[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ] Ian added,  Or for your corpse if you give us reason.Please . . . give us a reason. Ry twisted his head slowly, fractionally, until he could lookupward out of the corner of his left eye. Kait saw the initialbewilderment in his face give way to shock.  Ian?  At least you remember me. And now the situation isreversed, isn t it? After all these years, your life is in myhands. Ian kept his voice low and said,  And I vesworn to have your life . . . brother. So will you dietoday? Kait stared from one to the other. Brother? Ian was Ry s brother ? She closed her eyes for just an instant. What werethe odds that she could love the brother that she couldn thave, and have the brother she didn t love, all the while notknowing they were brothers? She would have screamed at thecoincidence, but it wouldn t be a coincidence, would it? Thegods had their sticky fingers deep in her life, and they weretoying with her. Having fun at her expense. Planning traps for heras carefully as she d planned this trap for Ry.  What in the hells did I ever do to you? Rymuttered.  Pretend you don t know and watch how fast I killyou. Ian kicked him in the ribs. Kait grabbed Ian and snarled,  Stop it. From the top of the ridge, Ry s friend called down, Let him go. We ll kill all of you to get him if we haveto. Kait reluctantly turned her attention from Ry and Ian and thestrange drama enacting itself between them.  Don t wasteyour breath. First, I know you re there alone. Second, theblade at his throat has been dipped in refaille. If wedon t like the way you blink your eyes, he ll die beforeyou can do it twice. Page 29 ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html Yanth, after a moment s pause, apparently came to theconclusion that he didn t have the upper hand. Don t hurt him. I m listening. Tell me what youwant. Kait said,  Go back to your ship. Bring the captain andyour parnissa back to shore, and wait for us by the graves.We ll meet you there.  What guarantee do I have that you won t kill Ry if Ileave him here with you? Kait said,  If he s dead, we ll have no hope ofnegotiating with your people, nor any hope of surviving aconfrontation. As long as he obeys us he ll come to noharm. Under his breath, Ian muttered,  Not today, in anycase. * * * The negotiators stood on the beach with therolling pulse of the incoming tide growling behind them. Kaitstudied the parnissa, a cold-eyed young man who looked as though hespent every spare moment in the study of the warrior arts, and thecaptain, who looked to Kait both sensible and patient. Theparnissa s robes were of bright silk, in greens and golds,heavily embroidered with the sacred symbols of Iberism: the eye ofwatchfulness, the hand of industriousness, the sword of truth, thescales of justice, the nine-petaled flower of wisdom. The captain,too, had dressed to show his status: the green and silver silks ofthe Sabir Family but cut in the traditional Rophetian fashion, aheavy silver chain around his neck stamped with the insignia of thegod Tonn, and silver beads braided into his beard andshoulder-length hair. Yanth stood behind both of them, his silkshirt and leather breeches both black as an executioner s. Hekept his hand on his sword and glared at her. Kait knew how she looked to them  a waif-thin woman in theworn and patched rags of the lowliest of sailors, wearing a deadman s too-large boots. She rested her hand on the pommel ofher own sword, with its Galweigh crest and inlaid ruby and onyxcabochons, and pulled her shoulders back and lifted her chin high.She was no impostor. She walked forward, leaving Ian, Hasmal, andthe kneeling Ry behind her.  I declare myself Kait-ayarennedaughter of Grace Draclas by Strahan Galweigh. By virtue of mytraining in diplomacy, where I have reached the position of yanar in the Galweigh Family, I will state our case for mypeople. They are agreed, and my word is binding, sworn to the godsof Calimekka and Ibera. The captain raised one eyebrow in quickly suppressed surprisethat she knew the formulas of negotiation, then nodded.  Ideclare myself Madloo Sleroal. By virtue of my captaincy of the Wind Treasure, which I have achieved by Tonn s choice andgrace, and in the honorable service of the Sabir Family, I statethe case for my people. My word is binding, and sworn before Tonnand Tonn alone. That was typically Rophetian. They wouldn t swear on thegods of Iberism, only on the single Rophetian god of the sea. Kaitwould accept that, though  a Rophetian captain with a wholeocean lying between him and home would never forswear himself infront of Tonn. The cold-eyed parnissa glanced from the captain to Kait, undidthe cord that belted his robe, and held out the black silk rope. Hesaid,  I stand between the disputing parties. I serve only thegods, without loyalty to one party or the other, and the godsoversee through my eyes all covenants, pacts, and bonds made thisday. All words spoken before me are spoken before the gods, andcarry the force of soul-oath. Kait held out her right wrist,the captain held out his right wrist, and the parnissa bound themtogether with the cord, carefully tying the negotiators knot. Bound together, you swear before me to deal honestly witheach other for the good of all. Should either of you break thebond, your life will be forfeit. He stepped back.  Menact and gods attend. Page 30 ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html  Men act and gods attend, the captain said.  Men act and gods attend. Kait inhaled slowly and letthe breath out even [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ] zanotowane.pl doc.pisz.pl pdf.pisz.pl blacksoulman.xlx.pl