’s part of it,” Steve agreed. He glanced at Ming.
“The Others in control of Talulah Falls feel a deep anger and distrust of all humans,” Ming said. “And many earth natives around the Great Lakes think that the anger and distrust is deserved, that the human population in Talulah Falls needs to be winnowed down to only those who are necessary to run the machines and businesses humans previously claimed were vital. They look for excuses to kill humans and respond violently to any kind of trouble. Even humans making requested deliveries are at risk.”
“That kind of anger comes from experience,” Henry rumbled.
“I know. But that kind of anger is like fire—it will either burn out or spread.”
“The Talulah Falls and Great Island Crowgard had a gathering, which is how we learned some of what is going on,” Steve said. “The Falls Crows said the
terra indigene
brought in an enforcer who makes them uneasy. He’s been given free rein in dealing with humans who cause any kind of trouble. They said his hair is long and fixed in many little braids with small bones woven into the ends—bones that sometimes clatter together and sound like angry snakes even when he is standing still. And the hair changes color. They saw some humans arguing with
terra indigene
like they were going to fight. The Crows looked away from the enforcer when the bones rattled and his hair started to change to black—but they saw the humans fall down dead.”
“Do you know this form of
terra indigene
?” Ming asked.
Silence. Then Henry said, “The braids and bones are not familiar, but we know of this form. It is dangerous even to speak of it. If you must go to Talulah Falls, be very careful—and do not look at the enforcer if his hair starts to turn black.”
A Harvester,
Simon thought. The
terra indigene
had brought in a Harvester todeal with troublesome humans. Did Tess know there was another of her kind in the area? Was there any safe way to ask her? Probably not.
Simon focused his attention on Steve again. “What else is making you
Steve Ferryman was a vigorous, healthy human male, lean muscled like a Wolf rather than bulky like a Bear. His dark hair was clean, and his brown eyes usually held a bright intelligence.
Today the man looked a bit . . . chewed. No, humans wouldn’t say “chewed.” Frazzled. Was that the human equivalent?
“Thanks for meeting me,” Steve said. “Sorry to change the venue without warning, but it was the only way we could talk quietly. And if it becomes necessary, Will is ready to cast off and keep us in the middle of the river in order to avoid uninvited participation.” He blew out a breath. “We have some baked goods from Eamer’s Bakery, and Aunt Lu says the urn has fresh coffee, if you’d like some.”
“What we’d like is the reason you called us here,” Simon said.
Steve rubbed his hands over his face. “The whole village is scared. We are piss-in-the-pants scared, and we need help.”
Simon stopped himself from ducking under the table and taking a sniff, but the aborted motion made Steve smile.
“It’s an expression,” Steve said. “It means we’re very scared.”
Humans had invented some useful swearwords and expressions, but
that
expression wasn’t something Simon would be using anytime soon.
“This fear is because of the
terra indigene
now ruling Talulah Falls?” Henry asked.
“That’s part of it,” Steve agreed. He glanced at Ming.
“The Others in control of Talulah Falls feel a deep anger and distrust of all humans,” Ming said. “And many earth natives around the Great Lakes think that the anger and distrust is deserved, that the human population in Talulah Falls needs to be winnowed down to only those who are necessary to run the machines and businesses humans previously claimed were vital. They look for excuses to kill humans and respond violently to any kind of trouble. Even humans making requested deliveries are at risk.”
“That kind of anger comes from experience,” Henry rumbled.
“I know. But that kind of anger is like fire—it will either burn out or spread.”
“The Talulah Falls and Great Island Crowgard had a gathering, which is how we learned some of what is going on,” Steve said. “The Falls Crows said the
terra indigene
brought in an enforcer who makes them uneasy. He’s been given free rein in dealing with humans who cause any kind of trouble. They said his hair is long and fixed in many little braids with small bones woven into the ends—bones that sometimes clatter together and sound like angry snakes even when he is standing still. And the hair changes color. They saw some humans arguing with
terra indigene
like they were going to fight. The Crows looked away from the enforcer when the bones rattled and his hair started to change to black—but they saw the humans fall down dead.”
“Do you know this form of
terra indigene
?” Ming asked.
Silence. Then Henry said, “The braids and bones are not familiar, but we know of this form. It is dangerous even to speak of it. If you must go to Talulah Falls, be very careful—and do not look at the enforcer if his hair starts to turn black.”
A Harvester,
Simon thought. The
terra indigene
had brought in a Harvester todeal with troublesome humans. Did Tess know there was another of her kind in the area? Was there any safe way to ask her? Probably not.
Simon focused his attention on Steve again. “What else is making you
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