“You will have to cross anyway to come back here. So you cross in the north. It’s hardly out of your way. If you don’t like the offer, then I’ll offer twenty to take us to Nicobarese, and I’m sure I can find someone there more than willing to take us to Aydindril for the other ten, if we even need carriage after my wife is healed. If you want all thirty, then I’ll commit to it now, if you agree to take us all the way. That’s my offer.”rolled his cup back and forth. “All right. To Aydindril. Twenty now, ten in Aydindril.” He pointed a meaty finger in Zedd’s direction. “But you have to agree to one condition.”
“Such as?”’s finger moved, to point at Zedd’s red hat. “You can’t wear that hat. That feather will spook the horses sure.”’s wrinkly cheeks spread in a grin. “One condition of my own, then.” Ahern cocked his head. “ You have to tell my wife that it’s your condition.”grinned back. “done.” His grin vanished as quickly as it had come. This isn’t going to be an easy journey, Ruben, up into and across those mountains. I have a coach I bought with my earnings from hauling to Ebinissia. I can mount runners to it. Make easier going in the deep snow.” He tapped a finger against the side of the cup. “Now, the gold?”bard’s fingers danced across the strings, playing an enthralling tune without words. Practically every toe in the room was moving in time with it, adding a drumlike accompaniment. Zedd reached into his robes and put a hand around the two purses of silver coins. He watched the room without seeing it.then the wizard did again that which he had had to do far too often of late: he channeled a warm flow of magic into the bags of silver coins—and changed them to gold.what choice did he have? To fail in this endeavor was to see the world of the living die. He hoped he was not simply providing himself justification for an act he knew was dangerous.
“Nothing is ever easy,” he muttered under his breath.
“What was that?”
“I said I know it’s not easy, this journey.” He plunked the dark brown bag of gold on the table. This should make it possible. Twenty now, as agreed.”pulled open the draw top and put two big fingers into the bag, counting, while Zedd idly watched people enjoying the food and drink and music. He was anxious to be off to Nicobarese.some kind of joke?”brought his attention back to Ahern. With two fingers, the big man drew a coin from the bag and flicked it across the table. The coin spun with a dull color before finally toppling over, making a sound just as dull. Zedd stared incredulously.coin looked just like an ordinary coin. Except it was wood instead of gold.
“I… I… well…”had poured the rest of the gold coins into his big mitt and was now letting them tumble back into the purse. “And there are only eighteen here. You’re two short. I’m not taking wooden coins.”smiled indulgently as he pulled the light brown purse from his robes. “I apologize, Ahern.” He swept the wooden coin from the table. “It would seem I gave you the wrong purse, the one with my lucky coin. I would never give that away, of course. It’s more valuable to me than gold.”peered into his purse. Seventeen. And two of those were wood, too. There should have been nineteen, altogether. His mind reeled as he tried to make sense of it. Could Master Hillman have tried to short him? No, that would be too clumsy a theft. Besides, to carve a coin from wood, hoping to pass it off as gold, would be witless.
“My other two gold?”
“Oh yes, yes.” Zedd pulled two gold coins from the purse and slid them across the table.added them to his purse, jerked the drawstring tight, and stuffed the dark brown bag into a pocket. “I’m at your bidding, now. When would you like to leave?”silver coins that were turned to wood instead of gold did not concern the wizard; that could be explained. Somehow. But there were three coins missing. Vanished. That could not be explained. That did concern him. Concern him down to the bones in his toes.
“I would like to leave as soon as possible. At once.”
