Shadow's Son by Shirley Meier, S.M. Stirling and Karen Wehrstein ...
Shadow's Son by Shirley Meier, S.M. Stirling and Karen Wehrstein ...
Shadow's Son by Shirley Meier, S.M. Stirling and Karen Wehrstein ...
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Generated <strong>by</strong> ABC Amber LIT Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html<br />
damned fine sight to see. A damned fine sight." He raised his cup; several others did likewise.<br />
The Arkan general: Shkai'ra had told her. "Teik Sun-Shines-Out-Of-His-Ass isn't so driven-snow pure."<br />
Abatzas Kallen—she'd been struck <strong>by</strong> the similarity, to Sarngeld's true-name. "Neither he, nor his kind,<br />
sweet, gentle people, who voted for him to do it… several have told me, how he milked every bit of<br />
ecstasy out of pronging that fat fuck-head. About time, I'd say; they had it coming, <strong>and</strong> no one deserved<br />
to give it to them more than him."<br />
I'm going to kill you, she thought.If you could do that to anyone, Arkan or not, for any reason …<br />
Chevenga ran a h<strong>and</strong> through his dark hair, <strong>and</strong> said, "Semana kra," like an incantation.The people<br />
wills. You mean it was duty. Just following orders. Your duty <strong>and</strong> your pleasure were happily allied<br />
?<br />
Megan wanted to be elsewhere, to continue; if it got intense enough, her face would show it. She<br />
yawned elaborately, stretched <strong>and</strong> got up, surrendering her place to the steadily contracting circle.<br />
Chevenga got up too, catching her eye.<br />
Wanting to talk, it seemed; fine. Away from the fire, the darkness was full but for faint starlight, even in<br />
the open ground. She couldn't see more than his shape, naZak-tall ! side her.<br />
"I thought I'd walk you to your tent at least," he said pleasantly, "it's been all business lately, somehow,<br />
we haven't just talked… Unless you're tired, of course; don't let me impose."<br />
In the dark, she knew, he couldn't see her face. "You're not imposing… ah, perhaps I should rephrase<br />
that."A teacher's voice: "Smite, it can be heard even if not seen ."<br />
"Actually, you're very imposing."<br />
He chuckled politely. "How go things with you?"<br />
Fine, thanks, she answered inwardly.Someone's using my son to blackmail me into killing you, how<br />
about you "Well enough. Except for some chosen problems… like my adopted daughter." He read<br />
people too well not to see her preoccupation with something, <strong>and</strong> it was true enough.<br />
"Any of my business?" She had a sudden thought, of the Arkans he'd had drawn <strong>and</strong> quartered, how<br />
joyfully he had announced it.Velvet smooth voice out of the dark , she thought.Habiku was equally<br />
charming :<br />
"If I choose to tell. I told you we adopted Sova a year ago <strong>and</strong> never mentioned why, or how. She <strong>and</strong><br />
her brother… well, Shkai'ra took them away from their father as a prize when we won a challenge when<br />
she was twelve, <strong>and</strong> I didn't stop her. Her brother was killed in my house war." She found herself<br />
worrying at the skin around her claws again <strong>and</strong> made herself stop. "So she's more than a little confused<br />
about who she is. I look at her, try to help, but find myself looking at an angry stranger, in part through<br />
my own action—or rather inaction—then."<br />
"Shkai'ra took her as aprize ?" The soft voice took on just the trace of an edge. "Yet you call it<br />
adoption.Tzen kel …" He cut himself off. "I can see why she's confused about who she is. Whatever<br />
possessed Shkai'ra to take children as prizes?"<br />
Tzen kellin ripalin, he'd half-said: the Arkan ethic, "Who kills becomes." Meaning who kills a lord takes