Troubled Waters Read Online Free PDF Page B

the rutted mud road that served the village, and onto the westernmost of the paved roads that crisscrossed Welce, the rain wasn’t much of a hindrance to the elaymotive drivers, either.
    Still, they kept encountering obstacles that slowed their progress. On the third day of their trip, they passed through a good-sized town that was overflowing with people dressed in festive attire and celebrating in the streets, despite the wet weather. It took Zoe a few minutes to realize that it must be Quinncoru changeday, the first official promise that spring was on its way. She smiled wistfully at the beribboned little girls tossing flowers to passersby, the teenage boys competing in footraces and feats of strength. She had plenty of leisure to observe them, since it took the drivers almost an hour to negotiate the crowded streets. But Darien Serlast didn’t suggest they pause to enjoy the holiday, so neither did Zoe.
    Periodically they did make stops, especially if they were passing through some sizable town, so the drivers could refill their fuel tanks at some Dochenza-owned facility. They also took on water, since the elaymotive came with its own system for drinking and washing up. It was an unexpected and welcome luxury, which Zoe appreciated at least as much as the tiny bedroom she had all to herself.
    The stops to replenish water and fuel were planned and efficient, but as the journey progressed, the drivers pulled off the road increasingly often for reasons that didn’t seem as clear. On the fifth day, they halted for the second time before the noon hour had even arrived.
    Zoe and Darien were sitting together in the main cabin and he had just asked her if she was hungry. By this time, he must have realized that her answer was always going to be no , but he continued to ask the question, continued to make up plates of food for her, continued to watch her until she ate at least half of everything he served her. She could tell that her passivity was beginning to alarm him, but she didn’t care. Let him turn her into the king’s fifth wife; she didn’t care. Let him starve her, or throw her out on the road and run her over with the wheels of this monstrous, movable house. It simply didn’t matter.
    She did look up, though, when the smooth, rocking motion came to a halt. Darien was frowning.
    “I see we have stopped again,” he said, coming to his feet and pushing open the door to stare with reproach at the drivers’ car. There was just enough space around his body for Zoe to see that they were in another of those midsized towns—large enough to sell all the supplies they needed, small enough that a vehicle like theirs would draw a great deal of gawking attention.
    Glancing back at Zoe, Darien said, “Stay here,” and took the stairs in two leaps. Zoe didn’t stir, not so much as lifting her fingers from her lap, and in five minutes Darien was climbing back inside. His hair and the shoulders of his fine tunic glittered with moisture.
    “There’s some trouble with the valve on the fuel line,” he explained. “One of the drivers says there is a Dochenza shop here where it can be fixed, though it might take a little time.”
    “Or perhaps they merely want a chance to step out of that tight space for a couple of hours,” Zoe said. “It seems like it would be very confining.”
    Darien lifted his head, sifting for some meaning she had not intended. “Would you like to step outside as well?” he asked. “This town is too small to have a Plaza, but I saw a row of shops, and one or two places to eat. You might enjoy a stroll around.” You might regain some of your energy, she was sure he was thinking.
    Zoe didn’t move. “It’s raining,” she said.
    He smiled at that, and the laughing look made his stern, narrow face much more likable. “A coru woman should not be bothered by a little rain. Anyway, it’s mostly stopped. Right now it’s more like mist.”
    It seemed like an immense effort to pull up out of the