“You mean tomorrow?”snatched up his hat. “No, I mean at once.” He glanced at the man’s puzzled frown. “My wife… there is no time to waste. She needs to get to her healers.”shrugged. “Well, I just got back from Tristen. I’ll need to catch a little sleep. It’s going to be a long, hard run.”reluctantly nodded his acquiescence. “First I’ll put the runners on the coach. That’ll take a couple of hours. Less if I can get one of these fellows to help me.”thumped his cane. “No! Tell no one what you’re doing, or where you’re going. Don’t even tell anyone you’re leaving.” He snapped his mouth shut when he saw Ahern’s frown, and thought he had better say something to ease it. Those shadows you spoke of. Does no good to let them know where to point an arrow.”stared down suspiciously as he stood to his full, towering height, drawing his longcoat on. “First you talk me into taking you to the accursed land of wizards and Confessors, and now this. I think I asked too little.” He flicked the ends of the coat’s belt together into a loose knot. “But a bargain is a bargain. I’ll get the coach set up, and get some provisions together before I snatch a little sleep. I’ll meet you back here three hours before dawn. We’ll be across the border and into Galea before midday tomorrow.”
“I have a horse at the stables. We might as well take her along. Stop by and fetch her before you come for us.” Zedd dismissed the man with an absent wave of his cane. “Three hours before dawn.”mind was racing in other directions. This was more serious than he had thought. It was imperative that they have help as soon as possible. Maybe the woman in Nicobarese who had had the three daughters had studied somewhere, perhaps someplace closer. Maybe they could find what they needed without going all that way. Time was of the essence.light only knows, Adie had said, where the woman had learned about the skrin. The “light” was a common reference to the gift. It was also an obscure reference to something else entirely. He thumped his cane on the floor. Must Adie always speak in sorceress’s riddles!Ahern headed for the door, the wizard rose and headed for the stairs.35opened the door to be confronted by a haze of smoke that smelled of creosote. The window was opened, letting in icy cold air, and letting out the smoke. Adie sat on the bed, wrapped nearly to her neck in a blanket, brushing her straight, black and gray, jaw-length hair.
“What’s going on? What happened?”pointed with the hairbrush. “I be cold. I tried to start a fire.”glanced to the hearth. “You need wood, Adie. You can’t have a fire without wood.”expected a scowl. Instead, it was a look of disquiet. “There be wood. I used magic, to try to light the fire from where I be in bed. But there be a big puff of smoke and sparks. I opened the window to let out the smoke. When I looked to the hearth, the logs be gone.”stepped closer to her. “Gone?”nodded and went back to brushing. “something be wrong. Wrong with my gift.”stroked a hand down her hair. “I know. I had a similar problem. It must be the taint.” He sat and took the brush from her hand, setting it down. Adie, what can you tell me about this taint, about the skrin? We must have answers.”
“I have already told you all I know. The skrin be force on the cusp between the world of the living and the world of the dead.”
“But why won’t the cut heal? Why won’t my magic work to heal it? What made the logs disappear when you used magic?”
“Skrin be from both worlds. Do you not see?” She shook her head in frustration. “skrin be magic, magic of both worlds, so it can work in both worlds. Additive and Subtrac-tive. We be touched by that force. The taint be Subtractive.”
“You mean that you think the taint of Subtractive Magic is corrupting our magic? Our gift?”nodded. “It be like you have just cleaned ashes from a hearth with your bare hands, and without washing them clean you try to hang up freshly washed white sheets to dry. Your hands be tainted with the ash, and it gets on the clean, damp, white sheets. Sticks to them.”silently considered the problem for a time. “Adie,” he whispered, “we must somehow clean our hands. Wash the taint away.”
“You have a talent for stating the obvious, old man.”checked his tongue and took a different tack. “Adie, I hired us a coach to take us to Nicobarese, but you’re getting weaker, and I’m not going to be long behind. I don’t know if we can wait. If there’s another way, maybe someone else closer who can help us, I must know.”
“There be no other way. There be no one else.”
“Well, what about this woman who had the three daughters? Perhaps she studied somewhere closer to learn some of these things. Maybe we could go there, instead.”
“It not be a help.”
“Why not?”considered him a moment, and at last yielded. “she studied with the Sisters of the Light.”shot to his feet. “What!” He paced back and forth between the bed and the fireplace. “Bags and double bags! I knew it. I knew it!”
