The Well of Darkness Read Online Free PDF Page B

know about him?”
    “Nothing you don’t already know about yourself,” I said. “You’re a perfect pair.”
    Obilin laughed again and rocked back on his heels. His laugh stopped abruptly. “It has just occurred to me that neither of you seem surprised about Worfit’s new position. Could it be that you already knew Molik was dead?” We just stared at him. “A-huh.”
    He stood up. “Well, the bargain
isn’t
off,” he said. “If I had to choose either Worfit or Indomel to offend, it would be Worfit, I assure you. So you and the lady are coming back to Eddarta with me. After I turn her and this,” he waved the pouch, “whatever it is, over to Indomel, I plan to take an inspection tour of the mines—except that Rikardon and I will really go west to Chizan, exactly as I did the first time I saw you, lovely lady.” He bowed slightly.
    “However, keep in mind that I have the sword, which is worth as much as the man. Your power doesn’t frighten me, now that I have seen its limits. If you use it to try to escape, I promise you
he will die.
“
    “It is a bargain, Obilin,” she said.
    “No!” I started to protest, until I looked into Tarani’s eyes. Anger and contempt for Obilin burned there, and determination and—shattering what little pride remained to me—protectiveness. The fierceness of that look, hidden from Obilin, was such a contrast to the meekness of her voice that I was stunned into silence.
    “I’m almost sorry,” Obilin said, “that your feelings for
him
make the bargain practical.” He tossed up the pouch, caught it again. “Tarani.”
    We both looked at him.
    “There is something else I want. You know that. Is there nothing you will take in trade?”
    Tarani started to shake. I felt the trembling in her hands, in the knee which still pressed against me, in the sand which lay between us. I saw the thought in her face:
Could she get the Ra’ira back that way?
I was watching when the answer hit, too:
No. Don’t trust Obilin.
Through it all, even greater once the answer was clear, I could sense her rage that he should even ask.
    Her stage training showed. Face and voice were composed, hiding the seething fury, as she said: “There is nothing I want that much.”
    I had been so fascinated by her reaction that I’d ignored my own. Now I discovered I was shaking inside, too. And there was nothing to be gained by hiding
my
feelings.
    “Obilin.”
    He turned his gaze to me, and his face went pale.
    “Don
‘
t mention it again,”
I said.
    He seemed about to say something, then he changed his mind. He backed away and sat down near the two dralda, who lay panting nearby.
    “Don’t stay for my sake,” I whispered to Tarani.
    She had finished bandaging my arm and washing the less severe scratches on my hand. She lifted my head and helped me take a sip of water—enough to cool my mouth, not enough to choke my swollen throat.
    “Where would I go?” she whispered back.

4
    The other dralda and their handler, Sharam, returned within the hour. When he had rested, Sharam entered into a whispered discussion with Obilin. It quickly turned into an argument, and ended with Sharam shrugging and moving off toward his animals. Obilin came over to us.
    “There is another part of the bargain,” he said, his voice allowing no disagreement. “Sharam tells me his dralda think they have been chasing a sha’um. I have never seen one, but I know enough to be sure that if one
had
been with you, he would
still
be with you.”
    I tried not to let my face show how much that statement hurt me, and I worked on another puzzle.
    If Obilin knows about the sword, why doesn
‘
t he know about Keeshah, too? Of course
—
he
‘
s heard about me the way every rogueworld district in Gandalara has heard about me
—
from Worfit, who wouldn
‘
t give out information which would discourage anybody from coming after me. Worfit has simply neglected to mention that his target usually travels in the company of a very big,