outermost, "social" aspect of their mental auras Basil was the epitome of practical common sense Burke, the former judge, was the archetypal Red Man, all stoic and stem like a carving in cedar.
If Elizabeth was aware of the metapsychic maneuvering, she let none of them perceive it She walked along the balcony inspecting the quaint woodwork, marveling at the breathtaking vista In the southwest, glittering against the sky and dividing it from the dark lowlands, was the white fess of the high Pyrenees The air was calm, faintly oppressive, with that preternatural transparency that often forecasts a storm in the moun tains
"I can farsee Minanonn's country," she said "A valley, with tall snowy peaks all around it, like Shangn-La "
"You would have been safer with him and Dionket," Amerie said "Or even up in Hidden Springs, with us We can't trust that bastard Celadeyr He can fly, you know, and carry one person What's to prevent him from coming up here and kidnapping you? You'd make a great hostage And our tncky little pal Alken Drum might just have similar plans "
Elizabeth faced her three human friends, projecting a great wave of comfort and reassurance Creyn hovered in the background She said, "I've tried to explain why I can't live with Minanonn, or even up in the Vosges with free humanity I can't show partiality I must remain approachable by all factions in the Many-Colored Land if my new role is to be successful And that especially includes Atken Drum and Celadeyr of Afaliah "
With one finger, Basil traced the features of a grotesque carving on the balustrade It was a goblin face "And what about the Firvulag? They outnumber us nearly ten to one now, and Sharn and Ayfa are quite a different breed of cat from poor old King Yeochee Lady Estella's man Kennedy told me that Little People from the Helvetides have been farsensed gathering in the vicinity of Bardelask That's a rather small citadel on the Rhone, about 80 or 90 kloms north of Lac Provencal The place is exceptionally vulnerable, with Lord Daral and most of his banner-knights having been drowned in the Flood Kennedy thinks that the Firvulag plan to pick off the weaker cities one by one m spite of our cardboard armistice agreement Sharn and Ayfa can always blame the attacks on Howlers "
"If you came to Hidden Springs with us," Burke said, "we could protect you with iron "
Elizabeth taid a small hand on one oi the Native American's massive, scarred forearms "I have my own methods of defense now, Peo Believe me The Firvulag won't harm me Neither will anyone else "
Burke scowled, touching his new golden torc with a ritualistic gesture "If there should be the slightest threat, from any quarter, you must call on us We can't forget what Brede said about you "
"Brede'" Elizabeth laughed, turning away from them "The Shipspouse always was a melodramatic old soul And she knew very well how to manipulate the lot of us'" The Grand Master metapsychic whirled around, arms opening She seemed to embrace the three of them, enfolding their souls in great wings "But manipulation's not my way I'm going to be a magnet, not a force majeure "
Amerie appealed lo the Tanu redactor "If she needs us, Creyn, will you calP"
"I will. Sister " He hesitated, then added with regret, "If you intend to continue on to Sayzorask with the caravan today, you must leave here very shortly I'll wait downstairs to say goodbye " He withdrew with a courteous nod
Tears gleamed in Amerie's eyes The symbolic separation of the three human friends from Elizabeth had been made in an instant, with none of them expecting it until the finality was upon them
"Don't worry " Elizabeth's face and mind still smiled "It'll be all right We all have our jobs to do that will help "
Basil broke the spell, stepping forward to take Elizabeth's hand "Creyn fine chap Human as they make 'em He and his people will take good care of you I'm confident "
"Dear Basil " She kissed him on his weathered cheek
He moved back, then paused
If Elizabeth was aware of the metapsychic maneuvering, she let none of them perceive it She walked along the balcony inspecting the quaint woodwork, marveling at the breathtaking vista In the southwest, glittering against the sky and dividing it from the dark lowlands, was the white fess of the high Pyrenees The air was calm, faintly oppressive, with that preternatural transparency that often forecasts a storm in the moun tains
"I can farsee Minanonn's country," she said "A valley, with tall snowy peaks all around it, like Shangn-La "
"You would have been safer with him and Dionket," Amerie said "Or even up in Hidden Springs, with us We can't trust that bastard Celadeyr He can fly, you know, and carry one person What's to prevent him from coming up here and kidnapping you? You'd make a great hostage And our tncky little pal Alken Drum might just have similar plans "
Elizabeth faced her three human friends, projecting a great wave of comfort and reassurance Creyn hovered in the background She said, "I've tried to explain why I can't live with Minanonn, or even up in the Vosges with free humanity I can't show partiality I must remain approachable by all factions in the Many-Colored Land if my new role is to be successful And that especially includes Atken Drum and Celadeyr of Afaliah "
With one finger, Basil traced the features of a grotesque carving on the balustrade It was a goblin face "And what about the Firvulag? They outnumber us nearly ten to one now, and Sharn and Ayfa are quite a different breed of cat from poor old King Yeochee Lady Estella's man Kennedy told me that Little People from the Helvetides have been farsensed gathering in the vicinity of Bardelask That's a rather small citadel on the Rhone, about 80 or 90 kloms north of Lac Provencal The place is exceptionally vulnerable, with Lord Daral and most of his banner-knights having been drowned in the Flood Kennedy thinks that the Firvulag plan to pick off the weaker cities one by one m spite of our cardboard armistice agreement Sharn and Ayfa can always blame the attacks on Howlers "
"If you came to Hidden Springs with us," Burke said, "we could protect you with iron "
Elizabeth taid a small hand on one oi the Native American's massive, scarred forearms "I have my own methods of defense now, Peo Believe me The Firvulag won't harm me Neither will anyone else "
Burke scowled, touching his new golden torc with a ritualistic gesture "If there should be the slightest threat, from any quarter, you must call on us We can't forget what Brede said about you "
"Brede'" Elizabeth laughed, turning away from them "The Shipspouse always was a melodramatic old soul And she knew very well how to manipulate the lot of us'" The Grand Master metapsychic whirled around, arms opening She seemed to embrace the three of them, enfolding their souls in great wings "But manipulation's not my way I'm going to be a magnet, not a force majeure "
Amerie appealed lo the Tanu redactor "If she needs us, Creyn, will you calP"
"I will. Sister " He hesitated, then added with regret, "If you intend to continue on to Sayzorask with the caravan today, you must leave here very shortly I'll wait downstairs to say goodbye " He withdrew with a courteous nod
Tears gleamed in Amerie's eyes The symbolic separation of the three human friends from Elizabeth had been made in an instant, with none of them expecting it until the finality was upon them
"Don't worry " Elizabeth's face and mind still smiled "It'll be all right We all have our jobs to do that will help "
Basil broke the spell, stepping forward to take Elizabeth's hand "Creyn fine chap Human as they make 'em He and his people will take good care of you I'm confident "
"Dear Basil " She kissed him on his weathered cheek
He moved back, then paused
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