“Zedd, she studied with them to learn. Then she returned home. She not be a Sister. The Sisters not be so… unreasonable… as you think.”halted to peer at her with one eye. “And how would you know that?”gave a resigned sigh. The round skrin bone, the one that be given to me just before the woman died, the one I told you be important, the one we lost back at my house… the gifted woman who gave it to me be a Sister of the Light.”
“And what was she doing in the New World?” Zedd asked in a level tone.
“She not be in the New World. I be in the Old World, at the time.”put both fists on his hips as he leaned toward her.
“You crossed the Valley of the Lost? You went into the Old World! You’re just filled right up full with little secrets.”shrugged with one shoulder. “I told you I searched out women with the gift, to learn from them what I could. Some of them be in the Old World. I used my one passing through the valley and back to learn what I could of what I needed to know.”snugged the blanket tighter around her shoulders. The Sisters, some of them, taught me the little bits they knew. Important little bits. The Sisters view it as their province to know about the Keeper, the Nameless One as they call him, in order to keep souls from his grasp.
“I did not stay at their palace long; they would not let me stay unless I wished to be one of them, but for a time they let me study with them, study things in their vaults. There be Sisters in the palace I would not trust to cook me breakfast, but there be some who were great help.”, Zedd started pacing again. The Sisters of the Light are misguided zealots. They make the Blood of the Fold look to be reasonable men!” He came to a halt. “And when you were there, did you see any of their boys? Did you see if they even had any with the gift?”
“I had my own learning to attend to. I not be there to argue theology with the Sisters. That not be a wise thing to do. They did not let me have anything to do with their charges, if indeed they had any. I be sure that if they had any boys, they be ones from their side.know better than to risk violation of that truce. They strongly fear what wizards on this side would do if they did. They let me learn what I could from them, and let me study in the vaults, but they never let me see any boys, nor would they tell me if they had any.”
“Well, of course they don’t have any!” he snapped. There are almost never any born with the gift, anymore. Too many wizards have been killed in the wars. We are a dying breed.
“And as First Wizard I would never turn down the teaching of one with the gift as happened thousands of years ago. Nor would any wizard I taught. And the Sisters know that! They know the rules! They may not take a gifted one unless every wizard declines to teach him. To go against the rules just once would mean a death sentence to any Sister that ever again crossed that valley.”know that, Zedd. They take that threat seriously.”
“Well, they ought to know it! I met up with one of them once, when I was young, and I sent my warning to the Prelate.” He flexed his fists as he stared off. They are barbaric in their methods. They are children teaching surgery. If I knew how to get past those accursed towers, I’d go down there and lay waste to the Palace of the Prophets.”
“Zedd, in that time past many with the gift died because there be none who would teach them to control it. Those with the power were possessive of it, and did not want to train another who one day might be a threat to their power. They abandoned those born with the gift, left them to die by the power of the thing they be born with but didn’t know how to control. The Sisters didn’t want to let those abandoned boys die. They just be doing what they think best to help people.”cast her a withering glare. The Sisters of the Light do only what is best for the Sisters of the Light.”
“Maybe so, but they are sworn to follow the rules, the truce, just as you do, by letting them be when they come here.”stared off, shaking his head. To let those with the gift die, simply for their own selfish gain… If they had lived up to their responsibilities as wizards, the Sisters of the Light would never have come to be. Never been needed.”his boot, he brushed a dead ember on the flagstone hearth back into the fireplace. They would never think of allowing a wizard to teach a young sorceress to use her gift, yet they presume to teach a young wizard how to use his.”
“Zedd, I believe as you, but listen to me: dead and buried causes and wars not be our concern. The veil be torn. The Stone of Tears be in the world of the living. Those be our concerns.
“I went to those women to learn. Magic I learned there, and have taught you, though insufficient to stop the taint, has been able to slow it. We must purge the taint before it claims us.”mood cooled under the scrutiny of her white eyes. “Of course you are right, Adie. We have pressing problems to deal with.”favored him with one of her little smiles. “I be glad you be wise enough to listen to wisdom.”rubbed the ache in the back of his neck, squeezing the tight muscles. “do you really think this woman with the three daughters would have known about this taint? It’s a long way to go on a hunch and a hope.”
