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

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a not-quite-grown-up puppy's paw. "I wonder sometimes… what happened to them."
Though she was careful not to show it, Megan flinched inwardly. It seldom came up, how Sova had
been adopted.Then, I just didn't care if Shkai'ra took both Thane-brats and drowned them. I forgot
that they were human. I forgot what it was like to be sold off to a stranger when I was twelve .
Megan looked down at the rough skin around her claws where she'd bitten at the cuticles.Until it was
done; too late .
"I can understand you wondering. If you like, when we get home, I can start inquiries—"
"No!" For a moment the girl's fresh young face flashed a flat anger too old for her age, before the eyes
dropped and the words subsided into formal stiffness. "I mean… I wouldn't impose on your time,
zhymata ."
Koru, how do I get throughthat?Shkai'ra's taught her to hide behind that blank look . Suddenly it
came to her why the girl had refused, and that she'd been damned insensitive not to see it. "Itwould be
more than impolite for me or Shkai'ra to try and find your parents, wouldn't it?"
The girl took time, putting it into words. "Well… Fater is a Thane. Even if you were as nice as Elder
Brother to him, it's… it would almost be a worse insult to hiszight , if he considers himself having any left.
It would be like pity. As forkhyd-hird , I wouldn't want her to get on the same side of the world as them.
If they're alive, even."
"Ah, Sova…" Megan's sigh was barely that, a faint breath. "If you or a neutral party wanted to look, I
could aid in that way."
"I do, and I will, when I can," the girl said. Her chin lifted slightly, firmed. "Withoutyour help."
Megan shrugged. "It's up to you. Sova…" She heaved a sigh.How to say what I've wanted to say ?
Somehow there had always been other things in the way, other things on her mind, or Shkai'ra too busy
with the girl. This hurt almost as much as thinking of her own old hates and troubles; but she nailed her
feelings down like a slug under one of her claws. "To my mind I owe you. I can say it was Shkai'ra, not
me, who took you, but I stood back; Iknow ."
The girl's face stayed stony, but her hazel eyes blinked, as if through the eye-holes of a mask, the only
part of her true face showing. "You oweme ?"
"I owe you honest answers to how you feel, at least. If it hurts me, so be it; I pay for my own action, or
lack of action."
"Form u-u-u-up!" From all around came muttered curses, as the army hauled itself to its feet. By the
height of the sun, it was probably the last rest break of the day; next stop would be for camp, and bed.
War … Always the demands of the many came first, before love, hate, hunger, fear, any need or wish of
the one. They found their place on the road, and Megan massaged the insides of her thighs.
"Forwa-a-a-a-a-ardmarch !"
The girl glanced forward and back as they heeled their ponies into a slow plodding walk, scanning for
anyone who might understand Zak. Satisfied there was none, she asked,"Why did you stand back?"
Megan took a deep breath. "Some part of me hated you just for being Thanish. Another part of me saw
what you'd done to a friend of mine, though it was your father, really. I was wound too tight into my own