Shadow's Son by Shirley Meier, S.M. Stirling and Karen Wehrstein ...

Generated by ABC Amber LIT Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html
"So ambushing him and hauling him off to Gold-Dipped is out," said Shkai'ra. "And… well, oath or not,
I'm somewhat disinclined to just go tohim with it, too."
My thought again, love. She was thankful Shkai'ra had said it. If the Arkan's scheme were
sophisticated enough that Chevenga's people—however many of them he was willing to call away from
war missions—couldn't unravel it, he would sacrifice Lixand, whatever she said.His country and
himself, versus one child. He'd have no real choice . "Yes," she said quietly. "I agree."
Shkai'ra sat with her back to the low-trimmed lantern at the inner end of the tent, eyes slitted in thought
and her long fingers playing with the hilt of the sword across her lap. They had told Sova to absent herself
for the night, which Megan had taken to suggesting now and then; she found the presence in the pup-tent
an arm's length from theirs somewhat inhibiting. That and talking in Fehinnan, which nobody within a
thousand kilometers knew, gave them fair security.
"I can't kill him, I can't capture him, I can't even bloody wellfollow him," Megan snarled, working her
claws into the tentpost and making shavings of wood that patterned down on the canvas floor. "If I kill…
if I do what he's asking me to… I can't trust him not to kill Lixandanyway , Lady Koru!"
We can't even be sure he hasn't already, Shkai'ra thought, but kept to herself; it would be throwing oil
on the fire, pointlessly.If he has … Matthas might have been a little apprehensive if he could have seen
their face then.
"Well, we have to proceed on the assumption that he will do as he promises," Megan said. "From what
I've heard of Irefas, they generally do stick to their word for this kind of thing, so that they can keep
doing it; he's got no particular reasonnot to. That we know of." She slammed a fist into the tent floor. "If
he knows his business, there'll be watchers in hiding around the meeting place. What we need is a spy
that can follow him invisibly. Or flying," she said ironically. "And even the most powerful witch I know
can't fly…" She trailed off, looking into the air over Shkai'ra's head as if she could see straight through the
canvas, smiling. "Fishhookcan."
The Kommanza's fierce concentration slackened in bewilderment for a moment, and then she smiled
cruelly. "Who no Arkan would suspect of anything but being out looking for dinner. Can you control her
that well?"
"Control her—acat ? No; I'd have to convince her he was worth following."
Megan pressed one hand to her middle, then pushed her fingers carefully through her loose hair. "I'm
nervous. I want to be moving… I'll sit. We'll think this out." She sat down cross-legged and put her
hands flat on her knees.
Shkai'ra leaned forward eagerly. "If you could get Fishhook to follow him—say, convince her he's got
food—she'd lurk around there of her own will. We'll have to be very careful, one suspicion,"—she made
a gesture across her throat. "But with luck, we could at least find his base."
Megan covered her eyes with the heels of her hands and sat still for a while. "All right. If Fishhook
comes up with something. If not, then I'll have to consider…"
"Killing Gold-Arse. For your child.Ia . If you stalled long enough before you did it, it wouldn't matter to
the war; it'll have enough of its own power without him, and the world won't lose so much. I know things
like that bother you. Of course…" Her light-hearted grin faded some."It would mean breaking your