“She studied with the Sisters of the Light many years. They liked her and wanted her to stay, to be a Sister. But she did not believe as they, and so finally went home. I don’t know the extent of her knowledge, but if the Sisters know anything about the taint, and taught her, she would have taught her daughters. As much as I don’t like the idea, they be in Nicobarese.”Zedd saw Adie wrapping the blanket up around her shoulders, he closed the window. Kneeling at the hearth, he placed a handful of kindling on the grate and stacked on wood from the bucket to the side. He was about to use magic to start the fire, but thought better of it and instead lit a stick in the lamp. He squatted, touching the flame to the curls of the kindling.
“Zedd, my friend,” Adie said in a quiet, gentle voice, “I not be a Sister of the Light. I know that be what you are wondering. I not be one of them.”was exactly what Zedd had been wondering.
“And if you were,” he asked without turning, “would you tell me?”was silent. He looked over his shoulder to see her smiling at him. “The Sisters of the Light value honesty above almost anything else. But to them, lying in the service of their Creator be a virtue.”fire took a good start. Zedd stood before her, looking down without returning her smile. “That is no comfort to me.”took hold of his hand, patting it with her other.
“Zedd, I will tell you the truth. I be in debt to some of them for the things they did for me, but I give you an oath on the soul of my dead Pell: I not be a Sister of the Light. I would never let them have one of the gifted from our side, as long as I knew there be a wizard to teach him. I would never allow a boy to be taken and subjected to their ways, had I a say.”smoothed the fringe of a carpet with his foot. “I know you’re not one of them, dear lady. It’s just that I hate the thought of those women doing those things to ones with the gift, when I can show them the joy of their talent. It’s a gift. They treat it like a curse.”a thumb, she rubbed the back of his hand. “I see you have yourself a dashing new cane.”grunted. “I hate to think what Master Hillman is scheming to charge me for it.”
“And did you find us transportation?”nodded. “A man named Ahern. We better try to get a bit of sleep. He’s going to be here with a coach three hours before dawn.”gave her a grim look. “Adie, until we get to Nicobarese and can rid ourselves of this taint, I think we had better consider the consequences very carefully before using magic.”
“Are we safe here?”soft hand extended from the fog of dim light, brushing her cheek, comforting her.are safe here, Rachel. Both of you are safe. Now, and always. You are safe.smiled. She did feel safe. Safer than she ever felt before. Not just safe like she felt when she was with Chase, but safe like she had felt in her mother’s arms. She hadn’t been able to remember her mother before, but she remembered now, remembered the encircling arms holding her to a breast.terrible fright she had shared with Chase while.they raced to catch Richard was melting away. The bone-tired worry of whether or not they would catch him in time was melting away. The terror of the people who had tried to stop them, the fights Chase had had, the horror of the blood she had seen, all the blood she had seen… it was all melting away.she stood before the sparkling pool, the hands reached to her again. Reached to her from the gentle smiles of reassurance. The hands helped her undo the buttons of her dirty, sweaty dress, and pull it off. She flinched when her dress pulled against the bruise on her shoulder, the bruise she got when a man chasing them had knocked her down.smiles turned to sad looks of concern for her pain. The soft, gentle voices cooed comfort to her. The glowing hands caressed the shoulder, and when they lifted, the bruise was gone. The hurt was gone.better?nodded. “Yes! It’s all better. Thank you.”hands pulled off her shoes and stockings. She sat on a warm rock and dangled her bare feet in the soothing water. It would be so wonderful to bathe and be rid of the dirt and sweat.hands reached for the stone hanging on the necklace around her neck. The hands drew back, as if afraid.cannot remove this thing. You must do it without our help.the soothing warmth and security of the beautiful land around her, through the comfort of the peace she had found, through her desire to do as the gentle murmurs had asked, a voice rose up in her mind. It was Zedd’s voice, telling her that she must not give the Stone to anyone, for any reason, telling her how important it was for her to guard it always.looked up, from the circles of ripples her feet made in the water, to the gentle faces. “I don’t want to take it off. Can’t I leave it on?”smiles returned and widened.course you can, Rachel, if that is what you wish. If that is what would make you happy.
