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found a place to plant himself, hopefully out of the way. He stood at the foot of the bed, one hand
wrapped around a pillar of the gigantic four-poster. N Rae insisted that the whole quest would be so
much safer with another male along. As she brought both arms above her head and swung them out and
down to indicate just how greatly this concept encompassed their venture, she came within an inch of
poking Bardon s eye out.
He fumed. It s the bed! This room should have a bed half this size. And that girl should have a hall,
a long empty hall, in Castle Pelacce in which to express her views.
N Rae sashayed by him once more, knocking him with an elbow. He leaned closer to the post.
Impractical bed to put in such a tiny room!
The younger emerlindian had placed Jue Seeno s basket in the middle of the mattress as soon as they
entered the room and the door to the hall was closed. She d opened the top, helped her tiny protector
out, and closed the lid. The outraged minneken stood on her traveling abode, waving her fist in the air.
Granny Kye, of course, sat in the chair.
The afternoon sun streamed through a window, and a chill breeze blew the white curtains about, but the
heated oratory in the confined space made the room extremely unpleasant. Bardon sought a reason to
escape, even as he appeared to listen attentively to all three women.
Mistress Seeno s agitated voice rose to his ears.
 First, we have that marione farm boy snooping around 
 Holt has been very useful, Granny Kye cut in.
 But why? Why has he been useful? shrieked the minneken.
 Because he s been brought up well? The old emerlindian looked to N Rae, who nodded her head. The
young woman went to the window and parted the curtain to stare out at the street.
Jue Seeno waved her arm in the air, and, for a moment, Bardon pictured her brandishing a shining sword.
 We don t need an adventure-seeking tumanhofer nor a ne er-do-well marione muddling up our perfectly
respectable quest. The boy is an inconvenience. The mapmaker is a disaster.
 Jue&  Granny Kye s low voice contrasted to the frantic squeak of the minneken. She spoke rapidly,
and enthusiasm shone in her eyes.  The mapmaker is a necessity, and the farmer s son turns out to be
handy. He procured the cart for our transportation. And this inn is very reasonably priced. We shan t
waste our money here. Everything is falling nicely into place. How like Wulder to take care of every little
detail. You know, I ve never been on a quest. I think I am going to enjoy it.
The minneken hunched her narrow shoulders, pulled a long shawl more tightly around her, and frowned
fiercely at the granny emerlindian.  As for those two interlopers being Wulder s doing, I ll wait on
pronouncing that to be fact. As for us not wasting money here, that might be true, unless the mistress
gives you a sad tale about needing new linens.
 I m carrying our coins, put in Bardon.
 Well, that at least is sensible. Her whiskers quivered.  These two men are not a good idea. What
should happen if I am discovered? What protection can I be to N Rae if everyone and their nefarious
uncles know about me?
N Rae turned away from the window.  Whose uncle is coming?
 There, there, said Granny Kye.  You can still scout. You can still gather information. You can still stand
guard.
The minneken did not look encouraged.
Granny Kye continued,  Master Bromptotterpindosset will be so busy translating the diary and drawing
his maps, he won t notice you.
 Not notice a minneken! Jue Seeno dropped to a sitting position, kicking her feet as they dangled off the
side of the basket. She shook her head. A tiny felt hat between her ears slid back and forth. Bardon
wondered what anchored it. And he noticed the pink and orange headgear matched the belt she wore.
She looked forlorn in spite of her colorful attire.
 I can t do much about the mapmaker, said Bardon,  but I shall try to dissuade Holt from any further
prying. Perhaps I can send him home to his loving family.
 Prying? N Rae marched to his side and poked him on the arm with a sharp fingernail.  That s unfair.
He has been nothing but helpful.
 I don t trust him, either, yelled Jue Seeno.  I m your protector, and I say he s a wild card. We don t
know what he s up to.
Bardon nodded his agreement.  I don t trust his motives. His father may have sent him to discover what
our quest is, just in case it should be a profitable endeavor. Or, Hoddack wants his son to bring back a
bride who tames kindia.
 That s unfair as well! N Rae planted her fists on her hips.  Holt already told his father he didn t want
anything to do with such a plan.
Jue Seeno and Granny Kye continued to argue over whether or not to trust the tumanhofer and the
marione.
Bardon kept his attention on N Rae and his voice calm, responding to Sir Dar s training to be a diplomat
as well as a knight.  Then why is he here?
N Rae s pale complexion colored a bright red. Her lips thinned as she pressed them together. She [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]