01 - The Compass Rose by Gail Dayton Page A

is wrong with his head, Sergeant?”
    “General. The prisoner injured himself by striking his head against the wall, General.”
    She tapped a forefinger against her mouth. “And why did you do that? I wonder.” She studied Stone a moment longer, then moved behind the desk and sat in the high-backed chair. “Ah well, no matter. We will know soon enough.”
    They waited. Stone and the guard stared straight ahead. General Uskenda reviewed papers on her desk. The door opened once more and the general looked up.
    “Ah, good.” She smiled. “Thank you for your promptness, naitan. Please, come in.”
    Uskenda came forward to greet a tall, slender woman. The naitan was dressed in a pale blue robe open over a tunic and trousers much the same color as those Stone wore, but of an even finer quality. Her brown hair fell past her shoulders in a froth of curls. She looked much like any woman found in any women’s quarters. Until she turned her eyes on him. They were the same blue as his own. Stone shuddered, suddenly understanding how uncanny they seemed to others.
    “I will allow you one more chance to give your own answers,” the general said to Stone. “The naitan holds North magic. She is Ukiny’s far-speaker, speaking mind to mind with others of her gift. Do you understand what I am saying?”
    Stone tried to hold his gaze steady, to focus only on the window in the far wall, but his eyes rolled toward the blue-eyed witch again before he could jerk them away.
    “She can touch minds. There is a kind of North magic that can reach into your mind and see what is there. You do not have to say anything at all. A naitan can simply take what we wish to know from you.” Uskenda pursed her lips. “Of course, sometimes it isn’t easy to find what we are looking for. Who knows what havoc might be worked upon your mind?”
    In his peripheral vision, Stone could see the witch looking most unhappy. Did the process perhaps cause her discomfort too?
    “General, I don’t—” the witch broke off when the general raised a hand.
    “Naitan, does this sort of magic do all that I have said?”
    “Well, yes, but—”
    “And,” Uskenda interrupted, “does it not on occasion leave those who are mind-searched…altered?”
    “Yes, it might, but I—”
    “Do not bother to explain the techniques. This Tibran would not understand. His kind have no magic. Is this not true, Tibran?”
    Stone tightened his jaw and stiffened his spine yet again. He feared no man. Nor did he fear any woman. Any ordinary woman. But this witch and her magic…how could he not fear a thing that could go crashing about in his thoughts, shredding them to bits, stealing away whatever seemed interesting?
    Long moments slid away while Uskenda watched Stone and Stone watched the far wall.
    “Shall we start again, warrior?” The general’s gentle voice reminded him of ease, of soft comfort in women’s quarters. “What is your name? A simple thing, your name.”
    Simple, yes. But the first word spoken, the first truth told would change everything. Would the gods forgive him for failing to punish this woman’s sacrilege? Would they count his blasphemy against him for following her orders? The warrior god was a harsh one, demanding much and forgiving little. But surely he would understand about the magic.
    Uskenda sighed. “Naitan—”
    “Stone.” The sound of his own voice startled him. “Stone, Warrior vo’Tsekrish.”
    Uskenda came to attention and saluted him. “Warrior.” She nodded at the witch. “I believe we will not be needing your services after all, naitan. But please hold yourself in readiness in case our Tibran friend changes his mind.”
    The witch smiled, bowed and left the room. Stone sagged in relief, but only for a second.
    “Stone, Warrior vo’Tsekrish.” Uskenda paced the floor before him. “You are a long way from home, are you not?”
    “Yes, General.” He hoped all his answers would be so guilt free, but the hope was