“I want it to stay on. That would make me happy.”it will stay on. Now, and forever, if you wish.smiled a smile of peace and security as she slipped into the soothing water. It felt so good. She floated and drifted. She felt all her troubles sloughing away with the dirt. One moment, it seemed she couldn’t feel any more safe or happy, and then the next moment she did, and the next yet more.drew her arms through the healing, cleansing, golden water, swimming toward the other side of the pool, where she remembered leaving Chase. She found him almost up to his neck in the water, his head tilted back, resting on a soft mat of grass at the bank. His eyes were closed and he had a wonderful smile on his face.
“Father?”
“Yes, daughter,” he whispered without opening his eyes.swam up beside him. He lifted an arm and she slipped under it. It felt so good to have his arm around her shoulders, comforting her.
“Father, do we ever have to leave this place?”
“No. They say we can stay forever.”nuzzled against him. “I’m so glad.”slept, really slept, like she couldn’t remember ever sleeping before, so safe and sheltered, though she didn’t know how long. When she dressed, her clothes were clean, and seemed to sparkle like new. Chase’s clothes, too, were bright and shiny. She held hands and danced in circles with other children, glowing children, whose voices and laughter echoed. It made her laugh, too, laugh with happiness like none she had ever felt before.she was hungry, she and Chase lay in the grass, the warm fog and glowing, smiling faces around them, and ate things that were sweet and delicious. When she was tired, she slept, never having to worry about where she slept, because she was safe, safe at last. And when she wanted to play, the other children came to play with her. They loved her. Everyone loved her. She loved everyone.she walked alone. Filmy shafts of sunlight streamed through the trees. Glowing meadows were filled with wildflowers bowing in the gentle breeze, winking with bright specks of color.she walked with Chase, holding his hand. She was so happy that he was contented now, too. He never had to fight anyone anymore. He was safe, too. He said he was at peace.sometimes took her for walks, and showed her the woods where, he said, he grew up, where, he said, he had played when he was as little as she. She smiled with delight at the look of happiness in his eyes. She loved him and was fulfilled knowing he, like she, had found peace, at last.looked up, and a small smile touched her thin lips. She hadn’t heard a sound, and she needn’t turn to look in the near darkness. She knew he was there, on the other side of the door. She knew how long he had been there.legs still crossed, she rose smoothly on a cushion of air, hovering above the straw-covered floor. The boy’s limp arms swung as they dangled, like weighted fishing line. Lacking any life or rigidity, his back bent backward, draping over her arm. In her other hand was clutched the statue.unfolded her legs and stretched her slippered feet to the floor, settling her weight on them. As the boy slid from her arm, the dead weight of his head thunked against the floor. His arms and legs flopped askew to one side. His clothes were filthy. Disgusted, she wiped her hands on her skirts.
“Why don’t you come in, Jedidiah.” Her voice echoed from the cold stone. “I know you’re there. Don’t try to pretend you’re not.”heavy door squeaked slowly open and the shadowed figure strolled into the light of a single candle burning on a rickety, nearby table that was the lower room’s only accoutrement. He stood relaxed, silently watching, as the orange glow faded from her eyes and they returned to the pale, pale blue shot through with violet flecks.gaze went to the statue in her hand. The owner sent me to find that. She wants it back.”thin smile grew. “does she now?” She shrugged. “Well, I’m through with it.” She held it out to him. “For now.”’s face was a calm mask as he took the statue. “she doesn’t like it when you “borrow” her things.”ran a finger down his cheek. “she is not the one I serve. I don’t really care what she likes and what she doesn’t.”
