To the High Redoubt Read Online Free PDF Page A

took a last glance toward Arkady and his slave. “I trust that Surata is happy in her master.”
    â€œIt does not matter what she is,” Mayon snapped, ignoring the young blind woman. “She was the Bundhi’s enemy and now she is a soldier’s slave. That is sufficient.”
    On the other side of the market, Surata made a strange, disturbing cry, gripping Arkady’s arm with her free hand.
    He stopped at once. “What is it?” he asked, startled at the strength she revealed. “Is something the matter?”
    She stood still, her head slightly cocked, her blind eyes moving as if she could will herself to see. “Rillemata,” she said with urgency, making the sounds roll in ways he had never heard before.
    â€œDo you have to stop? Is there something wrong?” It was fruitless to speak to her, but he could not stop himself. “Tell me, woman!”
    She released his arm and touched her brow, a puzzled expression coming over her face. “N’yeh.” Her step faltered and she blundered into him.
    Arkady took her by the shoulder. “Steady,” he said to her in the same quiet way he used to talk to his troops before a battle. “Calm down. There.”
    Embarrassed, she tried to step back from him, but he would not release her. She lifted her head. “Toressu, immai.”
    â€œThat’s better,” Arkady said. “You’re proud enough, girl. That’s good.” He drew them to the side of the broad road that led to the market square, slapping the horse close to the building to be out of the way of any travellers or merchants. “I don’t know what I’m going to do with you, but don’t worry that I might treat you badly. I still have a little honor left to me. I won’t harm you while you are in my care.” He knew she could not understand him, that his reassurances meant nothing, but he went on, as if to convince himself that his disgrace had not ruined him completely. “I don’t know what made me buy you, but now that I have you, I will use you well. I won’t take you by force, or let you starve. I’m not so low as that.”
    â€œCherut, immai,” she said gently. Her eyes were lowered, but there was no shame about her.
    He shook his head unhappily. “One of us is going to have to learn a few words from the other.” If he could not learn something from her, he supposed that he would have to sell her in time, and that realization made him cringe. It would be one more damning indictment against him if he removed his protection from this blind, foreign girl.
    â€œN’yeh, immai,” she said, this time more confidently.
    A party of men on stinking, mangy camels came by. Arkady looked at them in disgust while his slave simply held her nose.
    â€œYou’d think they’d do something about such animals. Horses and mules can smell pretty bad, but nothing like those beasts.” He sneezed. “Well, we should be away.” It did him no good to stand here trying to get her to comprehend his words. It was better that they go on, he knew that. “I’ll get a hare for us, or some game birds. I can spare a few arrows for that.” He touched the small unstrung hunting bow that hung from his saddle. “I bought it yesterday, from a Turk with an eyepatch. I chose a dozen of his straightest arrows, so one or two for dinner won’t trouble me.” That was not quite the truth, but he wanted to reassure his slave as well as himself. He took hold of her arm with one hand and the reins of his horse with the other, then led them both out of the market town on the smaller of two roads stretching out to east-northeast. “Once we’re out of the town, we’ll ride. By Saint Michael, I hope you can ride, girl.”
    â€œN’yeh, immai,” she said softly.
    Arkady shook his head. “You’ve said those words before. I only wish I knew what they