The older man, who had given the impression of a person with no special powers since he entered the village, was suddenly open to Reading. “I Read it for myself, Astra. What the watchers are reporting is true.”
“You’re the Reader who helped Trel’s people survive Drakonius’ takeover,” Astra identified.
“I was just a boy, new to the Path of the Dark Moon then.”
“Aye, but we’d not have survived without you,” Trel put in. “But go on. What else has happened? Has the Aventine army agreed to go home with their tails between their legs?”
“What else could they do? Wulfston did take hostages-two Master Readers. I couldn’t Read his intentions, but I have a feeling that it has something to do with negotiating a peace treaty. If the Emperor doesn’t agree, he’s a fool. His whole army was taken by just one Lord Adept. And their alliance is made up oifour of them.”
“Yes, ‘ agreed Trel, “the watchers reported that Lenardo and Aradia left for the land of the Black Wolf. I take it they arrived too late for the battle.”
“Aye, ” replied Javik. “They sent a message to Lady Lilith to return home-but that went north of here.”
“Watchers?” Astra questioned. “What do you mean? There aren’t supposed to be Readers among the savages, nor have I sensed any.”
“Not Reading, sunwriting,” Trel explained. “The watchers relay messages and news by flashing codes with mirrors. At night, they use lanterns. Kimma and I were out reading their messages when the White Crows attacked here.”
“If I’d been here to warn you-” Javik said grimly.
“You’re only one man,” said Trel. “We had to know what was happening in the invasion. Thank the gods you found Seela.”
“The hill clans are on the move all over this area. It was chance that I ran across the ones holding Seela-you left fewer than half of them alive, and most of those still licking their wounds. By the time I ran into them, they’d had a clash with another clan and had little interest in tangling with me.”
Astra studied the man’s whipcord body-with that strength and Reading powers combined, he must indeed be a fearsome object to the local clans.
“A second clan attacked us yesterday,” Trel told him. “They’re all going insane!”
“Not without reason,” Javik replied. “You know how the clans are-cowards and bullies, but independent. There’s someone trying to unite them- someone who’s had considerable success with the newcomers.”
“Newcomers?” asked Zanos.
“Since the alliance defeated Drakonius, the clans have been swollen with former slavers and troops from his defeated army-people used to working together as a team. A lot of them dream of capturing lands for themselves. If they could form their own alliance and attack just one Lord Adept at a time, they might succeed.”
“No,” said Trel, “not against these lords. That was what those four Adepts tried only last year, when they attacked Lady Aradia. She escaped to Zendi, and the rest of the alliance rallied immediately to the defense as a unit. It was the attackers who lost their lives.”
“Yes-but what if they had kept her separate- attacked when the others could not come to the rescue of a single member? That seems to be what Seriak plans.”
“Who?” asked Trel.
“A new bandit leader. He’s only a minor Adept, but he’s wily. He’s already gathered over a hundred men around him, and they’ve taken an area in the hills up in the land of the Blue Lion, either killing or absorbing the hill bandits. The Lady Lilith may be their intended target. Her castle is far from the lands of her allies-but of course she has her own retainers, and her son Ivorn is said to be developing rapidly into a Lord Adept in his own right. I doubt Seriak would try until he has more Adept talents in league with him-but he is someone we must watch. “
Astra agreed. “Can you tell me where he is?”
“I’ll show you-you are a Magister Reader, are you not?”
“Yes,” she admitted.
“I thought so. I wouldn’t dare go so far out of body alone, but you won’t get disoriented.”
“Wait,” she said. “You can go out of body? You said you were put on the Path of the Dark Moon when you were just a boy.”
“And deserved it,” he replied. “But a man learns to do what he has to-and to save my people I had to make my small abilities stretch. I Read best out of body-but I dare not go far, and I’ve never tried to reach another plane for fear I couldn’t find my way back.”
“You are very brave,” she said. “I cannot imagine any Reader trying to learn such a thing alone. When you are rested, we will travel together to where this Seriak is, and find out what he is plotting.”
While Javik slept after his long journey, Zanos proceeded with Astra’s lessons in swordsmanship. Trel had found a light sword she could wield without straining her arms, and Zanos began teaching her to use it, trying to remember when he had been an adolescent boy just beginning his training as a gladiator, before he had developed the strength of maturity.
But a woman was built differently from a boy. Astra did very well in the school exercises, but once they exchanged real swords for wooden weapons in a practice match, he found that Astra’s arms were too weak to allow her to deflect more than a few blows before he could simply beat her sword down with sheer strength.
“That’s not fair!” Astra protested, panting.
“Of course it’s not fair!’ Zanos told her. “Do you think some hill bandit is going to treat you with courtesy?
Astra, use your advantage-I’m not using Adept power. Can’t you Read what I’m going to do and counter it?”
Astra tried-he could see that she did know what he was about to do-but her responses were too slow. “You’re thinking about it,” he told her. “Don’t think-act. Think with your body, not your brain!”
Still she was too slow. He struck her time after time, raising welts on her arms and legs-and when he stabbed at her chest, instead of parrying his thrust she stepped back, trying to shield herself.
“Astra!” he said in annoyance. “You’re wearing enough padding to stop a real sword!”
“It still hurts!” she insisted.
“Of course it does,” Kimma suddenly spoke up. She had been watching them for some time now.
“Zanos, have you ever tried to train a woman to fight before?”
“No-of course not,” he replied.
“Well, we’ve got different instincts from men,” she told him, “because our anatomy is different.”
“I’ve noticed,” he said wryly.
“No-you haven’t,” insisted Kimma. “Every time you strike Astra’s chest padding, it bruises her breasts-and a woman’s instinct is to protect them. Astra, may I borrow that sword?”
“With pleasure,” Astra replied.
“Let me show you how to take advantage of a man’s instincts,” she said. “Remember-we are definitely not bound here by any rules of fair play.”
Intrigued, Zanos faced off against Kimma. She was about the same size as Astra, but had the strength brought on by her life-style. Still, she was certainly no match for him in muscle power. So… she didn’t try to be. She stayed on the move, darting in and out, making him twist and turn to keep up with her.
“Woman may not have men’s strength,” said Kimma, “but we have endurance. Zanos is arena-trained-I probably can’t wear him down this way, but I could most ordinary men.”
Zanos agreed. “A valuable lesson, Kimma. Thank you.”
But the lesson wasn’t over. Suddenly Kimma ceased dancing about, and began to strike at Zanos as if she were trying to finish off a tiring opponent. But he was not tired. Easily, he deflected blow after blow until-
Kimma struck high, as if slashing at Zanos’ throat. As he lifted his sword to counter her, she suddenly swung wide and came in under his guard-straight toward his vitals!
The pain, the horror of the day he had been wounded there, was on him in a flash of terrified memory-he lowered his sword instinctively to protect his manhood-