“You would be wise to care a little more.”smile brightened. “really? I could give her the same advice.” She twisted, holding an arm out to the body on the floor. “He had the gift.” Slowly, her hard eyes came back to his, the smile gone, as if one had never touched her features in all her life. Her voice came in a venomous hiss. “I have it now.”slightest frown of puzzlement touched his cool expression.we must have the ceremony, Jedidiah? The ritual in the Hagen Woods?” She slowly shook her head. “Not anymore. That is only the first time, because we are female, and female Han cannot absorb the male.” Her voice lowered to a derisive whisper. “Not any longer. Now that I have the gift of a male, I can accept others without the ritual.”face glided to within inches of his. “so can you, Jedidiah,” she breathed. “With the quillion, so can you. I could teach you. It’s sooo easy. I simply showed him the joining rite, to try to show him his Han.” Her cheek brushed his as she whispered into his ear. “But he didn’t know how to control his gift. I created a vacuum in the quillion.” She drew back to appraise his eyes. “It sucked the life right out of him. Sucked the gift right out of him. It’s mine, now.”studied her eyes a time before glancing down at the body. “I don’t recall seeing him before.”continued to whisper to him from only inches away. “don’t play games with me, Jedidiah. What you really mean is, where did I find him, and why haven’t the Sisters, if he has the gift.”shrugged nonchalantly. “If he has the gift, why isn’t he collared?”cocked her head to the side. “Because he is so young. His Han is too weak to be detected by the other Sisters.” She tilted her head to the other side. “But not by me.” She touched her nose to his. “He was right here in the city. Right under their noses. Probably the offspring of a dalliance by one of you naughty boys.”
“Very efficient. Saves having to bother with reports. Avoids awkward questions.”glanced down at the body. “Be a good boy, and dispose of him for me. I found him living in squalor, down near the river. Dump him back there. No one will think anything of it.”lifted an eyebrow. “You wish me to clean up after you?”ran a finger down his neck and across his throat, across his Rada’Han. “You make a serious mistake, Jedidiah, if you think of me as a mere Sister. I have the male gift now, same as you. And I know how to use it. You wouldn’t believe how much that power increases when you add the Han of another.”
“It would appear that you are becoming a Sister to be reckoned with. A wise person would take care with you.”patted his cheek. “smart boy, Jedidiah.”gave him a little frown as she slipped her hands to his waist. “You know, Jedidiah, you may think of yourself as powerful in the gift, but I think you should worry about that. You have never had one to challenge your abilities before, your rightful place among the wizards here, but a new one comes. He will be here soon, and you have never seen one like this before. I think you may no longer be the pride of the palace.”countenance showed no reaction, but his face slowly heated to red. He lifted the statue. “Well, you did say you would like to teach me.”waggled a finger in front of his face. “Uh, uh, uh. He is mine. You may have another. Any gift will swell your power, but this one is mine.”waggled the statue in front of her face. “she might have something to say about that. She has plans of her own. Plans for him.”smiled with one side of her mouth. “I know. And you are going to keep me informed of her plans.”lifted an eyebrow.” You have plans for me?”smile grew to both sides of her mouth. “Very special plans.” Her hands roamed lower down the sides of his hips, feeling the firmness of his young muscles under his robes. “You’re good with your hands, good at making things, making things in metal. I have something I want you to make for me. Something invested with magic. I hear that’s one of your talents with the gift.”
“You wish a trinket, an amulet, perhaps, in silver, or gold?”
“No, no, dear boy. You’re to make it from steel. You’re to gather the steel of a hundred sword points. Very special sword points. Sword points from the armory: old ones, ones that have been used. Ones that have pierced flesh in combat.”arched an eyebrow. And what is it you wish made?”slid a hand up the inside of his thigh. “We’ll talk about it later.”smiled at how quickly he responded to her touch. “You must be lonely, since Margaret ran away. Sooo lonely. I think you need a friend who understands you. Did you know, Jedidiah, that with the male Han comes a unique understanding of the male? I now understand in a new light what it is that men appreciate. I think we’re going to be very special friends. As a special friend, you get the reward before performing the task.”trickled a thread of magic into him, focusing it where it would do the most good. Her smile widened as his head rolled back. His eyes closed and he let out a throaty groan, and then gasped. Panting, he clutched his hands to her bottom, drawing her to him, and crushed his open mouth to hers.kicked the body out of her way as she let him force her to the straw-covered floor.36wolverine grew larger in his vision. The arrow waited for the flat, dark head to lift. A low growl came from behind his left shoulder.
“Quiet!” Richard hissed.gar fell silent. The wolverine’s head rose. With a zip, the arrow was away. Wings aquiver, the little gar bounced on the balls of its feet, its attention riveted to the flight of the arrow.
“Wait,” he whispered. The gar froze.a solid thunk, the arrow found its target. The gar squealed in glee. Wings spreading and flapping, it bounced higher and turned to him. Richard leaned close and pointed a finger at the gar’s wrinkly nose. The gar watched him attentively.
“All right, but you bring me back my arrow.”bobbing in quick agreement, the gar bounded into the air. Richard watched by the dim, early dawn light as it swooped down on the dead quarry, pouncing as if it were about to escape. Fur flew as claws ripped. The dark silhouette lowered, its wings folding against its back, as it hunched over the prey, growling and pulling its meal apart.turned from the sight and watched instead the streaks of cloud change color against the brightening sky. Sister Verna would be awake soon. He still stood his watch despite her insistence that it wasn’t necessary.finally relented, but he knew she was angry because he wouldn’t back down. That made her angry. What didn’t? She was more angry than usual since coming through the valley the day before. She was silently livid.glanced toward the little gar to see it was still eating. How it had managed to follow him through the Valley of the Lost, he couldn’t imagine. He had thought it was a mistake to keep feeding it before they reached the valley, but he felt responsible for it. Every night when he had taken his watch, it had come to him, and he had hunted food for it. He had thought he had seen the last of it when they crossed over into the Old World, but somehow, it had followed.little gar was passionately devoted to him when he was on watch. It ate with him, played with him, and slept at his feet, if not on them. When his watch was over, it hardly made a fuss about him leaving. Richard never once saw the gar at any other time. It seemed to instinctively know to stay away from the Sister, to avoid letting her see it. Richard was reasonably certain she would try to kill it. Maybe the gar knew that.was continually surprised by the intelligence of the furry little beast. It learned faster than any animal he had ever seen. Kahlan had told him that short-tailed gars were smart. Now he knew how right she was.had only to show it something once or twice to make it understand. It was learning to understand his words, and tried to imitate them, although it didn’t seem to have the capacity for speech. Some of its sounds came strangely close.didn’t know what to do about the gar. He thought perhaps it should strike out on its own, learn to hunt and survive, but it wouldn’t leave; it followed, out of sight, wherever they went, even through danger. Perhaps it was too young to get by on its own. Maybe it saw Richard as its only way to survive. Maybe it saw him as a surrogate mother.truth, Richard didn’t really want it to leave. It had become a friend as they had traveled through the wilds. It gave him unconditional love, never criticized him, and never argued with him. It felt good to have a friend. How could he deny the same thing to the gar?flap of wings brought him out of his thoughts. The gar thumped to the ground before him. It had gained a lot of weight since Richard had first found it. He would have sworn it had grown nearly half a foot, too.sinew under the pink skin of its chest and belly had become taut, and its arms were no longer all hide and bone, as they had been, but were thickening with muscle.was afraid to think of how big it would eventually get. He hoped it would be on its own by then. Hunting enough food to feed a full-grown short-tailed gar would be a full-time occupation.wiping the shaft on its fur-covered thigh to clean off the blood, the gar flashed Richard its hideous, bloodstained grin and held out the arrow. Richard pointed over his shoulder.
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